I pushed the thought away before it could root.
“If she’s slacking off, I’m just gonna let her rest, okay?” I said, wiping my hands on the towel tied to my apron.
Skye groaned dramatically. “Can I rest too?”
“Not if you want strawberry chocolate chip pancakes,” I replied, not missing a beat.
He sighed and reached for another berry anyway as I headed down the hall.
Halfway to Vinny’s room, I caught the scent. Espresso and bourbon–Vinny. And beneath it: something softer, sweeter. Vanilla and brown sugar–Violet.
Together, they smelled like a fancy café latte. The kind that cost too much and was absolutely worth it.
That alone told me she’d found him.
Still, I needed to see them. Just to quiet the nerves buzzing in my chest.
I pushed the door open slowly, trying to silence the squeal of its hinges. No luck. The sound made me wince, but I pressed forward, and seeing them curled together in bed made it worth it.
Violet had gotten dressed, her red cardigan and the cherry-print dress, my favorite. Normally it hung a little loose on her, but not today.
Today, I could see a faint swell just beginning. The barely-there start of a baby bump.
My lips twitched upward.
Vinny stirred at the noise, trying to sit up, but a hiss of pain stopped him. His injured shoulder reminding him that he was not, in fact, invincible.
Violet made a soft sound in her sleep and pressed a hand to his chest, gently guiding him back down. Then she shifted closer, burying her nose against the scent gland on his wrist like it was the only thing keeping her tethered to this world.
Vinny froze, and then slowly relaxed.
He was shirtless, tattoos on display, bandage stark against his skin. But he didn’t move her. Didn’t even try.
He just laid there, letting her breathe him in, one careful breath at a time.
I slipped inside and shut the door behind me. Took off my apron and set it on the nearest chair.
“You got the bunny?” I whispered.
Vinny grunted, reaching behind his head before pulling out the tan rabbit with its creepy little eyes. He’d even changed it into pajamas.
“Yeah, I have this stupid fucking thing,” he muttered, tossing it to me. “Why the hell did I need to sleep with it?”
I brought it to my nose. His pheromones were all over it. Not as strong as the real thing, but it would keep Violet upright when he wasn’t around—assuming she carried it like she always did.
“She likes your smell, boss,” I said, setting it on the nightstand before approaching the bed. “Can I join?”
Vinny’s eyes raked over me. “Yeah. Just take that fucking coat off. I don’t want my bed smelling like pancakes.”
Didn’t have to tell me twice.
I stripped off my chef’s jacket and let it fall to the floor as I crawled in behind Violet.
Close up, I saw she’d even done her makeup. Rosy cheeks, red lips, that subtle shimmer on her eyelids.
“She looks like a little doll, no?” I whispered, settling behind her.
Vinny brushed a few strands of hair from her face. “Yeah. She does.”