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“He really is the most adorable thing I have ever seen.” Valentina coos over Romeo.
We are in the bedroom – well more like suite - Nico has allocated for us. It has everything you could possibly imagine for a bedroom in a mansion as big as this. Apart from one thing. “There’s no crib.” I say to no one in particular, my gaze moving around the space to double check I haven’t missed where my son will sleep.
“It is on its way. I contacted the owner of a store in town with my requirements. They will be delivering everything we need within the hour. In the meantime, I am sure he will be okay to sleep in his car seat for another couple of hours.” Nico’s deep voice startles me when he answers my question. The air thickens with his presence, almost choking me as he strolls inside my room without a care in the world.
“Right.” My eyes roll of their own accord, because of course he did. It’s just like him to take control of everything.
His gaze narrows in on me, assessing me with a hint of irritation. His jaw clenches but instead of indulging me further, he shifts his eyes to Romeo and his mother. “How is my boy?” Ignoring me, he closes the distance between them, taking our son in his arms.
I shift on my feet, feeling uncomfortable. Not because Nico is holding Romeo, but because I don’t know what’s going to come next. A soft hand lands on my bicep, giving me a gentle squeeze. My eyes snap up landing on Nico’s sister.
“Are you hungry?” she asks softly, sincerity radiating from her.
As if on cue, my stomach growls, confirming that I am. I blush, smiling when Allegra grins. I haven’t eaten since last night. Since my date with… my heart clenches just thinking about it. With Harrison. Patty. My family for all intents and purposes, for the last year. My hand comes to my heart, rubbing as if I can alleviate some of the pain. I will miss them both. My feelings for Harrison were nowhere near what I feel for Nico but still, he was a good man. Kind. And Patty was the best woman I have ever met. Tears prick my eyes, realization slamming into me. I will never see her again.
“Ocean?” Allegra frowns at me.
Clearing my throat, I speak. “I am actually. Though I need to feed Romeo first.”
She smiles with a nod. “I will ask the cook to prepare some breakfast.”
“Mia Figlia, why don’t we give Ocean and Nico some space. We can prepare breakfast ourselves, yes?”
Allegra chuckles. “I would have suggested it had I thought I could pry you away from your grandson.”
Valentina smiles softly down at Romeo in Nico’s arms. “He is just so beautiful.” Her hand comes to her chest. “I can’t believe that I’m a nonna.” She shakes her head in disbelief, a dreamy look in her eyes. My chest tightens with comprehension. Not only did I keep Romeo from his father but kept him from Nico’s family. “Ocean, is there anything you don’t eat?” Valentina asks, snapping me from my inner turmoil.
“I’m not a huge fan of lamb, but everything else is fine.”
She claps her hands. “Perfect. I will see you shortly.” Taking Allegra’s hand, they leave the room.
Sighing, I turn to face Nico. His eyes are already on me, those predatory blue orbs sending a shiver down my spine. I swallow. There is something to be said about the way Nico Marchetti looks at me. But I can’t focus on the way he makes me feel right now. I need to remember all that he did. That I hate him.
“Can you leave? I need to feed Romeo,” I huff.
He smirks. “No. You had no problem thinking about getting your breasts out in front of my men, you can do it in front of me.”
“I didn’t do anything of the sort. Now get out,” I say through clenched teeth.
“No. It’s nothing I have not seen before. In fact, if I recall correctly, you used to love me sucking on your tits.”
My cheeks heat at his words but I straighten in defiance. “I don’t care what you have or haven’t seen before. Things are different now. You have a…” I trail off, the word catching in my throat. Clearing the lump away, I straighten my spine and lift my chin. “You have a fiancée. Or is she your wife now?” And then something hits me. Something that I forgot until now. I frown. “And where is your father? I need to thank him. You know, for setting things straight. Telling me the truth.”
His face darkens as he steps into me, so close his hot breath fans my face. With a tight jaw, he grits out four words that I never expected to hear. “My papà is dead.”
I recoil. “Wh-what?”
He smirks. “Yeah. The day he confronted you with all my secrets, he was gunned down outsideBellissima. Poetic. Karma if you ask me. He took you away from me, and my enemies took him.”
Nico’s face is impassive, his voice detached as he tells me all this. I can’t say that I’m sad Lorenzo isn’t here. Spending even twenty minutes with the man made me uncomfortable, so I can’t imagine living in the same house as him. But still, it’s sad, losing a parent. I would know. Though mine are still alive, I lost them a long time ago. Their need for power exceeded their need to be loving parents and their treatment of me. Though my father’s behavior toward me was appalling, now that I am a mother myself, I can see that my mom was just as complicit. I would never treat Romeo, or any future children I have, the way they treated me.
Realizing it’s been minutes since anyone has spoken, I clear my throat and whisper out. “I’m sorry for your loss.”
He chuckles but it’s humorless. “No, you’re not, but thank you. My understanding of what went down between my papà and you that day is that he threatened your life several times, to the point that you had no choice but to run. He was a bad man,Tesoro, one who would stop at nothing to get what he wanted. And that was you gone.”
“He did threaten me. But that doesn’t mean I wished him dead,” I tell him honestly.
He eyes me for a long beat, then looks down to Romeo. An emotion I can’t quite decipher crosses his face before he covers it with that blank mask of his. This is the first deep, meaningful conversation we have had since we reunited, and everything is hitting home at what my actions caused. Though I had no choice but to run, my throat thickens, shame at keeping a father and his son apart consuming me. I have a maelstrom of emotions running through my body and I don’t know which is the most dominant or how to feel.
