Page 285 of Lorenzo

I turn my head toward him. “You’re biased.”

“Completely.”

The technician finishes the last of the measurements, then finally switches off the sound of the heartbeat. The sudden quiet feels strange, and I want to tell her to turn it back on. It wasn't nearly enough.

I look at the screen one more time before she moves the machine away.

“So everything really looks okay?”

“Everything looks good.”

Relief washes over me all over again.

The technician hands me a towel and steps out to give me a minute to clean up and get dressed.

The second the door closes, Lorenzo leans down and kisses me passionately. His hand cups my jaw while the other slides to the back of my neck, and the kiss is deep and slow and full of everything we could not say in front of a stranger.

When he pulls back, his forehead rests against mine. "Did you hear that heartbeat?" he whispers. "Already so strong." He pulls back enough to look at me. "Like its mother."

Tears well in my eyes again. "There you go again, making me cry."

He wipes them away with his thumb. "Tesoro mio," he murmurs. "Last week, I watched you take down armed men, run through gunfire, barricade yourself in a building against people trying to kill us, and then put a bullet between Marcello Greco’s eyes before he could take a shot at me. All without batting an eye."

I sniff and look at him through wet eyes. “So?”

He brushes another tear from my cheek. "But this makes you cry?"

"This is different."

His mouth curves. "Clearly."

“This is… a baby,” I say, teary and defensive.

“Our baby.” He kisses me again, softer this time. “I am already more in love than I thought possible.”

“Good,” I say, “because I don't think this crying thing is going to stop.”

He laughs. “I think I can live with it.”

“You say that now, but in six months…”

“I will love you still.” He smiles.

“Promise?”

“Promise.”

I let out a breath. “Crying is exhausting. I don't know how people do it. Here, help me up.” I hold out my hand.

Lorenzo takes my hand and helps me sit up, keeping hold of me until my feet are firmly on the floor.

“I’m going to get dressed,” I say, reaching for my clothes. “Then once we have the pictures, we can get out of here.”

“And tell everyone the news.”

“Officially.” I smile despite the sting in my eyes. “Which means your entire family is probably going to lose their minds.”

“They will.”