From the moment Ella Rue stepped into Mateo Cole’s bar, he knew she was different. When a picture, drawn by a kid, falls out of her work locker, he has questions. All of his background checks didn’t say she had a child.
The work was by a child—her own work from many years ago. Being a foster kid, she was used to not being wanted. Ella’s desires had not changed. She wanted to have children, be a mother, and to be a wife. She didn’t want to be a business woman.
Many years ago, Mateo killed his father, along with anyone who dared step in his way. But now, he wants children. He wants a life with Ella, and he knows exactly what to do to make it happen.
Ella knew the proposition was crazy. Most people were afraid of Mateo, but not her. She couldn’t believe that she was even considering the deal, but it was the best way to get what she wanted.
So, they got married, and they began the journey of becoming pregnant. But along the way, something happened. It was no longer a business deal once feelings were involved.
A happily ever after isn't in the cards. The mafia does not approve of marrying outsiders, and they will stop at nothing to remove the problem.
Ella left her picture underneath the magnet on the fridge right at home, in her apartment. There was no point in carrying it around with her all the time. Arriving at work, Bernie was already behind the bar. On Friday nights they always had two or three people manning the bar, including her. The bar wasn’t open yet, and she gave Bernie a wave.
“Ella, the boss wants a word with you,” he said.
This made her stop and turn to look at Bernie. “What?”
“The boss said to tell you as soon as you come in, that he wanted to see you.”
She nibbled her lip and then glanced back over at Bernie. “Did he say why?”
“No, and I didn’t ask, seeing as he is the boss, and so what he says, goes.”
She tried not to wince, but it was hard not to. This wasn’t good, was it?
She didn’t drop her stuff off at her locker, and instead went straight to Mateo’s office. The door was closed, and she lifted her hand and knocked.
His call to come in came almost immediately after. Her stomach felt incredibly tight. She had no idea why he would want to see her, and it freaked her out just a little. She had never been called to his office. Had a customer reported her? She tried to scramble her brain for a valid reason, and she kept coming up blank. There was no reason he should want to see her.
Stepping into his office, she saw no one was there with a complaint.
“Close the door,” he said.
Was this good?
She did as he asked, and then turned to look at him. He pointed at the chair opposite her, and she had no choice but to take a seat, although she just wanted to ask him what was going on. She licked her very dry lips, and waited. Her heart raced. She felt that spiraling sickness swirling in her gut, making her wonder what the hell she was going to do.
“I want to talk to you about a … proposition,” he said.
Okay, she wasn’t expecting that, but at least it didn’t lead to her getting fired, which was a huge plus.
“A proposition?”
“Yes. I’m forty-five years old. I have no wife and no children.” He didn’t look away from her. “And it has come to my attention, Ella, that I want children.”
“Okay. Are you wanting me to help you find a girlfriend or a wife—”
“You’re wanting children, a family, someone to take care of you. How about you and I come to an arrangement that suits both of us?”
This was not what she expected. She had to remind herself to press her lips closed, because she was so close to losing her composure. Her mouth had literally fallen open and stayed open.
“Uh, you want to have a child with me?”
“Children, yes. I want to have more than one child, and based on your picture last night, you want a big family.”
“And you want to have those children with me?”
“Yes,” he said.
She smiled and pressed her lips together, wondering if this was some kind of prank. “You’re kidding?”
“No. I am not kidding. I’m serious, Ella. I want to have kids and a family, and I want to have it with you.”
“What, uh, what exactly would that entail?”
“We’ll get married. I have already made the arrangements. We can be at a church in less than twenty minutes. Everything would be legal. I promise I will take care of you, and in return, you’ll take care of me. Provide me with everything a loving wife can offer. I will give you the kids.”
“How would we … make those kids?” Ella asked. She felt like she was in a dream, but each time she kept pinching her arm, she wouldn’t wake up.
“The old-fashioned way. We can come to a deal with this arrangement, but after that, everything would be real. You will be my wife, I will be your husband, we will have children and a family. Together, we can give each other what we want.”
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