“Everything fine. That weird stomach thing I’ve had the last few days may be the baby moving, and it’s the size of an artichoke, even though I’m convinced it has to be bigger than that. And she said I can put some thick body lotion on my bellyto help with stretch marks.” Out of everything, the changes in my body have been the hardest. I’ve never been ‘popular girl’ skinny and being pregnant has only heightened my insecurities about certain areas of my body. Mamma, of course, has made subtle comments about how she was all belly when she was pregnant. It’s her way of subtly saying what she wants to say without voicing her exact words.
While stuck in my head I miss Elio’s reaction to me telling him my baby may be moving. I stiffen when he grabs my belly, obviously overwhelmed by the news. “Really? Moving? Our baby’s moving?”
I’m exhausted, unable to fight with him anymore. Mentally drained is a better way to describe it. This is notourbaby. This is my baby with Alessandro, even if he never meets our baby.
Nonna and Mamma thankfully come in to save the day before Elio has more time to talk about what’s going on with my baby.
“Ciao dolce ragazza, do you want to go on a walk with us? The snow has melted, and it’s sunny.” Nonna sees the smile on my face and wraps me in a coat and scarf. According to Nonna, scarves are the solution to not getting sick.
The fresh air on our walk gives me a burst of energy I wasn’t expecting. Even though I hate being stuck here, the fresh, unpolluted air smells clean and raw. It makes me realize this is how air is supposed to smell. I wonder if Alessandro would buy a second property outside of Philadelphia for us, for our family as a getaway from the world. My thumb brushes across my ring finger, still not used to the odd feeling of the engagement ring Alessandro gave me missing.
Mamma, Nonna, and I stop when we notice the dark SUV in Elio’s driveway. We all hesitate, knowing that other than the five of us and Quinn, no one would come down into the driveway unless it’s the delivery man. When I step forward a grasp on my wrist stops me in my path.
“Luci, something isn’t right. We need to hide. Elio has the barn over there. Let’s go.” I listen to Nonna, turning to head away from Elio’s house and the potential danger to my baby. Gunshots ring out of the house and Mamma and Nonna scream before bolting in the direction of the house.
“Papa!”
“Aldo!”
They’re almost to the house before I run after them. Holy crap running is exhausting. We stop in the doorway, and Nonna and Mamma stand in front of me. All I see is Elio’s panicked face, Nonno’s stoic stance, and Mamma and Nonna blocking the body attached to the arms that point guns at Elio and Nonno.
“Where the fuck is she!” My heart skips a beat at that voice.Hisvoice.
I break through Nonna and Mamma before they have time to stop me and freeze at the sight of him. The veins in his forearms are pulsing and his eyes are darker than I’d ever seen him. He’s as dangerous as he is handsome and my voice gets caught in my throat for a second. Eventually, I’m able to blurt out the only words I’ve been hoping to speak for the last few months.
“You found me.”
Chapter 58
Alessandro
20 Weeks Pregnant
Francesca Amato’s keys jingle as she unlocks the door, unbeknownst to her that I’m sitting on the other side. I could have waited until our meeting, but my patience has run out. Luci is mine, her and my baby and I should have found her months ago. Francesca is the key to finding out where she is and I’m done waiting.
The beam of light from the hallway gets larger as she opens the door and pauses in the doorway when she sees me, unable to move or scream.
“Did you have a nice flight, Francesca?” Still in shock, no sound comes out of her mouth and she doesn’t move so Ikeep speaking. “Come have a seat. I thought we could talk now instead of waiting until our scheduled meeting.”
Sensing she’s in potential danger, she doesn’t move from the doorway, asking her question from where she stands. “Who are you?”
“I’m a man you’d want to tell the truth to. Now, let me help you with your luggage and you can come sit. In return, you can tell me what I need to know.” I may be a dangerous man, but I’m not a heathen.
I grab her suitcase, noticing when she subtly lays her purse against the door. It’s heavy enough to keep the door open, her attempt to keep an escape path available. When she takes a few steps away, I grab her purse too, letting the door slam as I lock it, causing her to gasp.
She’s still frozen in her foyer when I come back from putting her things in her bedroom. I take the chair I was straddling, spinning it around for her to sit in. “Let’s do this again. Please take a seat. This conversation will be easy as long as you tell me what I want.”
Her heavy breathing fills the room as she cautiously walks over to the chair, watching any moves I may make. I know she doesn’t trust me and she has the right not to. Once she has a seat I lean against the kitchen counter noting how she fidgets with her rings, similar to how Luci fidgets with her necklace. A moment of silence fills the room before I break it with my first of many questions.
“Thank you for taking the time to meet with me. Now. Do you know who I am?”
She stops fidgeting with her rings as she looks up at me. “Umm. No. Should I?”
“Considering you’ve done business with my family you should.”
“What? I haven’t—”
“Let me remind you. Whenever you’re back from your travels, you enjoy some light gambling. Mainly sports and horse racing. Who do you think that goes through?” Realization hits her face as her eyes widen and her jaw drops.
