Chapter 29
Elena
Mia and Isla. Twin baby girls, though not identical like me and Ravenna.
They’re the sweetest little things. My heart melts as I hold a sleeping baby Mia in my arms. I’m an aunt, and I will do anything to guarantee that these darling girls will have a much happier and healthier life growing up than my sister and I did.
No one will ever hurt them. If anyone dares to try, I’ll kill that person. I swear it.
“How are you feeling?” I ask Ravenna, who’s cradling Isla.
We’re alone except for a very tired, very proud looking Cian who keeps fussing over Ravenna.
I’ve never seen the soft side of him, honestly didn’t know it existed.
The man couldn’t be any more devoted to her if he tried.
That realization loosens a knot in my chest. I’m glad for them.
“Exhausted, but so very happy.” She glows, a radiance I’ve never seen in her before, as she smiles. “The girls are healthy and I’m ready to take them home. We did it.” She glances up at Cian, her grin wide.
“We did.” He holds her hand, and I swear there are unshed tears in his eyes.
I know about their difficulty getting pregnant, but witnessing their joy after so much sorrow, warms my heart.
They deserve this happiness and these wonderful little girls.
For as big and scary looking as Cian is, I have a sense that he’ll be a protective and caring father.
And Ravenna was born to be a mother. She’ll thrive in that role.
As I gaze into Mia’s scrunched pink face.
She cracks open her baby blues and I fall into them.
My whole world tilts on its axis. I’m hit with a love so strong that I gasp.
It’s right then and there that I realize I can never leave my nieces.
Ravenna would have understood—she told me to run—but these innocent girls wouldn’t know why I left. Or how I could abandon them..
If I leave, go into hiding, never to return, then I’ll miss out on Mia and Isla’s entire lives. I won’t be there to see them learn to crawl or walk, to take them on adventures or give them dating advice, to be their one and only aunt. I can’t abandon them like that. Ever.
This morning I was scheming of ways to get away from Maximo, and planning to text Mrs. Rizzo as soon as I returned home, demanding she get me out of here. But now… now I know to my very core that I’m staying.
I’m staying of my own free will. For my family.
Even my fears aren’t enough to drive me away from my nieces. From my precious family. I’ll make sure these girls grow up happy and free in a way I never could be. It’s my duty. My calling. A soul deep purpose I never saw coming.
“Hey, Mia, you’re awake,” I coo at her. She blinks up at me, completely serene as she takes in my features. Totally unaware of how she just altered my entire reality, how she gave me a purpose far beyond running from my demons.
“Since they’re awake, I should feed them again.” Ravenna sits upright in the hospital bed.
Cian swoops in and takes Mia. “Come here, baby girl. Come to Daddy.”
Rising, I give them a private moment to themselves as a new family.
As soon as I step into the hallway, Maximo’s at my side.
His fingers brush down my arm, the gentlest of touches.
I glare at him, not at all ready to forgive him for his lies and treachery.
He doesn’t deserve to be easily forgiven for drugging me so could force me to marry him.
The fact that I’ve decided to stay changes nothing between us. He’s still a complication I’ll eventually have to deal with—later. Right now I’m here for my family.
He follows me along the wide hallway. “We should leave everyone to rest and recover. After all, we have a honeymoon to get to, so I’m sure they’ll understand.”
“A honeymoon?” I didn’t expect such a thing given our unconventional marriage.
“Yes. Married couples go on honeymoon.”
“Right.” My skin prickles at his close proximity and the idea of spending days alone with him in a romantic setting. Nothing else to do but be together. No escape from his presence.
I shiver. Will I survive?
Though now that I’ve decided to stay, for my nieces’ sake, I eventually need to reevaluate my entire situation. I can hardly escape Maximo if we’re living in the same city, existing in similar social circles, not to mention the fact that we’re married.
I’m married. To him. He’s my husband.
Oh dear god, what do I do now? This is not the time to spiral. Pull it together.
As we approach the family waiting area, I come across my cousins and their husbands milling about. Sophia takes one assessing look at us before she marches forward, determination scrawled across her features.
“Are you okay, Elena?” She scrutinizes me. “Don’t think the babies’ arrival has completely overshadowed the fact that you ran from your own wedding.”
Dread coils in my stomach. I knew I’d have to face the consequences of my actions sooner or later. Of course they want answers. Brides don’t sprint from the church on their wedding day for no reason.
“It was just cold feet,” I lie.
Ginevra sing-songs, “No it wasn’t.”
Her husband, Blake, wraps his arms around her.
“Be good, magpie. Let’s stay out of their business.
” His intense stare belies his diplomatic statement.
He watches us with keen interest, surely eating up every juicy detail to come.
Which is most unnerving coming from him because I’ve only ever seen him appear bored.
Sophia narrows her eyes at Maximo. “Ravenna refused to confirm our suspicions, but given everything that’s happened, we believe Maximo forced you into this engagement.”
“That’s not—” I start.
“Especially since you two were married yesterday and neither Gin nor I were invited to that wedding ceremony. You know, the one that took place in the hospital’s chapel. So it’s time to come clean, Elena. What’s going on?”
I swallow past the lump in my throat. It was stupid of me to think I could keep the truth from my cousins. We’ve known each other all our lives. They know me too well to be duped. Especially when it comes to something this important.
I sigh. “Fine. You’re right. I told Ravenna, but I didn’t want her or any of you interfering. This is my mess, my predicament, and I needed to deal with it on my own.” Or maybe I’m just a masochist. Maybe I was punishing myself like Ravenna claimed.
Sophia places her hands on her hips. “And how has that turned out for you?” Obviously she’s hurt that I lied to her, that I kept my struggles from her. That’s not what friends do to each other. We’re cousins, but we’re also friends.
I cringe. “It’s not as terrible as it could be.”
Maximo scoffs, clearly offended. “Elena—”
“You be quiet,” Sophia snaps at him, stunning us all into silence.
She’s giving off big sister energy like it’s going out of style.
“What did you do, blackmail her into marrying you? Threaten her in some way?” Without waiting for his answer, she turns her questioning on me.
“Has he hurt you? I—we—won’t stand for it.
Say the word and I’ll make sure he can never touch you again. ”
A hush falls over all of us as her threat hangs in the air.
I’m quiet as I consider her offer. Isn’t this what I want?
To escape Maximo? I don’t know how she’d keep him away from me, he is the don after all, but with her husband Roman, and her other brothers’ in law, they make a formidable force.
One which no smart person would dare cross.
They’ve made powerful, untouchable people vanish before.
“He hasn’t hurt me,” I murmur. Beside me, Maximo visibly relaxes, just a fraction. Did he really think I’d lie and say he has? “And I… I’d like to continue to deal with my personal situation on my own.”
Sophia studies me for several long seconds, before heaving a sigh. “You’re not alone, Elena. You never have to do anything on your own if you don’t want to. I hope you realize that.”
My chest twists. I nod. I know they’re here for me, but I also have to be able to rely solely on myself. My complicated situation with Maximo is mine to figure out, no one else’s.
“Okay, then.” Sophia turns her attention to Maximo. “If you hurt her, I will kill you. Just so we’re clear.”
His eyes light with sincerity. “I’d never—”
Sophia punches him. Right in the face. “That’s for trying to deceive us all.”
Maximo rubs his nose and snarls, “That hurt.”
Behind Sophia, Roman tsks. “Watch your tone with my wife, Pontrelli.”
“She hit me.”
Roman shrugs. “Sounds like you deserved it.”
Blake snickers, his arms resting around Ginevra’s waist.
To my utter disbelief, Sophia jabs Maximo in the nose again. This time he bleeds. “And that’s for not inviting us to the actual wedding.”
Maximo growls, but doesn’t complain. He’ll find no sympathy from anyone in this room. My cousin’s protectiveness brings a smile to my lips. After what Maximo’s done to me, I don’t mind seeing him bleed a little.
“You think this is funny?” Maximo scowls.
I shrug. I mean… he kind of had it coming. I don’t dare tell my family I was also drugged for my own wedding. They’d bury him alive. And for some reason, I don’t want him dead.
Sophia shakes out her fingers. “Damn, Arianna never mentioned how much that hurts.”
Immediately, Roman’s at her side, caressing her reddening knuckles. He glares at Maximo. “You’ve injured my wife.”
Maximo recoils, obviously appalled by the accusation. “She injured herself on my face,” he tosses back.
“The details are irrelevant. It’s still your fault.” Roman wraps a silk handkerchief around Sophia’s hand.