She bristled, but her expression and tone of voice remained soft, mildly entreating. “My children come first in my life, Liam. Paul hasn’t spent more than three days in a row with Serena since she was born.”
Liam bristled as well. “So you’ll punish me for Paul Lewis’ failings?”
“No, but Paul’s failings made me who I am.” She frowned then, confusion taking root in her expression. “Why are you smiling?”
“We’re a pair, you know?” He sat on the corner of the desk and chuckled briefly. “Both attached to spouses who have failed us. I’m with Athena because I won’t have her influencing my boys...my children come first for me too, Erica.”
“And now we’re to share one.”
“Same holds,” Liam vowed. “I’ll always protect our child against anything or anyone.” He leaned toward her on the desk. “Say you believe me, Erica. Promise you’ll never forget that.”
He extended a hand then. Erica regarded the offer with skepticism for what seemed an eternity before she clasped it with her own. “I pray he’ll never need to know that kind of protection,” she said.
~~~
Vicarus Claymore Tesano took the last name of his mother’s favorite uncle as his middle. He was born on a spring evening in 1947. His half brother, Gabriel Fredrico Tesano was born exactly two months later on a summer afternoon and took; for his middle name, that of his father’s best friend.
~23~
Christmas, 1951~ Skaneateles, Upstate New York
The Campbells were an old family name among New York society. Matthew Campbell’s family had been among the state’s founders. It was believed his ancestors were actually in the room during the signing of the Declaration of Independence.
Athena didn’t know how much of that was true, but decided the family’s home went a long way in convincing the most rigid skeptic. She had never visited the Upstate and could think of no better time for such a trip as the holidays.
The Campbell family’s annual Christmas Weekend was a highly anticipated event among the New York elite. Each year, the family took a select few to its Northeastern estate for a few days of Yuletide cheer. It was rumored that many of Wall Street’s most lucrative deals were decided at the Campbell’s galas. Athena tried not to let her eyes stretch or her mouth gape too wide or too long as she studied the immaculate palace-sized home which sat at least 5 miles off the main road and secured behind towering gates. A forest of red maple trees even shielded the gates during the warmer months.
The invitation had encouraged guests with children to bring them along, so the Tesanos did. Athena believed she could rival her boys’ excitement. Even Liam seemed giddy. Naturally, Athena assumed that a great deal of his good mood had to do with the small Connecticut factory he had just acquired from Matthew Campbell.
The Campbells had thought of everything, even chaperones for the older children. Of course, that service only pertained to Aaron. Humphrey, already 12, deemed himself too old for such oversight. His parents allowed it as there were other children there his age. Nursemaids were even on staff for the youngest guests. That was something a mother of four could surely appreciate.
“Don’t worry, they’re the very best at what they do.”
Athena blinked, clueless at first as to what the blue-eyed blonde walking alongside her was talking about. She realized the woman meant the nursery where she’d just dropped off her two youngest boys: Stone and Gabriel.
“The nursemaids seem nice,” Athena told the other woman.
“Oh, they are highly recommended. They have to be. These are children of royalty, after all.”
Athena laughed. “We’re far from royalty.”
“I disagree,” the woman’s eyes sparkled. “You and your husband have all of New York society buzzing. All his ideas so far have proven golden. With this crowd, such talent is worthy of jeweled crowns for you both.” She nudged Athena’s shoulder with her own. “Enjoy it. Not everyone gets to live a life charmed by financial success, good looks and beautiful children.”
“Thank you, Laney,” Athena told the young woman who was a distant Campbell cousin.
The ladies arrived in one of the four ballrooms the Campbell mansion boasted. Athena and Laney took champagne from a passing waiter.
“No thanks are needed for telling the truth,” Laney said. “Your Gabriel is a doll. I haven’t seen many Italians with blue eyes. Or violet for that matter,” she tilted her champagne flute toward Athena.
“Oh, we exist,” Athena sighed, trying not to cringe over the woman’s ravings. “I believe Gabriel got his eyes from my brother, Alcide,”
“It can’t be easy leaving family behind such a far distance,” Laney noted.
“No, it isn’t,” Athena said for form’s sake. She hadn’t thought of her family in years.
“Family is important. Especially sons,” Laney said.
The comment obviously caught Athena’s strong attention. She frowned.
Laney laughed. “Surely you know this. Boys carry on the family name, don’t they? The more boys, the more secure the family name.” She nudged Athena’s arm again. “Don’t worry. Your husband’s line looks quite safe.”
A wicked and naughty light took hold of Laney’s bright eyes. “It must be exciting to have such a handsome, viral man for a husband- a challenge too.”
“Challenge?”
“Considering the number of women you must have to fight off every time you two leave the house,” Laney laughed when Athena blushed. Then, the woman gasped. “The Dumonts! You have to meet them!” Laney raved and tugged Athena with her across the vast room.
~~~
Liam smiled in his sleep. The Campbells socialized as supremely as they bedded down. It was rumored that each of the 20 or more guest rooms had a queen bed or larger.
Liam didn’t know or care, so long as no one tried to rob him of a moment’s sleep in the king bed he and Athena shared. He was encouraged to follow his smile with a sigh and felt himself being tugged from the sublime realm of sleep into a place far more...pleasurable?
He was suddenly, fully awake and realizing his ‘contentment’ had everything to do with what was taking place under the luxurious bed covers. Athena had disappeared beneath the linens, the long slow pulls of her mouth on his sex had literally raised him from a deep sleep and into a lust-filled haze.
“Th-Thea...” he could only groan around a sob as his hips lifted and settled. The moves grew consistently faster as he surrendered himself to her care.
“St-stop...Athi...”
