Page 11 of The Don's Secret Heir

I’d been able to keep Sonny fed, but tonight was the last of our money even for food. I’d gotten him a quesadilla from a fast-foodrestaurant with my last ten bucks. My sweet boy all but forced me to eat a piece, but I made him eat the rest.

That’s all I’ve had to eat in two days.

Feeling dizzy again, I sit down on the bottom stair.

Dario comes back down and he frowns down at me when he reaches the bottom step.

“How are you feeling? I can call a medic?—”

“No,” I say quickly. “I’m fine. I just got a little lightheaded.”

His frown deepens. “When’s the last time you slept well? Ate well?”

I go silent, not sure how to answer that, and he sighs heavily.

“Follow me,” he says flatly, as if he’s annoyed by the whole situation. I frown.

“Why are you helping me?” I ask, stubbornly refusing to get up even as he tugs at my hand.

He drops my hand, his dark eyes searching my face.

“Because I’m not a monster, Li.”

The nickname is a pang in my heart. He’s the only one to ever shorten my name that way.

I swallow hard and stand up, bracing myself on the railing.

Dario leads me into the kitchen and I sit down in a chair, still feeling dizzy.

He opens the freezer and takes out a frozen bag of peas, gently pressing it to my swollen face.

I hiss at the sudden cold and sting, but he doesn’t move it away and after a moment, the pain subsides and the ache dulls.

I slowly put my hand over his to take the frozen peas and his gaze snaps to mine, his pupils dilating slightly.

Is he as affected by my touch as I am by his? Still? After all this time?

But then he looks away, clearing his throat.

“I’ll make you something to eat.”

“You don’t have to?—”

He cuts me off. “I know I don’t have to. But lucky for you, I’m full of sunshine and rainbows.”

I can’t help but crack a smile at that.

He’d always made me laugh with his dry sense of humor.

We spent three months together—nearly every day together. At first, it was just a fling, but I’d thought that had changed for both of us.

Until I caught him out with someone else.

I swallow hard, not wanting to think about it. It still makes me feel like there’s a pit in my stomach.

Dario turns away from me, digging in the fridge before pulling out a box of what appears to be Chinese leftovers. He pops the box in the microwave and the device beeps as he sets it.

He turns as the food heats up, leaning against the counter and crossing his arms over his chest.