32. Bella

32

BELLA

I pace back and forth across Gia's elegant living room, worry for Nic consuming me.

"Sit down, please. You're making me dizzy," Gia says from her perch on the sofa. Her twins play in the corner, oblivious to my anxiety.

I shake my head, continuing my path across the floor. "I can't. What if something went wrong? What if Gino's men…" The words catch in my throat.

Max stands guard by the window, his presence both reassuring and unsettling. The fact that Nic needed to station his most trusted man here speaks volumes about the danger we're in. Even with Gino potentially dead, his loyal soldiers could seek revenge.

"Nic knows what he's doing," Max says, but his eyes never leave the street outside.

"The power vacuum this creates…" Gia's voice trails off. She doesn't need to finish the thought. If Nic succeeds in killing Gino, he'll need to move fast to secure his position. He’ll be at risk from within the organization as well as outside it. The other families will be circling like sharks, ready to challenge his authority. And if he fails…

Max glances at her. For a moment, something flashes in his eyes, something I can’t quite name. It makes me think of unrequited love. “Nic has been planning for this since your mother… well… you know. He’s ready. His men are ready.”

They weren’t ready for what happened in Buffalo , I think but don’t say. Instead, I press my hand against my still-flat stomach, thinking of the life growing inside me. A life that might never know its father if things go wrong tonight.

I realize I might be acting rude. Gia has been nothing but wonderful to me since Nic’s men brought me here. She gave me clothes so I could get out of that skank dress. I was able to shower the day away, and the makeup as well. She tended my burns from Gino’s cigars.

“I’m sorry, I’m being rude.”

Gia smiles. “You’re worried for my brother.” She tilts her head as if she’s trying to assess what that means. “I’m glad I’m not the only one.”

I can see a resemblance between her and Nic, although their coloring is different. Where Nic has dark hair and eyes, Gia’s hair is a honey color, her eyes green. She’s strikingly beautiful.

“Nic has many who respect and care for him,” Max says, and I can see his love for Nic is the same for him. Like brothers.

I nod, wanting to tell them both how much more Nic means to me than just my protector. How I love him and am carrying his child. But what if Gia disapproves?

The click of the front door sends my heart racing. Max's stance shifts, hand moving to his weapon, but then relaxes as Nic appears in the doorway.

"Nic!" I launch myself across the room, nearly tripping over my feet in my haste to reach him.

His arms wrap around me, solid and sure, pulling me tight against his chest. He smells clean and fresh, a sure sign that he stopped off somewhere to clean up. That annoys me a little bit as it made him take longer. Didn’t he think I’d be worried sick?

I push that away. He's here. He's alive. I press my face into his neck, breathing in his familiar scent.

"It's done," he murmurs into my hair, his voice rough with exhaustion. He lifts his head, and his gaze goes to his sister behind me. "He can't hurt any of us anymore."

Gia's breath catches. “You're sure?"

"I made certain of it myself." He sucks in a breath. “I ordered the house to burn?—”

“Nic, Jesus.” Max whirls toward him. “What about not bringing attention?”

“It will look like Carlo did it.”

Max blows out the breath. “Still?—”

“Everything about that man needs to be vanquished from the earth.” He looks at Gia, and she nods. Of course, she’d know the horrors of her father.

Daniella and Dario burst forward, their excited squeals piercing the heavy atmosphere. "Uncle Nic!"

Nic releases me, dropping to one knee to catch them both in his arms. The transformation in his face steals my breath. Gone is the hardened protector, the killer who just executed his father. In his place is a man whose entire being softens with love.

I hadn’t given much thought about the type of father Nic would be. But seeing this tells me he’ll be a wonderful father.

"There are my gremlins," he says, tickling them both until they squirm and giggle.

Dario climbs onto Nic's shoulders while Daniella hangs from his arm like a monkey. Nic plays with them as if he hadn't just committed patricide.

Finally, he gently disentangles himself from the twins, pressing kisses to their foreheads before sending them off to play. His eyes meet mine, and a small smile tugs at his lips.

"Gia, Max," he says, taking my hand and pulling me close, "there's something else I need to tell you." His arm wraps protectively around my waist. "Bella and I… we're having a baby."

Heat floods my cheeks as Gia's eyes widen. But before I can worry about her reaction, her face breaks into a radiant smile.

"A baby? Really?" She clasps her hands together. "Oh, this is wonderful! The twins will have a little cousin to play with." She shakes her head at Nic. “I knew someday, you’d give in.” She glances at me. “He just needed to find the right woman.”

She wraps me in a hug. It occurs to me that I now have a new sister.

Nic turns to Max, whose expression I can’t read. “No more bachelors for life, eh?”

“Sorry, man. You’ll have to carry on the tradition.”

Gia turns her head away, like she’s hiding sadness. Is there something between her and Max?

Max smiles and hugs Nic. “Congratulations.” When he pulls away, he says, "I should check the perimeter again.” Before he turns away, I catch how his gaze lingers on Gia for a heartbeat too long.

I curl closer into Nic's side, watching this subtle dance play out before me. There's history here. I make a note to ask Nic about it.

Nic’s hand rests protectively at the small curve of my back, warm and steady against Gia's borrowed sweater. "Time to go.”

Two guards materialize at the doorway. Three more wait outside as we make our way to the car.

Once in the car, I lean into Nic. “Was it horrible?”

“No. I won’t say I reveled in it. Mostly, I felt relief.”

I hold his hand as we ride in silence. “What’s the deal with Gia and Max?”

“Max made the same promise I did to Gia’s mom. To look out for her.”

I narrow my eyes. He responds the same, but he looks confused. “What? Why?”

I shrug. “It feels like more.”

“More what?” There’s an edge to his tone like he doesn’t like what I’m insinuating.

“I don’t know. Maybe they like each other or did like each other.”

“As friends?”

I roll my eyes. “No.”

He shakes his head. “That’s nuts. He’s like a brother to me. She’s my little sister. No… he’d never do that.”

“Maybe he wouldn’t, but that doesn’t mean he doesn’t feel something. Or that she doesn’t.”

He laughs and tugs me close. “I think this baby has gotten you feeling romantic.”

I decide to let it go. He’d know better than me, anyway. “Maybe. What will you do about it?”

His smile is wide and happy. “I’m bringing you home, or at least to my place that you can turn into a home.”

I arch a brow. “Are you saying I’m going to be your maid?”

“Fuck. How do I keep messing this up?” he says with humor. “No. You’ve just made all the places we’ve been feel like home.”

I snuggle close. “Good answer.”

We arrive at a building, parking in a garage. It seems like an army of men is around us as we make our way to the elevator and ride up to Nic’s penthouse.

“Wow, this is nice,” I say, my gaze immediately going to large windows overlooking the city.

He pulls me into his arms. “I failed to mention something to you earlier.”

“Oh?” My heart fills with emotion as I stare up into the intensity in his dark eyes.

"I love you.”

I finally understand what the word swoon means, because I swear I do it.

"Not because of the baby, or duty, or any other reason except that you've completely captured my heart."

Joy floods through me. I rise up on my toes, pressing my lips to his in a gentle kiss. "I love you too.”

He continues to hold me as we look out the window, the lights slowly coming on in the city as darkness begins to fall.

"We'll need to lie low for a while," Nic says. "My father has loyal men who may want to take revenge. And the other families will be watching, waiting to see if there's weakness they can exploit. I need time to stabilize everything."

My heart clenches. After everything we've been through, after his declaration of love, I don’t want to think about the ugliness outside our bubble.

“That means you’ll need to stay close to home for a while, an army of guards around you if you do go out.”

"Are you trying to give me an out?” I don’t hide the annoyance in my voice.

Nic shifts, turning to face me fully. His dark eyes bore into mine. "No, Bellissima. I want you here with me. You and our baby." His hand drifts to my stomach, warm and protective. "But I need you to understand what we're facing. My priority is keeping you both safe and happy. If you feel that is better achieved away from me, from this life, then that’s what we’ll do."

“How could me and the baby be happier or safer anywhere but here with you?”

“Even if that means my being overprotective? Sometimes setting ground rules?”

“As long as I know they’re for our safety and not a power play, yes. I understand this world, Nic. I do. I know my expected role?—”

“Fuck the role. I want you to be you, to challenge me when I need it. Your bravery. Your intelligence. But I also need you safe. That’s all I’m saying.”

“How can I complain about that?”

“If there is a way, you’ll find it.”

I give him a light smack. He catches my hand and brings it to his lips for a kiss.

I decide to change the subject. “You know, Christmas is coming. This would be a great place for a Christmas tree.”

He grins. “See, you’re already turning this place into a home.”

“Well, I’ve only seen this great view so far.”

“How about I give you a tour? We can start in the bedroom. I’ve got wonderfully soft sheets you may want to try out.”

“You should have led with that.” I jump up, wrapping my legs around his waist. “Take me to your bed, Nic.”

“I’m taking you to our bed, Bellissima.”

Our.

The word wraps around me. It’s full of happiness. Belonging. I’ve found my place. My love. My life.