“No. But there’s nothing you or anyone else can do.”
Leo pulled me back to where he could stare into my face. “There is nothing that I won’t do to help you.”
“I wish you could.”
“Why won’t you tell me what’s wrong?”
Drawing in a deep breath, I prepared to lie to him once again. I was getting too good at telling lies. “I’m just scared to bring a baby into our world where it’ll be used like a pawn.”
“I won’t let anyone do that.”
“As long as my father lives, this baby, along with you and me, will always be a pawn.”
Leo’s eyes narrowed. “Maybe your father will have an unfortunate accident one of these days.”
While that might’ve saved me months ago, I’d spun too big of a web for that to help now. But it would also mean that Vittoria would be safe. And the twins. “Maybe so.”
The malice in Leo’s expression faded and was replaced with joy. “When can I tell my brothers?”
“It’s still very early. It’ll be two more months before I’ll be out of danger of miscarriage.” The truth was I only had another month before I was out of danger.
He groaned. “You know I’m the worst at keeping secrets.”
I smiled. “You kept me a secret for over a year.”
“That’s different.”
“Okay, you can tell your brothers.”
“And Talia?”
“Yep.”
“When should we tell your parents?”
That ship has already sailed. “I…uh, well, I guess we could tell them soon.”
“We are supposed to have dinner with them next Sunday.”
“Then I guess we can tell them then.”
At what must’ve been my apprehension, Leo took my hand in his. “We don’t have to tell them shit.”
I laughed. “I know. But we might as well get it over with.’
Frowning, Leo asked, “Don’t you think they’ll be happy? I mean, as happy as two dysfunctional assholes like them can be?”
“Oh, I’m sure they will be. I mean, I’m well on my way to doing my duty. I’m sure if it’s a boy, they’ll be even more elated.”
I’m sure Father would get a sick sense of pleasure if it were a boy. A bastard having a place in the Neretti organization would be his ultimate revenge after everything that transpired.
Leo cupped my cheek with his hand. “In the end, it doesn’t matter what they think or anyone else for that matter. We’re happy, and that’s all that matters.”
“You’re right. This is just about us.”
Along with the secret hanging over us like a dark cloud.
CHAPTER THIRTY-TWO: LEO
