Chapter Seventeen

Waking up in my room at the family house feels odd. I've spent so many nights at my apartment with Emelia that this now feels more like a guesthouse than anything else.

Last night was important. I had to brief my men on what was happening and oversee the security measures we are putting into place after the shooting, but a part of me felt like I should have been with Emelia instead.

Things were finally looking good since we lost Nonna. Business is booming, money is coming in, and I'm sure I see a glimmer of respect coming from Enzo.

I take Nonna's box out of my cupboard in the main house and scoop out her diamond ring, the one Nonno gave her when he asked her to be his wife. I've been deep in thought for the past few days, but after all of the time I've spent with Emelia, I can't help but feel like this is it.

The Mexicans are happy, the product is arriving, and we've exterminated the guys who were trying to get into our warehouse. I still can't prove it was the Morellis who sent them, but just in case, I got my guys to go and drop a message off with them. Just a bit of roughing them up and things seem quiet again.

I smile, thinking about Bobby Morelli sitting in his hospital bed, fully aware of why we had warned him already not to mess with us.

Holding the tiny ring in my hand, I imagine life with Emelia as my wife. She's already proven herself in front of associates, and she's fully aware of the dangers that come with being a Baldini wife.

I can see us having crazy sex, securing deals, and keeping a wonderful home together. Perhaps, one day, even tiny little feet running around. But not for a while.

I need to secure things better before I add father to my list of roles and responsibilities.

I put the ring into my jacket pocket and head out the door, getting into my car to drive to our family's jeweler.

"Luca, how you have grown!" The elderly lady smiles at me. She saw me at Nonna's memorial, but at her age, I suppose it's forgivable to forget.

"Yvette," I smile at her. "You look lovely." We greet with a kiss on each cheek and I follow her to her counter.

"What can I do for you?" she asks.

"I need to have this cleaned if you have the time? Today, if possible." I hand the ring to Yvette and she inspects it. It should look familiar, since it was bought from this very shop all of those years ago. Back before Yvette's hair was white and her bones were so brittle.

"Does this mean we'll be seeing a Baldini wedding soon?" She gives me a cheeky smile and I just nod. "Hopefully, Yvette, if she says yes."

"Ah, who could ever say no to Luca Baldini." She winks at me, and I chuckle at the thought of this woman, closer to my late Nonna's age, flirting with me. "I can have it ready for you in a couple of hours."

"Perfect." I smile at her, feeling a kind of peace at the thought of all of this coming together. "Thank you, I will see you in a bit."

I get back in my car to travel the short distance to Emelia's home. If I am going to do this, I'm going to do it properly. Emelia deserves that, at least.

"Luca!" Emelia's father opens the door, smiling widely. I have no doubt that this union will please him, and a part of me wants to remove the lazy man from this situation completely, but Emelia loves her father and it's still the polite thing to do, asking him formally.

"Mr. Mernilo, may I come in?" I ask.

"Yes, yes, come in, please." He steps aside and closes the door behind me. We both walk through to the living room and take a seat. I decide to get this out of the way as soon as possible.

"I'm here because Emelia and I have been spending a lot of time together," I start, and the old man nods enthusiastically. "We have gotten close, as you may already know, and I have found myself caring for your daughter deeply."

His smile widens. "I would like to ask your blessing for her hand in marriage." I swear I see the old man almost jump with joy in his seat.

"Luca, my son, of course I would love to have you marry Emelia. She'll be a lucky woman, of that I am sure."

He smiles again, but then I see him frown, and look up at me with some worry in his eyes. "But, have you seen or spoken to Emelia today, as of yet? Or Grazia, for that matter?"

"No, not yet. Why?" It's my turn to look confused. Does he think I've already asked Emelia? But then why is he asking about my sister?

"Uh, I was just wondering." He shakes his head and waves his hand in the air, dismissing the thought that is clearly bugging him.

I don't quite believe him, but he seems to be done with the conversation, and now all I want to do is find Emelia and my sister, and see what this man is on about.

His mention of my sister has also reminded me that she is still very much in the dark about what has been happening between Emelia and myself. I hope that if I talk to her, perhaps on my own at first, and explain just how much Emelia means to me, how much she has helped me, that Grazia will understand and be happy for us.

My sister may be a jealous girl at times, but deep down she wants her family—and her friends—to be happy, and I trust that she'll get used to the idea of Emelia and I together.

I stand up, knowing I have a few more conversations to have before I can present the ring to Emelia. "I should go and find them, though. I plan to propose very soon, in a private setting, and I'm sure you'll be the first person that Emelia tells." I shake his hand and he walks me out to my car.

"Next time we see each other, we might be family!" Emelia's father laughs, and I try to give him a polite smile. Once I'm in my car, I try to call Emelia, but the call doesn't go through.

I stop off at the jeweler before I go back to the family house. The ring is cleaned and it looks even more spectacular than before. I take another look at it before slipping it back into my jacket pocket. It will look perfect on Emelia's finger, of that, I am sure.

I drive back to the house, and notice both Emelia's and Grazia's cars in the driveway. So they are together, but why wasn't Emelia answering me? And why was her father so concerned about me seeing her today?

I walk up to the door, unsure of what I'm about to walk into, but resolved to finally tell Grazia what has been happening. There is no point in hiding it anymore, but I also need to give Emelia some warning before I do, just in case Grazia loses her shit.

Grazia and Emelia stand in the living room, both clearly crying and looking guilty.

"What's going on here?" I ask, my tone stern. My mind immediately goes to the possibilities of someone being hurt, and I search their faces for clues.

"I, um-"

"Emelia has-" They both start talking at the same time and stop to look at each other. These girls have been friends for so long, I'm sure I can see them having a silent conversation in their minds.

"Grazia?" I ask, allowing my sister to take the floor.

She and I have always had a communicative type of relationship, and if they were about to tell me contradicting stories, I'd be more inclined to believe what Grazia told me. Plus, something in Emelia's face looks like she didn't want me to be hearing any of this.

"Emelia has something to tell you." She raises an eyebrow and looks directly at her friend, telling me that I did walk into something just now, but it seems more like a fight than an emergency.

I sigh, assuming Grazia has found out about Emelia and I, although I'm not sure why she would need to tell me about that. Shit.

A thought stabs my mind. Has Emelia been playing me? Seeing another guy? I twirl Nonna's ring in my pocket, a soft pain throbbing in my chest.

"What?" I demand, needing to get this over and done with. Emelia stays quiet, her face a mixture of despair and panic.

"Tell him, Emelia," Grazia says, tears streaming down her face again. "Fine," she continues when Emelia stays silent. "Luca, you're about to be a father."

"Grazia!" Suddenly Emelia finds her voice. "I was going to tell you, Luca. I just found out this morning and Grazia walked in on me telling my father…"

"I also walked in on her and her father scheming about how they're joining the Baldini bloodline now and how this baby is going to help her father get more work from you!" Grazia spits out.

I'm still digesting their words, relieved that I don't need to go and do an STD test, but angry by what Grazia is implying.

"Are you seriously pregnant, Emelia?" I raise my voice, and both women in front of me go silent. Emelia holds onto her stomach, telling me everything I need to know.

"So looking after my grandmother, consoling the whole family while we were grieving, helping with the Mexican deal — that was all part of your big master plan?"

"No, Luca… I-" She looks at me with pleading eyes, but can't even get a good excuse out.

"You are a sick girl, Emelia. You were always treated well by this family. We took you in because Grazia loved you. My grandmother trusted you in her dying moments, and all along you were just trying to secure a surname for yourself?"

I wait for her to reply, to tell me we have it wrong. To argue that the pregnancy was an accident, that this was never meant to happen, that she had been feeling exactly what I had been feeling. But she stays silent, cradling her still-flat stomach, a tear rolling down her cheek.

"Get out of this house," I say calmly, my anger past the point of shouting now, and I see her expression change to slight panic. "Get out and don't ever step foot on this property again."

"Luca! Please, I did love Ginny, and Grazia. I lo-" It's a bit too late for her to start speaking now.

"You have no idea what love is, Emelia!" I yell at her now, feeling a new rush of rage.

"I loved you and every moment that you and I spent together the past few weeks brought out feelings that I didn't even know I had left in me! And you fucked me over!" She's staring at me, shocked.

"But I feel the same!" she cries, trying to reach out to me.

I step back from her grip, not wanting her to touch me right now. I walk away, going to put my grandmother's ring back.

As I enter my room, I punch the wall, leaving behind a hole the size of my fist.

Why the fuck did I let myself get so involved with this woman?