44. Emily
44
EMILY
W e meet Mia for lunch at a little restaurant that’s quickly becoming our favorite spot. The air is crisp, the city alive around us, but inside, it’s warm and cozy, filled with the smell of fresh bread and coffee. Mia’s already at the table when we arrive, her face lighting up when she sees us.
“Let me see!” she demands the moment we sit down, reaching for the ultrasound photos with a grin. She holds them up, her eyes wide with awe. “Oh my God, she’s adorable. I can’t wait to spoil her rotten.”
I laugh, feeling lighter than I have in weeks. “She’s going to be the luckiest kid in the world with you as her auntie.”
Mia grins, already planning all the ways she’s going to dote on our little girl. The three of us talk and laugh, sharing dreams about the future, about the life we’re going to build. Even Lucas seems more relaxed, his hand never leaving mine as we enjoy this moment.
Mia goes to the bathroom and I turn to Lucas. “Would you really have hurt her?” I ask.
He shakes his head. “Had to get you to marry me. There were people coming to your apartment to kidnap you. I needed to move fast.”
“Why not tell me that?”
“Would you have believed me?”
I shake my head. “I guess not.”
“That’s why.”
Jake walks in and nods our way. His expression is serious, his posture stiff, and I know immediately that something’s wrong. He leans in close to Lucas, whispering something I can’t quite hear, but I catch a few words—“rival,” “consigliere,” “problems.”
I feel Lucas’s body tense beside me, his easy demeanor shifting back to the cold, controlled man I know he has to be sometimes. But before he can respond, I place my hand on his arm, trying to offer him the same comfort he always gives me.
“It’s okay,” I say softly, meeting his gaze with all the confidence I can muster. “You can go. We’ll be fine.”
He hesitates, torn between the world he can’t escape and the life we’re trying to build together. But finally, he nods, pressing a kiss to my forehead before standing to leave with Jake.
“I’ll see you later,” he promises, his eyes lingering on me for a moment longer than necessary.