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“How long did I sleep?” I asked, pushing up on my elbows.
Rafe didn’t get to answer me because there was a knock at the door a moment before Noah stuck his head in.
“Hey, we got food if you guys are hungry. But if you actually want any, you might want to hurry. Lucia was craving pizza, which meant that suggestions for any other type of food were strictly vetoed. When I suggested maybe we get some veggie stuff or smoothies for her, she threatened to kill me with a knife in my sleep. She was very inventive. Her attention to detail when it comes to maiming is uncanny. Granted, she left her favorite appendage untouched in her gory tale.”
Rafe laughed. “You mean to tell me you’re afraid of my sister? She’s tiny.”
“Your baby sister is freakishly strong when she wants something. If you think you can take her, I welcome you to try. As a matter of fact, hold that thought and let me get some popcorn.”
Noah ran off, and I could only laugh. It never failed to amuse me how those guys communicated. They were all so big and gruff and obviously badass, but then they’d do and say the funniest things. It was nice to see a different side to Rafe as well, one he only allowed to emerge around those he trusted most. The human side.
Rafe glanced at me. “What do you say? Pizza?”
“Sounds like a plan.”
He held out a hand, and I accepted it gratefully. Despite the long nap, I still felt exhausted and a little unsteady. We walked down the hallway toward the living room, the sound of voices getting louder and louder as we approached. I clutched his arm tighter. It was hard to know where I fit in with this bunch. They were all really nice to me, but I figured Lucia had to wish her brother had met someone without so much baggage. After everything he’d been through, now he was getting dragged back into the mud because of my brothers. Lucia probably wished he’d never met me.
As soon as we entered the room, Oskar gave me a quick grin before going back to his conversation with Matthias. I felt my nerves dissolve a little bit as JJ appeared and grabbed my arm.
“We need to get you some pizza before Lucia eats it all,” JJ declared.
With a chuckle, I let the vivacious blonde lead me away. Self-conscious over how tired and haggard I must look, I pushed my hair back, wishing now that I’d taken a little more time on my appearance. JJ was also blond but the type that looked like she belonged in a music video, straddling the back of a Harley. She was all sex and spice, while I suddenly felt about as enticing as dry toast.
I accepted the plate Lucia handed me and took one piece of pizza, praying the smell wouldn’t upset my stomach. I glanced over my shoulder at Rafe. We hadn’t discussed when we wanted to announce our news, and I definitely didn’t want to have to explain a vomiting fit to his sister right now. Luckily, the smell didn’t bother me at all. My stomach rumbled, and I suddenly realized just how hungry I was.
“Ugh, I’m starving! As usual,” Lucia declared before snatching three pieces of pizza onto her own plate. “Everyone talks about pregnancy cravings, but I never realized that you’re just as hungry when you’re nursing. I’m probably never going to fit into my old clothes again.”
JJ rolled her eyes. “Says the tiny girl who still wears a size that I couldn’t fit one leg into.”
“You look amazing and you know it.” Lucia smirked at her friend. “I’m sure Jonas lets you know exactly how much he loves your curves.”
I was struck with longing as I watched the two friends banter back and forth. With no mother or sisters, I’d always been on my own to figure things out growing up. Now that I was pregnant, it would be nice to have someone to talk to. I wished I could confide in Lucia and ask all the questions that were banging around in my head, but this was Rafe’s sister. Would she be happy that her brother was going to be a father? Or upset that he’d knocked up some random chick with a psycho family?
I took a tiny bite of my pizza.
“What’s wrong? Are you okay?” Lucia put an arm around me. “I’ve been meaning to check on you. It can’t be easy being holed up with no one but Rafe for company. You know you’re always welcome to hang with us if you get bored.”
JJ rolled her eyes. “Um, I know this is weird since it’s your brother Lu, but no straight woman would be bored with Rafe. I’m sure he’s keeping her… busy.”
JJ made an obscene gesture, and I choked slightly. Lucia burst into giggles.
“JJ, stop. Don’t mind her, Diana. We still haven’t gotten her completely house trained.”
“No, it’s fine!” I wiped my mouth with a napkin. “Everything is fine. I’ve just been tired. But Rafe has been taking good care of me.”
Ignoring JJ’s raised eyebrows, Lucia nodded. “He’s good at that. Taking care of people. Even though he seems all gruff and scary, my brother has always been the caretaker type. I mean, he practically raised me, along with Nonna, of course.”
“He loves you so much. I can tell how proud he is of you when he talks about you.” I glanced behind me to where Rafe was standing with the other men. As if he could sense my eyes, he turned. The air between us crackled with electricity, and I blushed and turned around.
Lucia regarded me with a kind smile. “I’m proud of him, too. He’s had a hard life, but he’s never given up. Now all I can do is pray that he learns to relax and enjoy life before it’s too late. But I can see I don’t have to worry about that anymore.”
“Oh?” I asked.
“With the way he looks at you, my brother is clearly thinking about a lot more than work lately. You’re the first girl he’s ever introduced to us.”
Although everything inside me thrilled at the thought, I cautioned myself not to get too excited. Rafe was an extremely private man, and his life was a dangerous one. Of course he’d probably never introduced anyone to his family. But that didn’t mean he’d been a monk over the years.
Don’t think about that.
