"No," Dante murmured. "I'm not."

"Would you like me to take Michel?"

"No."

Cat didn't know what her husband needed from her and that set her off balance. "Are you still angry with me?"

Dante smiled. "I want to be, but no."

"What can I do for you right now?"

"You can go back to sleep and let me think a bit more," Dante replied quietly. "And when word does come, because it will, I need you to stay here, take care of Michel, and let me do what I have to, no arguments."

"I can do that."

"Good. Because I couldn't stand the thought of you being in the middle of whatever might go down. I didn't expect this at all."

"Expect what?" Cat asked.

"Keeping you safe because I love you. It hadn't crossed my mind, that's all. Even inside my head, you're this formidable force, an unbeatable creature. If I keep thinking that way, regardless of whether you are or not, I'll have your blood all over my hands."

"Dante-"

Her husband released a hard breath of air, passing her an intense look that stopped her words and heart. "If you argue with me about letting you in on whatever we might do, I will let you win. Please don't argue with me so I won't have to let you win."

"I won't."

Dante brushed the stray hair from Michel's face, gazing at the boy. "Another thing ..."

God, hadn't what he said been enough? For Cat, it most certainly was.

"What's that?"

"I want to be his father."

Cat stilled in place.

"I want him to love me like I'm his father. I don't care that he doesn't look like me or even that he can't someday follow my footsteps because part of his heritage is uncertain. None of that matters to me. I want him to be my son."

"Really?"

"Yes, but only if you want it, too. See, if I'm his father that means you're his mother. I'm not sure if you're open to that or not. He deserves parents, Cat. Ones who will give him everything he needs and should have. I would like for us to be those people-not just his aunt and uncle."

Cat didn't even have to think about it. "I would love that."

Dante grinned, closing his eyes again. "I hoped so."

Cat snuggled Michel's fresh smelling cheek, enjoying the smell of baby soap and lotion on the boy's skin. Warm and soft, Michel grinned happily all snug in Cat's arms. She was surprised, although maybe she shouldn't have been, at how easy her affectionate side came out to play when her nephew- The night before flooded her mind.

Michel was not her nephew, not anymore. She could give him those things he needed, a mother and father included.

"Does Ma know yet?" Cat heard a voice ask. Giovanni.

"No, just Dad," Dante replied. "And he's still got her out of state so she won't find out."

"Better she doesn't," Lucian added.

Cat's heart plummeted as she eavesdropped on the brothers' conversation. To her, it sounded like they were talking about poor Michel. She hadn't slept well at all the night before and when the brothers showed up bright and early banging on the condo door, Cat made herself scarce with Michel before Dante let them in.

At least her husband's next words soothed her worry that they weren't talking about Cecelia disapproving of Michel.

Dante sighed, saying, "The last time bad shit went down, Antony had to get Paulie to sedate her just to keep her from going into a panic attack. No need to worry her about Johnathan until we have good news for her."

"I agree," Lucian said. "Let's get on with it."

"Word traveled from the streets about the same time they left their little message," Giovanni said as Cat stepped into the office doorway. No one noticed her presence, so she stayed quiet.

"Good, so we were right then?" Dante asked.

"Warehouse in the shipping district," Giovanni confirmed with a nod. "Pretty big place, so there's that."

Lucian's hands smacked down hard to Dante's desk. "This is my son we're talking about. Can we please not act like we're serving a fucking dinner here?"

Dante flinched. "Lucian-"

"No, shut the fuck up. I don't care about whatever goddamn problem you've got with this. I don't. My wife won't even speak to me right now because of this. She blames me, Dante, and she doesn't even realize the shit going on inside my head. Jordyn looks at me like she hates me and it's killing me. And you know what, fuck you for thinking it would be okay to sit around and take the time to consider whatever it is you're considering. This is my son, not any other kid. Mine."

"My wife," Dante murmured. "I'm considering my wife."

Cat's spine straightened at her husband's omission.

"She fucking caused this!" Lucian roared.

Michel started in Cat's arms at the sudden change in noise level. Before she could stop him from crying, or even hide from view of the office, Michel wailed. Fat tears slid down his cheeks as Cat bounced him in her embrace and patted his back, shushing into his ear soothingly.

When he calmed, sniffling away his cries, Cat turned back to the brothers. All eyes had turned to her in the doorway.

The defensive stances Giovanni and Lucian sported eased at the sight of Michel.

"Good morning," Cat greeted.

"Morning, Catrina," Giovanni replied.

Lucian didn't say a thing.

"I'm sorry for all the worry my choices have caused you, Lucian," Cat said, wanting him to know. "I never thought Bruno would go so far as to take another man's child, and that was my mistake. I misjudged his cruelty and there is no excuse or apology worthy of your pain."

"You're right, there isn't," Lucian stated coldly. "I would appreciate it if you didn't try at all. I don't want your apologies, I want my son. As does my wife."

Cat flinched on the inside, but she knew she deserved every bit of his anger and resentment.

"He's fed, bathed and ready for you," Cat said quietly, meeting Dante's gaze.

"So this is him?" Lucian asked.

Dante waved at Michel who was twisting around to find his father's voice. "This is him. Michel."

"Marcello," Giovanni said for his brother when Dante didn't tack on Michel's surname.

"Well, unofficially," Cat said.

"At least until I get his documentation," Dante put in. "Then he's mine through and through. Ours, I mean."

"He's a handsome thing," Giovanni said, grinning. "Nobody's ever gonna believe he came from you, man. Not with looks like those."

Dante laughed. "Fuck off, you asshole."

"Little ears," Cat warned.

"Sorry, bella."

Lucian cleared his throat, still eyeing Michel. "He does look like Catrina, though, except for those brown eyes. Even his hair is a little red in the light."

"A little," Dante agreed.

"That'll help your story of him being hers, anyway."

"That's the plan." Dante smiled though it faded fast. "Dolcezza, could you give us a few minutes?"

"She should know, Dante," Giovanni insisted.

Dante flicked his younger brother with a look. "Shut up."

"But-"

"Shut up," Dante repeated, firmer the second time. He turned back to Cat. "Please give us a few minutes alone to chat."

"Know what?" Cat asked.

"Bruno is in the city, too," Giovanni blurted out, refusing to look at Dante.

"I don't know how Dad never killed you for disobeying every fucking thing he ever told you, Gio," Dante growled.

"You're late to the game, cafone. Get used to it," Giovanni snapped. "I'm not changing and a new boss isn't going to make a difference."

Cat ignored their exchange. "I'm not surprised Bruno is in the city."

Lucian was the only one who noticed Cat's comment. "Why is that?"

"Because Marc couldn't wipe his own ass without Bruno's permission. I couldn't imagine him coming to America and Bruno not following behind."

"Why didn't you mention this to me last night?" Dante asked.

Cat shrugged, letting Michel nibble on the tips of her fingers. "Maybe I assumed you would already know that, Dante. Do you send your very best men off without you?"

"Point taken."

"Yes, well, how did you find out Bruno is in the city?"

Dante's stare cut to Giovanni quickly. "Keep that mouth of yours shut."

"She deserves to know," Giovanni said again.

Cat wasn't in the mood to dance around stubborn men, so she turned to Lucian instead. He was angry with her, but if he had information for Cat that might help bring Johnathan home, he would tell her.

"Know what, Lucian?"

"Lucian-" Dante didn't even get to finish his sentence.

"One of Gio's men was killed last night near the area we believe the men who took John are hiding out. When his body was found by his partner who had been chatting with a few people in the district, there was a note in his pocket."

Cat didn't blink at the terrible story. Men died. It was an unfortunate part of their business. "What did it say?"

"It said if the Marcellos wanted their principe back, their queen needed to be the one who came for him."

"And we know which warehouse they're in?" Cat asked quietly.

"Yes, now," Dante said, his jaw clenching tight. "Essentially, they hid in plain sight, but it worked until they didn't need it to anymore."

Cat faced her husband with a steeling resolve. His words the night before flooded her thoughts and heart, but she didn't have a choice. No doubt, Dante knew it, too.

Please don't argue with me so I won't have to let you win.

Her blood, his hands.

"I'm sorry," Cat told her husband, seeing the pain flickering in his eyes.

"Don't argue with me, Cat. Not on this."

Too late.

"He's terribly angry with me."

It hurt when Dante was angry with her.