Page 127 of Roman

“They wouldn’t let me give you blood.”

“You’d been shot as well. No doubt the doctor was worried over the trauma you’d been through. Too risky.”

“That was what I thought at first.”

I frowned. “At first?”

“Dr. Sims told me something else.”

Worry hit me instantly, and I fell to my knees in front of her. “Effie? Tell me.”

“I’m pregnant, Roman.”

Her words hit me, rendering me speechless. Realization of what she’d gone through while pregnant tore through me, and my hand went to her stomach. “Are you⁠—”

She covered my hand. “Everything is fine,” she soothed. “Me and the baby.”

Baby.

My baby. My wife was carrying my child.

Our child.

I was going to be a father. A dad.

Emotion swamped me. Tears filled my eyes as I looked at her. My beautiful wife.

“We’ll be parents?”

“Yes. I missed a pill. I forgot⁠—”

I cupped her face, kissing her. Her nose, cheeks, forehead, and sweet lips. I leaned my head on hers, letting her feel my joy. I didn’t care about the how. It didn’t matter. The only thing that did matter was the fact that we were having a baby.

“Thank you,” I breathed out.

She giggled, the sound joyful. “Nonna wanted you to have babies. Now she’ll have lots. Me, Vi, Justine.”

“She’ll burst when we tell her.” I sat back on my heels, still holding her face. “When can we tell her?”

“Soon. It’s early, Roman.” She wiped a tear from my eye. “You’re happy?”

“So happy, Little Tiger. The start of our family.”

She eyed me speculatively. “We never really discussed this. How many kids do you want?”

I kissed her again. “As many as you’ll give me. We have a big house.”

She laughed. “This from the man who couldn’t love.”

“This from the man you taught to love, Effie. Everything I have, everything I am now, is because of you and your love. Your sweetness. You opened up that part of me.”

I stood, then bent and scooped her up from the chair. “Let’s celebrate.”

She grinned, looking mischievous. “Should I ask how?”

I set her on the bed. “The same way we got here.”

Then I lifted her shirt and pressed a kiss to her stomach. “Hello, little one. Shut your ears and eyes. Daddy needs to love Mommy.”