Luca and I had agreed not to tell anybody about the pregnancy just yet. He said it was fine to tell Elena and Sabrina if it would help me feel comfortable, but I said not to worry. In a couple of weeks, I had seen sides to Luca that I didn't even think existed. He was so sweet, so caring and more importantly, a lot more active. He worked from home a lot more and hardly went out unless it was unavoidable.“You know, you don't have to stay coped up with me like this? I know you have work, and I can take care of myself,” I said to Luca one day as I was sitting in his study while he worked.“I know you can. But if I can stay home with you and work then why not?” He said without looking up from his table.“Luca, come on.”He looked up at me with a sigh. “I need to be sure you both are safe, and there's no better person to entrust with that than myself,” he said in a voice that left no room for arguments.“What's Gabriel here for then?” I asked, crossing my arms over my chest.“I like it w
I shot out of bed with a loud gasp, scrambling all around me as I struggled to breathe. “Hey, hey, hey, Nazlynn. Hey, look at me,” I heard Luca say. His voice sounded distant, but from the warm hand on my face, I knew he was right beside me.My vision cleared just as he pressed me into his chest for a comforting hug. “I'm right here. You're okay,” he said, rubbing my back soothingly.It was the same dream again. The one I've been having recently that sometimes makes me wake up sweating and panting. In the dream, I saw Dee. She had a shawl in her hand, and it appeared to have a child inside it. The child was crying loudly and I wanted to go to the child but I couldn't move. Suddenly, she turned the shawl over, and the child fell out, making me scream and jolt awake.I and Luca stayed in that position for a while before I finally moved, pulling myself away from him. My hair was all tangled up in knots on my head.I made a move to go back to bed when Luca held my hand to stop me. “He
“Oh come on, Nazlynn, it's your birthday. How could you not want to do anything on your birthday?” Elena whined, tugging on my arm.“I'm really not feeling up to it if I'm being honest with you girls. I wouldn't want you to put a lot of time, money, and effort into planning something, and I would have to force myself to enjoy it,” I said in a low tone. Elena was at our house, and we were on a video call with Sabrina.“But Naziiiii,” Elena whined in my ear, making me wince. “Stop yelling at the pregnant lady, Elena,” Sabrina said in a sing-song voice. Elena scoffed. “Fine. Can we at least do dinner that day? We can't just all sit at home like it’s not a special day,” she exclaimed, pacing around the living room.“Elena's right, Nazi. We celebrated Luca's birthday in such a grand style. Luca wouldn't even be on board with this. Does he know you don't want to do anything on Friday?” Sabrina asked with a frown.I stayed quiet, avoiding her eyes.Elena paused mid pace, turning slowly to
“Luca, you're here!” I breathed out from where I stood.He walked towards me, standing close enough that I could feel the heat of his body at my back. His silence made me shiver, I gulped forcibly.“I have to go check in on Nora in the kitchen,” Elena said, excusing herself. She almost stumbled over her own feet as she dashed out of the room.“Look at me,” he said in a calm voice that surprised me. I shook my head in refusal.I didn't know if I could face him. He literally just heard me telling his adopted sister how I feel overwhelmed and uncomfortable by his affection. “Look at me, Nazlynn,” he urged again, placing one hand on my arm this time as if to encourage me. I turned around tentatively, unable to meet his eyes. “Luca…”He cut me off before I could get another word out. “Look at me, baby,” he said again. My heart clenched in my chest at the word baby as I met his eyes. They weren't angry or really hurt like I expected. They were more concerned than anything else. “Is that
The past days leading to this day have been hell for me. I have been acting completely fine towards Luca when all I wanted to do was bring up the conversation I eavesdropped on. It's been four days since I overheard Luca talking to someone over the phone about what I think was me. I've wanted to ask him about it, but I could never bring myself to actually get the words out. The most likely scenario is that my assumption is wrong, but who then could they have been talking about?Four days, which meant it was my birthday. And all assumptions that Luca didn't know that it was my birthday flew out the door when he woke me up with a kiss and a groggy “happy birthday baby”. It was the sweetest thing.“So small dinner. You, me, and the girls, right?” I asked Luca again when I was getting dressed. He had picked out a dress for me out of my numerous untouched dresses after I told him I wasn't interested in any more clothes when I still have so many.“Did I say small?” He asked with a smirk
Luca hovered above me, peering into the kindle reader screen to see what I was doing. “What book is that?” He asked, coming to sit beside me on the couch. We were in the library. Or rather, I was. I had no idea where he just came in from. I raised a brow at him in question. “Since when do you ask me about the books I read?” He shrugged. “My subconscious mind is curious. Come on, humour me. What sub-dom freaky freaky are you reading this time?”My cheeks instantly burned red in embarrassment. Just one time, I had left my phone unlocked so I could use the bathroom that Luca peered into my screen and read the words there. Just that one time, and he's still holding it against me. I narrowed my eyes at him playfully. “For your information, it's actually not one of my fictional novels. It's a self-help book titled ‘first time mom? Grab a chair’,” I said.Luca looked a bit surprised. “That’s amazing. Strange title, though.”I hummed in agreement, turning my attention back to the screen.
It was the day of my appointment with Dr. Martin. You can imagine my shock when I opened my eyes to see Maria peering down at me with a strange look in her eyes. Okay, what the hell? I sat up in bed, holding a hand to my throbbing head. I felt like someone was ringing a bell and walking around my brain. “Maria? What are you doing here?” I asked her groggily.“You called for me, Signora,” she replied, confused.“I did? When?”“Just a few minutes ago. But when I got here, you were fast asleep.”I nodded. “Run my bath for me, please. I want the lavender scented bath salt. I'll be there in a bit,” I said, stretching.“Lavender? But signora, you hate the lavender. It makes your skin itchy,” Maria said with a frown, making me pause.“Mix in a little bit then,” I responded, standing up from the bed and walking towards the closet.I had gone to bed angry after my conversation with Luca last night, and he had left earlier this morning. I felt him kiss my forehead before leaving.*Flashback*
I was in the room one morning when I picked up my phone and turned it on. “Hey, I'm glad you finally called back. How are you feeling?” my brother's voice came through the speakers when the call connected.I sighed at the sound of his voice. It was like a breath of fresh air. “I’m alright,” I said. “How are you?”“Are you sure you're okay, Nazi?” Enzo asked again. “I'm alright. Yeah, I'm alright,” I said, sounding like I was convincing myself more than him.We spoke about nothing in particular for a little over thirty minutes before I took a deep breath midway through a conversation. “What’s up? Wanna tell me something?” Enzo asked, taking away every other doubt I had in me. “I'm pregnant,” I blurted out. The line went silent for over a minute. I couldn't even hear the sound of him breathing, and I had to check to see if the call was still connected.“Enzo. Please say something,” I pleaded, biting on my fingernails. “You….. congratulations,” he finally said.“Thank you,” I whis
I agreed to meet up with Alice two days after she had sent that text. Coincidentally, we were in the same city, so it wouldn't be too much of a hassle. She said it was important we met up, and I was curious as to why.“I already fed her, but in case she gets whiny again, give her water in her bottle,” I said to Tracy, crouching down so I could give Hailey a big kiss.The only thing I hated more than being away from my baby was being away from my baby.“I'm going out,” I said to Luca when I saw him in the hallway. He was speaking to some of the members of our security team. He frowned, giving me a once over. “Where are you off to?” “I'm going to meet with someone,” I responded briefly, checking my reflection in the full-length mirror hanging on the wall. Luca dismissed the small gathering of men before turning his attention to me. “Who? You don't have any friends. You're not exactly the most social person,” Luca pointed out. I froze. He had a point. Considering everything that has
Luca walked towards me in a predatory type of way. “Hi princess,” he greeted Hailey before taking her off of me. I stilled as he passed by me, keeping my eyes on Enzo at the other side of the room, who looked half as uncomfortable as I did. “Judging by the fact we've been married for almost two years, you should know that I know you better than yourself,” I heard Luca say from behind me before hearing the door shut and then the sound of a luck turning.I whipped around and was shocked to see an empty space behind me. “What just happened?” I asked Enzo, who was just staring at me.“Your husband just locked us in,” he stated simply.“Yes, I can see that. But why?” I asked as my panic level started rising. Enzo hopped off the chair he was sitting on and started walking towards me. “I asked him how I could get you to talk to me. He said you have a thing for eavesdropping on his conversations, so we decided to see if it'll work. We left the door open a bit, sprinkled your name into the
You're really not going to talk to me at all?” I heard Enzo ask, making me sigh.I had come down the staircase the next morning only to almost bump into him at the bottom. I increased my pace so I could disappear from him as quickly as possible, but Enzo just wouldn't let me be.“I thought I made that clear enough, but apparently I didn't, seeing how you're currently trying to talk to me,” I replied with a fake smile.“Nazlynn,” he called out softly, taking a step in my direction.My eyes searched his. I could still see fragments of the little boy who had left for Atlanta years back, but I could also see something darker. The kind of darkness that you are bound to be exposed to while working with the mafia.I was one to talk, considering how I'm married to a mafia don who is the rival to my biological father who is also a mafia don.“I'm not ready for the conversation you're trying to have, Enzo. I would like to get through one day without reminding myself of how I failed you as a si
I was going to respond to the message Alice sent, but then I got distracted by something that Gabriel said, and I kind of zoned out from everything until we got to the house.I knew when Enzo arrived because half of the staff went into a frenzy, trying to prepare a room for the guest. I wonder what he would be referred to as someone who works for the boss or the boss’ wife's brother. Either way, he's getting a wonderful welcome party.Once I got home, I picked up a sleepy Hailey from her nursery and headed to my room. I wanted to take a nap, and I always slept better when I was smothering Hailey in my arms.Some hours later, a knock woke me up. I saw that my girl was already up before me and was staring at me with her eyes that were an exact copy of mine.I swung the door open with a scowl on my face, ready to have a go at the person who has just interrupted my sleep and possibly, Hailey’s. I was certainly not expecting to be met with Luca's expectant face.My face softened visibly.
“Enzo,” I breathed out without turning back.“I'm home, sis. Not at the best of times, but I'm home,” he said, taking steps closer to me.I pressed a hand to my lips to conceal the sob that was threatening to break out. Slowly, I turned back to see a face that I had not seen physically in about eight years. Enzo was right there, standing in front of me.“How did you….?” I said, making a beeline for him, but then I stopped. Memories of the events from the past few weeks came flooding back into my head at once.“Nazi, please, don't turn away from me. I just want to give my big sister a hug after all these days,” he said, his eyes searching mine for any form of forgiveness. I made sure he wouldn't see any.He took a step closer to me, but I held a hand up to stop him. “How did you know where to find me?” I asked.“I called the boss when I landed at the airport. He told me you had just left the house and were headed here. Turns out, the trip from the airport here takes less time than fro
“Thrilling isn't it? To have found out that everybody had been lying to you,” the message read.“Who are you?” I typed in a frenzy. “Why are you doing this?”“Just a concerned citizen who doesn't like getting lied to. Something I figured you and I have in common.”My nostrils flared. Whoever this was, the person clearly knew a whole lot about me, and I didn't know anything about them. “I want to know who you are. Do you want to meet up?” I asked, biting down on my fingernails.“Making friends is not a part of my job description, sweet pea.”I kissed my teeth in irritation. “What job description?”“You.”That one word chilled me to the bone. I swiped away from the chat and quickly blocked the number from calling or texting me before I could allow myself to give it an extra thought. And that was the end of that chapter for me. I completely closed my mind to everything the person had said to me.It's been almost three weeks since Luca and I had the biggest and most emotional argument t
It took me a few minutes of staring at the screen before I decided to turn off my phone and ignore it. I left Hailey under Tracy's care and headed for the gym without taking the bath that Maria had already prepared for me.Between the music blasting through my earphones and how fast the treadmill was, I was in my own world.The treadmill was on the highest speed it has ever been on. Somehow, it felt like I was running away from all my problems and for just that moment, I felt better. I felt hopeful like I could forgive Luca, forgive Enzo, forgive my mother, forgive Vincent, and lastly, forgive myself.I wasn't sure how long I was on the treadmill, running on a spot until Mathias appeared out of nowhere and turned down the speed of the treadmill.“Hey, hey, hey,” he said as I turned to glare at him. “Don't kill the messenger. I'm just here to check up on you.”“Why did you turn it down? I didn't ask for anyone's help,” I said with a scowl on my face as I took off my earphones that were
It had been two weeks since Luca dropped those bombs on me. Enzo had been blowing my phone up nonstop. A part of me was hoping and praying that Luca was lying about the whole Enzo thing, but barely twenty minutes after I asked him to leave me alone, Enzo started calling me.My brother wasn't playing football in Atlanta like I thought. Instead, he was a member of my husband's mafia. How much crazier can this get? At least it made sense now why Enzo did not mention anything about getting threatened by Luca's people or the time when they made me believe he was shot. It was all part of their ploy to get me to stay here and what better way to do so than to threaten my brother? I couldn't even speak to Elena or Sabrina. What would I say? How does a person even start a conversation like that with her friends?I had told Luca to give me space to process things and I clearly needed a lot of that space. He didn't agree too easily though.“You'll need to leave. This room, this wing, maybe even
“What do you mean Enzo?” I asked incredulously.I had stopped pacing and was now standing a few inches away from Luca, waiting to hear what he had to say. My heart was in my throat, choking me internally.“Nazlynn, I promise you, I was going to tell you everything soon. This is not how I planned for you to find out. This was certainly not a part of it,” he said, standing up so we could be on the same level. “I would appreciate it if you explained to me what you meant when you mentioned my brother. You don't know Enzo. You've never even met the guy. Hell, I haven't even seen the guy in years, so how are you speaking about me on the phone with someone you've never met?” I asked all in one breath.Luca is either the worst at starting an explanation or has plans on giving me a heart attack because his first statement threw me off balance so much that I could have crumpled to the ground if only it registered at first. “Enzo works for me, Nazlynn,” Luca said.I fixed my gaze on him. Then