I knew I should have left.It would’ve been the smart thing to do. The right thing.But Sienna was lying beside me, wrapped up in her blankets, staring at me with those big, stormy eyes, and I couldn’t move.Didn’t want to.“Luca,” she whispered, voice uncertain.I reached out without thinking, brushing a loose strand of hair from her cheek.She sucked in a breath.“Tell me to go,” I murmured. “And I will.”Her lips parted.Silence stretched between us, thick with something neither of us wanted to name.Then—so softly I almost didn’t hear it—she whispered, “Stay.”And that was all it took.❀I kissed her before I could stop myself.Soft and slow—like I had all the time in the world.Sienna let out a tiny gasp, her fingers curling into my shirt, pulling me closer instead of pushing me away.That was all the permission I needed.I rolled her onto her back, caging her in beneath me, careful not to press my full weight against her.She tasted like strawberries and secrets, and I wanted to
The second I opened my eyes, panic punched me straight in the chest.Oh God.My dad was right downstairs.And Luca? Still in my bed.His arm was slung over my waist, his breath warm against the back of my neck. Completely relaxed. Like we hadn’t just risked everything sneaking him into my room last night. Like we hadn’t crossed a line I wasn’t sure how to handle.I squeezed my eyes shut, willing my heart to stop slamming against my ribs. This was bad. So so bad.I shifted, trying to move his arm off me without waking him up.Didn’t work.Luca groaned softly, his grip tightening. “Stop squirming,” he muttered sleepily, pressing his face into my shoulder.I froze.That voice.Deep. Raspy. Completely unaware of the full-blown meltdown happening inside me.“Luca.” I pushed at his arm. “You need to go. Now.”He sighed heavily, finally peeling his eyes open. They were so blue. Sleepy, but sharp. “Relax, Sienna.”Relax? I wanted to shake him.“Relax?” I hissed. “My dad is downstairs.”Luca s
I felt it the second she stepped into the gym.It wasn’t just an awareness—it was a shift, a pull so strong I could’ve been blindfolded and still known she was there.I was mid-lift, muscles straining as I pushed through another set, when the air around me changed. I hesitated just slightly, barely enough for anyone else to notice, but inside, my body had already reacted. My grip tightened on the bar, heart rate kicking up for a different reason entirely.Sienna.I racked the weight, exhaling sharply as I sat up, wiping sweat off my forehead with the back of my hand. The gym was packed, a mix of guys from our team and a few others who wanted to get in extra training. The music was loud, the air thick with the scent of metal and sweat.But all I saw was her.She was standing just inside the doorway, hugging herself, wearing one of those oversized hoodies that swallowed her small frame.She didn’t belong here, and she knew it.I watched as she shifted awkwardly, eyes scanning the room l
I wasn’t supposed to be here.I knew that.The moment I stepped into the gym, I felt it—the weight of eyes on me, the quiet recognition that I didn’t belong in this world of iron and sweat and testosterone. The music was loud, the scent of chalk and exertion thick in the air, and everything about this space screamed Luca.And yet, here I was.Because I missed him.Because an entire day had passed since we’d last talked, and that shouldn’t have mattered, but it did.Because I didn’t know who I was when I wasn’t near him anymore.The second I spotted him across the room, my pulse kicked up, the familiar rush of heat crawling up my neck.He was lifting weights, sweat glistening on his skin, muscles flexing under the harsh lighting. His jaw was clenched in focus, lips slightly parted as he exhaled through each rep.And God, he looked dangerous.Not in a way that scared me.In a way that made me want to run straight to him.I shifted on my feet, my oversized hoodie suddenly too hot, my fin
The second Principal O’Malley stepped up to the podium, the entire assembly hall buzzed with anticipation. The teachers tried—and failed—to keep the students from whispering, bouncing in their seats, and jostling each other.Even I could feel it—the infectious energy that only came once a year.Cassie nudged me. “Five bucks says the announcement is exactly what we’re all expecting.”I raised a brow. “You mean the thing literally everyone’s been talking about for weeks?”“Hey, I like free money.”I rolled my eyes just as Principal O’Malley cleared his throat.“Students, staff, and Claremont’s finest athletes,” he began, his voice carrying over the noise, “it’s that time of year again. The moment you’ve all been waiting for.”The room exploded.Cheering, stomping, a few off-key chants.O’Malley chuckled. “Alright, alright. Before you lot tear the place down, let me make it official.” He paused for dramatic effect. “The Claremont vs. Belmont Annual Rugby Showdown is set for next Saturday
I wasn’t supposed to care this much.I told myself that as I sat through another one of Coach Walsh’s game strategy meetings, watching plays and defensive tactics play out on the whiteboard like some kind of battlefield blueprint.I could hear the other lads around me shifting, some nodding along, others barely pretending to listen. Ethan was twirling a pen between his fingers, looking half-asleep. Aiden had his arms crossed, brow furrowed, actually paying attention.Me?I was staring at the diagram like it held the answer to everything.“This is our year, boys,” Walsh was saying. “Luca, you know what this means.”I did.It meant I had to be better than last year.Better than them.Better than myself.Walsh clapped a hand on my shoulder as the meeting ended. “We’re putting a lot on you, son, but I know you can handle it.”I nodded. “Yeah. I got it.”But as I walked out of the room, my jaw tight and my hands fisted in my pockets, I wasn’t so sure.The Training GroundsI pushed harder.
Something was wrong with Luca.I felt it before I even saw him.The entire school had been buzzing about the upcoming match against Belmont, but while everyone else was treating it like a huge event to look forward to, Luca was different.More withdrawn. More focused.And by focused, I meant obsessed.I saw it in the way he walked into school, jaw tight, shoulders tense, hands stuffed into his hoodie pockets like he was holding himself together by sheer force of will.I saw it in the way he barely acknowledged his friends, answering questions with short grunts, tuning out their usual banter.And I definitely saw it in the way he was training like a madman.It wasn’t just the usual team practice.No, Luca was always training.I passed the sports field after school, and there he was—running drills alone, sweat dripping down his forehead, face locked in concentration.I passed the gym, and there he was again—lifting weights, pushing himself harder than necessary, refusing to stop even wh
The sound of the whistle cut through the air, but I barely heard it.All I could focus on was the impact.The sharp slam of my shoulder into my teammate’s body, the satisfying crack of the collision, the way he grunted as he hit the ground hard.It was a clean tackle.But it was too much for practice.“Luca, fucking hell!” Ethan groaned, clutching his ribs as he rolled onto his back.I took a step back, chest heaving, my pulse roaring in my ears.Coach’s whistle blew again—sharper this time. “Russo! Get over here!”I dragged a hand down my face, jaw clenched tight, my entire body humming with pent-up frustration.I knew I was going too hard.I knew it.But I couldn’t stop.“Are you trying to injure your own team before the match?” Coach barked, his face red with anger. “This isn’t a fucking warzone, Russo! Get your head on straight or get off my field.”I swallowed the words burning on my tongue and nodded stiffly.Coach exhaled sharply and turned to Ethan. “You good?”Ethan winced bu
(Sienna’s POV)The house was alive with laughter, the scent of fresh flowers and warm food mingling in the air as the guests arrived one after another. It felt surreal—this moment, this day. A day that marked the beginning of something far greater than Luca and me. It was the start of a new legacy, a new generation.I stood in front of the mirror, adjusting the delicate lace on my white and gold dress. The fitted bodice hugged my waist, the flowy skirt cascading down to the floor in elegant waves. It was tradition to wear white for purity, for new beginnings, and today, everything felt pure.“Are you ready?” Luca’s voice came from behind me, deep and soothing.I turned, and there he was—my husband, the father of my children, the love of my life. He looked breathtaking in his custom-fitted navy-blue suit, the gold cufflinks matching the accents on my dress. His dark hair was styled to perfection, but it was his eyes—the way they softened when they met mine—that made my heart race.“As
(Sienna’s POV)The house was finally quiet. It was a fragile silence, the kind that came after hours of soothing newborn cries, calming restless toddlers, and making sure everything was set for the next day. I stood at the doorway of the nursery, my fingers gripping the frame as I watched my daughters sleeping soundly in their cribs.Elena and Isabella.It still felt surreal, even though I had spent the past eight weeks holding them, feeding them, memorizing every little detail about their tiny features. The gentle rise and fall of their chests, the way Isabella’s little fingers always curled around her sister’s when they were placed beside each other, the way Elena would turn her head in search of my voice.A soft smile tugged at my lips.It wasn’t just them that made my heart feel impossibly full—it was everything. The house, now brimming with life. The sound of Matteo and Alessandro’s giggles echoing through the halls. The way Luca looked at me with a depth of love that made me wea
(Luca's POV) Sienna was asleep.After more than fifteen hours of labor, screaming, crying, and a near bone-breaking grip on my hand, she had finally drifted into a well-earned rest. Her body was utterly exhausted, her face soft in slumber, strands of hair still sticking to her forehead.But me? I couldn’t sleep. Not even for a second.Because right in front of me, in the transparent bassinet beside Sienna’s hospital bed, lay our daughters.My daughters.I still couldn’t wrap my head around it. It didn’t feel real. How could it? One moment, it was just the two of us—just me and Sienna, figuring out life, navigating chaos, and now… now there were four of us.My heart clenched.They were so tiny. So fragile.One of them let out a small, soft sigh in her sleep, her tiny fingers twitching before settling against the soft pink blanket wrapped around her. Her sister lay beside her, her lips pursed slightly, looking just as peaceful.Matteo had arrived with Alessandro a few hours ago, and af
(Luca's POV) Time had never felt so slow and so fast at the same time.The past eight months had been a whirlwind. From setting up the nursery to attending doctor’s appointments, every single day had been a countdown to this moment. And now—now it was here.Sienna was in labor.And I was losing my goddamn mind.I had rehearsed this moment a thousand times. I had planned, prepared, and memorized every step of the process. But all of that went out the window the second Sienna gripped my arm and gasped, “Luca… my water just broke.”For a solid five seconds, I stared at her like a complete idiot.Then chaos erupted.“Okay—okay! We’re ready! We have the bag! We have the—where’s my phone?!” I patted down my pockets, my movements jerky and uncoordinated. My heart was pounding so loudly in my ears that I barely heard Sienna groan.“Luca,” she exhaled, gripping the kitchen counter as she breathed through a contraction. “Stop panicking.”“I’m not panicking,” I lied, my hands shaking as I reach
(Sienna's POV) The news of our twin girls spread like wildfire. By the time Luca and I had finished calling everyone in our immediate circle, our families had already told their friends, and somehow, I suspected half the neighborhood knew too.Luca’s mother had called again—twice—to ask if she could start planning the baby shower immediately. My own mother had sent me a list of name suggestions before I could even finish breakfast. Even Cassie had texted me with an absurd amount of baby girl outfits she wanted to buy.And through all of this, Luca looked like a man who had been hit by a freight train.“Are you okay?” I asked him as he slumped against the kitchen counter, staring at his phone.He let out a slow breath. “I just got a message from my uncle. He says congratulations, and that we should start looking into bulletproof windows for when the girls are teenagers.”I snorted. “He’s not wrong.”Luca groaned, rubbing his face. “Sienna, do you realize how much trouble I’m in?”I ra
(Luca’s POV)I didn’t know how long I sat there, staring at the ultrasound screen like a man who’d just had his entire world flipped upside down. Twin girls.Two.Jesus Christ.I ran a hand through my hair, exhaling sharply as I tried to process the reality of it. One baby had already been enough to completely wreck me in the best possible way, but two? I was so f***ed.Sienna was watching me, her fingers squeezing mine, probably waiting for me to say something more profound than the string of curses I’d already let loose. But my mind was short-circuiting.Twin daughters.“Luca,” she murmured, her voice softer now, like she was worried about me.I shook myself out of the trance, blinking at her before looking back at the screen, where two tiny, indistinct shapes flickered with life. My daughters.I swallowed hard, my chest tightening with something dangerously close to tears. “They’re so small,” I rasped.Dr. Caldwell chuckled. “That’s because they’re only about ten weeks along. But I
(Sienna’s POV)I sat on the edge of the bed, my fingers idly tracing the fabric of my nightgown. The past few months had been a whirlwind—recovery, adjusting back to normal life, and trying to find a sense of peace after everything we’d been through. Luca had been my rock, never leaving my side, always knowing exactly what I needed before I even said a word. And now, as the early morning light filtered through the curtains, I found myself staring down at the pregnancy test in my hands.Two lines.Two lines.I blinked. My breath hitched.No. This couldn’t be right.I grabbed another test from the drawer—one of the fancy digital ones. My hands shook as I followed the instructions, waiting the agonizing minutes for the result.“Pregnant. 3+ weeks.”A choked gasp left my lips. My heart pounded so hard I could hear it in my ears.Pregnant.I pressed a hand to my stomach, a thousand thoughts racing through my mind. We hadn’t been trying, not exactly, but we also hadn’t been preventing it. I
Luca's POV I never thought the sight of home would make my chest ache the way it did today. As the car rolled up the driveway, the massive wrought-iron gates slowly opening, I tightened my grip on Sienna’s hand.“We’re here, baby,” I murmured, pressing a kiss to her temple.Her head rested against the seat, exhaustion still etched into her delicate features, but when she lifted her gaze to meet mine, I saw something there—relief. Hope. A softness that had been missing for too long.She smiled, small but real. “Home,” she whispered, as if testing the word on her tongue.It had been months of uncertainty, months of fighting battles that neither of us had been prepared for. The long nights in the hospital, the painful procedures, the endless waiting for answers that never seemed to come fast enough. But we had made it through.And now, we were finally back where we belonged.The front door swung open before the driver even fully stopped the car. My mother rushed out first, wiping her ha
(Sienna’s POV)The hospital doors slid open, ushering in a crisp breeze that smelled like rain-soaked pavement. It was the scent of freedom, of normalcy, of the life we had fought so hard to return to. After what felt like an eternity inside these sterile white walls, we were finally walking out as a family again.Luca held Matteo in his arms, pressing a soft kiss to our son’s temple. Matteo had always been a light sleeper, but today, exhaustion had won, and he rested against his father’s chest, his small fingers curled into the fabric of Luca’s hoodie. Alessandro clutched my hand tightly, his grip firm as if he were afraid someone would try to pull us back inside. He had been so strong through all of this, stronger than any five-year-old should ever have to be.Outside, Dr. Caldwell and Dr. Moreau stood near the entrance, watching us go.“Remember,” Dr. Moreau said, adjusting the glasses perched on his nose, “his immune system is still delicate. Keep him away from crowded places for