Chapter 60
Alessandro
20 Weeks Pregnant
“ Y ou dumb son of a bitch. How the fuck could you have shot her?” Genos been saying the same words for days while Luci lies in a hospital after I put her there. Dr. Rossi updated me when she got out of surgery, confirming Luci and our baby are both okay. We’re now waiting for her to wake up. In the meantime, I’m stuck in Philadelphia in timeout.
Another phone call comes in the middle of Geno yelling at me and my heart nearly stops when I see Dr. Rossi’s name on the screen.
“Geno, I have to go.”
“You hang up on me and I’ll come to America myself and—” I cut him off and answered Dr. Rossi’s call.
“How is she?”
“She’s awake and wants you to come to Wyoming, even though I don’t know why. When my second ex-husband shot me I cut off his hands so he couldn’t do that again.”
She started working for me when her second husband introduced us. Since then, he’s moved six feet under and she’s moved on to husband number three. Or is it four? “Your ex-husband shot you because you had a knife to his throat.”
“Potato, patato. Are you coming here or does Geno still have you in timeout?”
This woman. “Yes, I’m coming.”
I’m on the first flight into Casper, speeding to Luci after threatening the man at the car rental place when he wasn’t going fast enough. I pull up outside of the hospital, slamming the car into park and rush in the direction of the nurse’s station.
“Where is she?” The nurse yelps in response to my sudden outburst when I slam my hand into the desk.
“I-I’m sorry, sir, who are you here to see?”
Deep breath, Alessandro. “I apologize for my outburst I’m here to see Luciana Bonacci. I’m her fiancé.”
“There’s no fiancé listed here. Do you mean her husband?”
Fucking Aldo. There’s no reason to put Elio on that list since he’ll never come here. I slam on the desk again making the nurse jump back. I know I’m seconds away from security taking me away when I notice her hand scraping against the underside of the desk. “No! She’s mine! Now tell me where she is!”
“Stop throwing your dick around and follow me. Maggie, you can call off the angry mob he’s with me.” She recognizes the importance of the situation when Dr. Rossi appears around the corner and I follow her back into the hallway leading to Luci’s room as she grumbles to herself.
Dr. Rossi shows me into her hospital room. I freeze in the doorway when I see Luci. She’s is sitting in the bed, shoulder wrapped up, holding her belly with a hypnotizing glow on her face. I’ve never been so guilt-ridden in my life. I shot her, the woman carrying my child.
“Alessandro.” Her soft voice is mesmerizing, and that alone is what helps me move from the spot I’ve been in.
The sound of my steps fills the silence of the sterile room. I’m not sure what to do once I reach the side of her bed. My eyes can’t decide if they want to focus on her belly or the bandage on her shoulder. Both things I did to her.
“Sit down.” She grabs my hand with her good arm, escorting it to rest on her belly.
“Wow. There’s really something in there.”
She laughs hysterically at my idiotic statement. “Yes. It’s our baby, Alessandro. She’s in there.”
“She?” In my world, you’re supposed to produce sons. Sons are the ones who inherit titles and are useful in our world. Daughters need to be protected and kept as far away from action as possible. If that’s true, then why do I have this overwhelming need to both protect her and build her to be strong? To take care of herself.
“I know you probably wanted a son. I don’t know much about your world, but I know there are not a lot of women that work for you. I’m sure there’s a reason for that and—”
I cut her off before she has a chance to put herself down. “It’s perfect. She will be perfect.” My hand still hasn’t left her stomach and neither of us knows what to say. What can I say? I never thought I could fuck up this poorly. She has every reason to hate me, but Lord help me she will never take my daughter away from me.
“Listen. You have every reason not to forgive me. I will beg you if I have to. I need both of you in my life. You are mine, Luci and nothing will change that. Tell me you’re mine.” I’ve never been a man to beg until meeting Luci, but seeing her here confirms that I’d lock her away again before letting her go.
“What happened to Elio?” Of course, she avoids what I said and changes the subject. Does she not want me? If I want her to answer my questions I need to answer hers. How should I answer though? I go with the true answer while not giving her all the details, especially the ones she doesn’t want to know.
“Elio Amato does not exist anymore.” Her only response is silence as she processes what I said. “Say something.”
“So I’m not married?” Fuck, I wish I could read her.
I speak neutrally and carefully, hiding any nervousness coursing through my body. “Technically.”
“Did you do that because of the contract?” I need to burn that fucking contract.
“Luci, I did this for you, for us, for our baby. I need you. Please, I will beg you every day to be mio premio.”
“You were going to kill Nonno.” Damnit, now we have to approach this.
“You don’t understand, I will kill anyone who keeps you away from me. You and this baby are mine and I will take whatever measures I need to keep you. Do you understand that now?”
Luci hums, and I’m afraid she’s about to deny me everything I need out of life. “Can you promise my family won’t get shot?”
I run my hands through my hair, knowing that Geno will be pissed with the answer I give her. “I’ll promise you anything if you’ll come home with me, mio premio.”
Luci’s hand reaches for mine and places it back on her growing stomach as I look up at her. “I’ve always been your prize. Now we both are, your daughter and I.”