Page 119 of Shattered King

I’m not elbow-deep in cars anymore, or at least not as often, but I’m around the job all the time now. I make the calls and set the schedule. I’m the brains at the top, and my employees are my hands and my fingers, putting everything together. We’ve been focusing on refinishing and rebuilding classic cars, and we’ve put together one hell of a high-end client list over the past few months. It’s been crazy hard work, but so extremely satisfying.

We chat for a little longer until the sliding door opens. Nitto’s in Luca’s arms, looking sleepy, and he reaches for me. “Bedtime,” Luca says as my lovely little son reaches for me with his chubby perfect hands.

I take my boy in my arms and squeeze as he makes gibbering happy noises. “Mommy,” he says, or something that sounds a lot like it.

“Are you sleepy, little darling?” I kiss him a dozen times, and he laughs as he squirms. “Are you so very tired?”

Luca pours himself a glass of wine and sits. “Exhausted, thanks for asking.”

I roll my eyes at him. “Complainer.”

Elisa leans toward my husband, propping her chin on her hands. “You know, Super Dad, your wife here was just telling me that I need to get pregnant. Do you happen to have any siblings?”

“Actually—” Luca starts, but I cut him off.

“No! Not going down that weird incesty road. No thank you!”

“Shame,” Elisa says with a sigh.

“I’ll be back after I put him down.” I squeeze my kid and get up with a grunt. He’s so heavy, but I love him to pieces. I’d happily suffer a sore back if it meant another forever of little kid hugs.

Luca comes inside with me. He kisses me and Nitto as we retreat upstairs. Then there’s reading, singing, the whole damn routine. It’s gotten a little bloated in the last couple of months. But eventually, Nitto’s down.

“How are you holding up?” Luca asks me in the dark hall outside our son’s room.

“Tired, but good. It’s a happy tired.”

“That’s the best kind.” He pulls me against him and kisses me lightly. “And Elisa?”

“Hanging in there.” I glance toward the steps. I worry about her but decide not to say anything. Luca knows better than anyone else. The way I fuss over my sister is the way he fusses over me. “This has been one of the hardest months of my life.”

“Yeah, I know.”

“But it’s also one of the best. Because I have you and Nitto and the garage.”

“Yeah.” He grins and kisses me. “I know.”

“We should get back down there before Elisa finishes the wine.” I lean against his chest, and his arms wrap around me tighter.

“In a minute. Let’s just stay here for a bit.”

“Yeah.” I let out a breath and close my eyes. My cheeks hurt from smiling. “Just for a little while.”