One year ago,

"Hot lemon and honey, fluffy socks and a warm water bottle for my favourite little girl," Leo said sitting beside me on the sofa. It was a new moon and I was pregnant with twins (not much fun at all).

"Thank you, Leonardo," I said resting my head on his shoulder as the lemon and honey soothed my insides. "But soon I won't be your favourite girl. They'll be some competition," I said putting my hand on my humungous baby bump.

"You've been wanting a daughter for ages and now two are coming along at once," he replied stroking my head gently and putting his other hand on my stomach.

"Thank God. I've been feeling very outnumbered recently."

"Well yes, this house is a little male heavy," Leo agreed referring to our three sons.

"And in a few years, they'll be someone to braid my hair for me. I still can't do it myself and I've been trying my entire life," I said with a sigh.

"What are you talking about? I can braid hair," Leo stated.

"Shut up," I muttered. "No, you can't."

"I can!" he said defensively. "My sisters taught me when I was little."

"Show me then," I said.

"Fine," he replied. "I will."

I sat on his lap as he pulled my hair all behind my back and split it in two.

"Ouch," I winced as he started to braid. "You don't have to pull so hard."

"Not my fault that your hair is so knotty," he replied. "And no pain no gain."

About ten painful minutes later, he was finally done. I handed him some hair bands for him to secure the ends before heading to the bathroom to admire his work.

"Leo, I am ashamed of you," I stated after seeing my braids in the mirror- if you can even call his creations braids. "I look like I a hedgehog that has been dragged through a bush backwards."

"They aren't that bad," he protested. "I haven't done it in more than a decade so you'd expect me to be a little rusty."

"They are shocking."

"Let me try again then," he said as I sat back down on the sofa and he pulled the hair ties out. "I'm going to be a father to two daughters. I should at least know how to do hair."

We spent the rest of the evening sat on the sofa as Leo meticulously perfected his braiding skill on my head. It took him hours but he got there in the end and the result was a stark contrast to his first attempt.

"You can officially add braiding to the extensive list of things you are good at," I said looking in the mirror at the perfection he had created.

Soon enough I was dragged out of my dream by my body finally deciding to regain consciousness. I slowly sat up from the hard floor with all parts of me in pain. I held my throbbing head in my hands and tried to ignore the fact that every muscle in my entire body aching like they were filled with poison- which they were.

"Fucking wolfsbane can go to fucking hell."

"Welcome back," Max said from the other side of a small room.

"Where are we?" I groaned as I looked over at Max, who had taken to throwing a stone up into the air and catching it continuously.

"The Mafia's holding cell," he said in a bored tone.

"Why?"

"Because we're being held by the Mafia."

"Yes, thanks, Max. At least I can always count on you to relentlessly point out the obvious," I replied saltily.

He looked up and shot me a glare.

"Ask a stupid fucking question, get a stupid fucking answer."

"Shut up," I snapped walking to the bars of the cell.

"Sorry, little Miss Grouchypants."

"Hey, guards!" I called.

"What are you doing?" Max asked.

"Unlike you, I'm trying to get us out of here," I hissed and he rolled his eyes.

A few seconds later a big man appeared wearing a balaclava.

"Can I talk to whoever is in charge around here?" I questioned.

"No. He's busy," the man replied monotonously.

"Please."

"I said no," he growled.

"I can make it worth your while," I said seductively placing a hand on his chest through the bars. "State your price," I said leaning my body against the bars and using my sexiest tone.

His eyes flickered with lust and a smirk slipped onto his mouth.

"I'd like to taste your lips," he said placing his fingers under my chin.

Max made an immature gagging noise from behind us whilst I rolled my eyes.

"And if I agree you'll take me to see the boss?" I questioned as he removed his hood revealing a menacing face.

"That all depends on the quality of the kiss," he said placing his lips on mine as I tried my best not to throw up in his mouth.copy right hot novel pub