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“Water.”

He reaches for the glass on the nightstand and helps me sit up just enough to drink. The first sip goes down the wrong way and I cough. His arm is around me at once, steadying me until the fit passes.

“How do you feel?” he asks once I’ve settled again.

“Better. My head still aches a little.”

“The doctor said that’s expected. You have a mild concussion from the blow, but you’ll be fine.”

I turn my face toward him, the memory of the attack rushing back. “Sofía… she was shot. I couldn’t do anything to help her.”

“She’s all right,” Roman says firmly. “We got her to the hospital in time. I got a call from the doctor a little while ago, she’s out of the coma and conscious. She’s going to make it.”

Relief hits me so hard my eyes sting. I let out a shaky breath.

After a moment I start telling him everything. The call from Luca, the way he still believed I wanted to be rescued, the meeting I agreed to only so I could end things cleanly. I make sure Roman understands.

“I wasn’t going to leave with him,” I say. “I only wanted to tell him face to face that I love you, that I’m staying because I want to.”

Roman brushes a strand of hair away from my face, his fingers gentle.

“When I got to the house and you were gone,” he says quietly, “I was terrified. For a second I almost hoped you had gone with him.”

I stare at him. “What? Why?”

“Because if you’d left with him on your own, at least I would have known you weren’t being hurt. The thought of you taken against your will…” He doesn’t finish the sentence.

I study his face. “If I had gone with him… would you have given up on me?”

Something dark and absolute flashes through his eyes.

“Hell no,” he says without hesitation. “I never would have. But in that moment, the only thing that mattered was that you weren’t in danger.”

A small smile pulls at my lips. I lean into his hand, still resting against my cheek.

I take a slow breath and look at him. “There’s something I need to tell you.”

Roman’s eyes search my face. “What is it?”

“After the attack at the restaurant… when the doctor examined me, he found out I’m pregnant. We’re having a baby.”

For a second he just stares at me. Then a real smile spreads across his face.

“I know,” he says. “Sofía told me yesterday. She was worried about you and the baby. That’s how I found out.”

“Oh.” I bite my lip. “I’m sorry I didn’t tell you sooner. I wanted to surprise you on your birthday. And… I didn’t want to add more pressure while you were trying to find who was coming after us. I knew how much you already had on your shoulders. Didn’t want to distract you.”

Roman shakes his head and cups my face with both hands.

“You could never be a distraction. You and our child are the most important things in my world.” His thumb brushes my cheek. “I love you, Aurora. Having you in my life has changed everything. I wake up and actually look forward to the day. That never used to happen.”

He pulls me carefully into his arms, mindful of my head, and I sink against him. For a long moment we just stay like that, the quiet between us warm and full.

When I finally speak again, my voice is softer. “There’s something else I’ve always wanted to ask you.”

“Okay,” he says. “What is it?”

“Promise you’ll be honest with me.”