35. Lia
Chapter 35
Lia
The sharp, medicinal scent of the numbing cream fills my nostrils as Dante gently massages it into my finger. His touch is careful as he works the ointment into my skin. The cool cream brings immediate relief, soothing the flesh around the fresh ink.
"It'll stop throbbing soon," Dante murmurs. I feel the warmth of his breath on my hand as he leans in close and kisses my finger.
I lift my hand into the air, looking at the newly darkened ring that encircles my fourth finger. I wiggle my digits, watching as the skin stretches and contracts around the tattoo. Turning my hand around, drinking in every detail of the intricate design.
And their names.
Rafe.
Cade.
Dante.
All entwined with my own, and now permanently etched into my skin, a physical reminder of our bond.
A smile tugs at my lips, warmth blooming in my chest. "I love it," I say.
Dante's eyes meet mine. I ask, "Are you okay with this now?"
He nods lightly. "You don't belong to me," he says, then shrugs his shoulders, the fabric of his shirt rustling with the movement. "Well, you do. You're still more mine, but I accept Cade and Rafe belong to you, too."
"Belong to me," I echo, the words a question and a statement all at once.
Before Dante can respond, the click of heels on the polished airport floor draws our attention. A woman approaches, her navy blue suit crisp and professional. Her badge glints under the fluorescent lights, identifying her as an airport official.
Her hair is pulled back into a neat bun, and she carries herself with the proficiency of someone used to keeping things running on schedule.
"Your flight is ready to board," she announces, her voice clipped and formal. “Are you ready?”
I feel a surge of excitement, remembering that Dominic has lent us his private jet for our babymoon.
"Yes, thank you," Dante says.
Cade knocks back the last of his delicious smelling coffee. “More than ready.”
The crisp Swiss air nips at my cheeks as I make my way through the cemetery, my boots crunching softly on the frost-covered grass.
The silence here is hefty, broken only by the intermittent rustle of leaves and the occasional calls of birds in the trees.
Dante, Rafe, and Cade are nearby, and our bodyguards maintain a discreet but observant distance. Their presence in this unknown but serene place is welcome.
The lilies and orchids in my arms release a sweet, delicate fragrance that mingles with the earthy scent of damp soil.
When I inhale their smell, their petals are cool and silky against my skin, a stark contrast to the rough stems I'm gripping perhaps a little too tightly.
Antonio's words echo in my mind. "They were her favorites."
As I approach the burial plot number Antonio gave me, my steps slow and my deep breaths are visible in small puffs before me.
Another step and my heart races. The beats seem too loud in this quiet place.
I kneel, the cold seeping through my clothes and into my bones. Tears prick at my eyes, blurring my vision as I lay the flowers gently at the base of the headstone, their vibrant colors a stark contrast to the gray stone and muted tones of the cemetery.
“Aurora Moretti,” I whisper as a deep shiver skates down my spine. My trembling fingers reach out to trace the engraved letters of her name on the headstone.
As a shiver runs down my spine and the hairs on the back of my neck stand up, I glance around, but only see the silent tombstones and bare trees around me.
A gentle breeze caresses my cheek, carrying with it the faintest hint of a scent I can't quite place, but it’s something familiar.
For a moment, I swear I hear a whisper in the wind. I turn on my knees again, but it's gone before I can be sure.
Dante, Rafe, and Cade are at a respectful distance, and our bodyguards blend into the background. Dante notices my sudden demeanor and strides ahead.
Again, my fingertips follow the curves and lines of each letter.
Sadness washes over me as I read her birth date and date of her death. A single tear rolls down my cheek, knowing it’s real.
My heart sinks.
I close my eyes as Dante kneels next to me, wrapping his arms around me. “It’s okay, I’ve got you.”
“Is she dead?” It seems stupid, but right now, she feels so alive.
Is this what it feels like to be close to her?
Even in death, is my mother watching over me?
“Yes.” Dante presses a kiss on my temple.
I blink hard and when I open my eyes; the sensation of being watched fades, but a warmth remains in my chest.
My mother may be gone, but a part of her lives on—in me, in this place, in the very air around us.
Rafe and Cade hold a hand out each for me to take.
I stand, brushing off my knees.
My three men hold me in the middle of them, peppering kisses on my head, my cheek, my lips, and I fall in love with them just a little harder.
When I wake in the middle of the night, I push off the bed in silence. The cool wooden floors creak softly under my bare feet as I pad through the silent house.
Outside, the crisp night air carries the faint gurgle of the stream at the bottom of the garden, and in the distance, the silhouettes of the Swiss mountains loom against the star-speckled sky.
My childhood memories have awoken. It’s funny what the mind remembers.
This place, for instance, I remember the stream that runs through the bottom of the garden. The rolling Swiss mountains in the distance. And I remember playing here as a child.
But I don’t remember her.
And that saddens me to my very core.
My foot falters when I see Rafe's figure outlined by the moonlight ahead. He sits on the bench, lost in thought. My brows furrow as I approach, the dewy grass tickling my toes.
"Are you okay?" I ask. My breath forms mist in the chilly air.
"Perfect, baby." He brushes a thumb over my lips. My eyelids flutter closed at how divine his touch feels.
"Why are you out here?"
"Because I know you've been coming out here the past few mornings. I wanted to be here for you."
Tears coat my eyes as I rest my head on his shoulder, breathing in his familiar scent of sandalwood and musk. "Thank you."
"You wanted to find her here, didn't you?"
I nod, my cheek rubbing against the soft fabric of his shirt. "Antonio spoke of her like she was alive. I just hoped..."
"That's probably how he wants to remember her. I know he was madly in love with her."
I shake my head, my voice thick with emotion. "You don't let someone die if you love them."
Straightening up, he turns to me. In the pale moonlight, I drink him in. He looks so much like Dante, perhaps a little slimmer, but his personality is much sweeter.
"They loved you more."
My bottom lip trembles. I've accepted this life, but it doesn't stop me from hating what it took from me.
"Come here. It's okay." His whispered words of comfort tickle my ear as he pulls me against his chest.
I breathe in his masculine scent and listen to the steady thump of his heart.
Another warm body sits next to me on the bench, the wood creaking slightly under the added weight.
"We're family now, Lia." Cade's deep voice reverberates through my body, his warmth seeping into my side.
I consider his words for a moment, feeling the weight of their meaning. I lift from Rafe's chest and turn to Cade. Tears well as I take that in. "We are."
He uses his thumbs to wipe away the tears rolling down my cheeks, his calloused skin rough but comforting against my face.
"And these," Rafe says, stroking his hand over my swollen belly. The babies inside seem to respond to his touch, a flutter of movement beneath my skin. "And lots more. If you want, we can have a house filled with babies and love."
I smile, a warmth spreading through me despite the cool night air.
Around us, the surface of morning mist gradually rises, painting the garden in an ethereal haze. A small bird lands in front of us, its cheerful song piercing the dawn silence as it pecks at the ground.
Enormous hands blanket my shoulders as Dante stands behind me, his fingers flexing against my flesh, sending a familiar tingle down my spine.
"What's wrong?" I ask, sensing the tension in his demeanor.
"I've just taken a call."
I turn to look at him, my heart rate picking up.
"Amara... Her memory is coming back."
"Oh my god, that's..." I choke out a sob, a mix of relief and anxiety washing over me. "Does she remember who hit her?"
"Not yet. The therapist doesn't want to alarm her with talk of the accident."
"Thank god," I breathe, my body sagging with relief. "I want to be with her when they talk to her about that."
Rafe swipes a thumb across my cheeks, wiping away fresh tears. "Everything is going to end well, our Mafia Princess."
Looking between all of them through my watery lashes, I nod as my teeth bite into my bottom lip. "I know, and I love you. All of you."
Dante wraps his arms around me from behind, his solid chest pressed against my back. Cade and Rafe envelop me from my sides. I’m enveloped in their warmth, strength, and love. My heart swells as the four of us hold each other.
Cade presses a kiss to my cheek, his stubble scratching lightly against my skin. "And we love you."
"We really do," Rafe brushes his lips on my other cheek, the softness of his touch a contrast to Cade's.
Dante steps around the bench, and kneels in front of me on the damp grass. "We all worship you, and we're going to make sure the rest of your life is filled with love."
As I look between my three men, their faces illuminated by the growing dawn light, I know they are going to give me everything I need, and me them.
I was drawn to Dante from the very first moment I set eyes on him, which wasn't at the airport, but when I noticed I had a stalker before that fateful night.
Maybe we were always fated.
And the initiation was never supposed to bring us all together for life, and perhaps it didn't—maybe it was afterwards.
When I knew Dante was searching the world for me. Or when Rafe wanted to take care of me. Or when I knew Cade had protected my secrets.
But whatever the reasons, being with my three men is an easy decision, because just because I'm a Mafia princess, doesn't mean I don't want to be loved.
I do.
But it can only be by them—my husbands.
Because I am theirs and they are mine, and being together is where each of us belongs.