Page 141 of The Viper's Wife

The Family falls behind as Nico drags me around the side of the house. He’s walking so quickly, it’s difficult tokeep up with my heels, but he doesn’t let me trip or fall as he floats me to his car.

“How did you know?” I ask. “That I was out there?”

“Annetta,” he says through gritted teeth. He jerks open his car door and helps me inside.

Before he’s even fully seated, he starts driving.

I fumble with the heat settings and wrap his coat tighter around myself.

He drives in silence, his hands strangling the steering wheel, his jaw tight.

“Do you think Giovanni will be okay?” If he dies, what will Nico’s dad do to us?

“I don’t know,” he says, before adding darkly, “I hope not. He’s had that coming for a long time.”

“Where are we going now?”

“To the apartment.”

“And they’re just going to let us?”

“I don’t know.”

“What do we do next?”

“I don’t fucking know!”

Nico swerves to the side of the road, flicks on the emergency lights, and faces me. “I don’t know what happens next, I just know—” He looks at me, a fierce, deep devotion blazing across his features. “I don’t regret a damn thing.”

Ignoringthe multiple calls from his sister and mom and ex-fiancée, Nico drives us straight to the apartment.

I catch Lacey up as quickly as I can while Nico steps onto our balcony, a phone pressed to his face. She promises to pick up her things tomorrow and leaves me, Nico, and “Valeria Jr.” to rest.

I follow Nico outside. He wraps his arm around me as he listens intently to whoever is speaking on the other line—his dad or his brother, I’d guess. He faces the glittering city lights, his fingers tightening over my chest.

He only gives one word responses.

“Yes, sir.”

“No, sir.”

His fingers twitch, and his answers change.

“Because I love her.”

“Because she’s good for me. She’ll keep me in line.”

“Mom and Alessia approved.”

“Because she’ll give me an heir.”

His last statement sends a current of panic through my limbs. There’s no backing down now. I hold my hand to my belly, and Nico shifts to place his hand over mine. I hope that we’re strong enough to weather whatever comes next.

When he finishes his call, he pockets his phone and holds me like that for an eternity, so long that a light drizzle showers onto the streets below us.

“What happens next?” I murmur against his chest.

“Father said the baby changed everything. He wants us to go to the best doctors possible and to move forward with the marriage.”