Chapter 29 Deanna #2
My stomach dropped. I reached for him, pulling him into our embrace. The three of us held each other while dread coiled in my chest.
Aris patted his son’s shoulder before moving toward his brothers. Konstantin, Dimitrios, and Matthaios stood together near the windows, their faces grave.
Tia and Santo released me and guided me to a seat. I scanned the room quickly.
Irida was nearby, cradling Kayla and Konstantin’s baby girl, TJ. Her usual brightness was dimmed as she cooed softly to her great-niece.
Kayla was settled beside me on the couch, her face pale despite the glow of new motherhood. A striking woman with dark hair I didn’t recognize sat apart from the group.
I nodded toward her. “Who’s that?”
Kayla followed my gaze. “That’s Despina. She’s Dimitrios’s current flame.” She leaned in conspiratorially. “Domna thinks they’ll marry soon.”
Before I could process that information, the sharp click of high heels drew my attention. A well-dressed blonde woman with striking blue eyes and flowers in hand strode toward my husband with purpose.
At the same moment, Kayla’s hand shot out and grabbed my left hand. Her eyes went wide. “That diamond is—wait, is this—?”
I opened my mouth to explain, but Aris moved towards me and spoke. “Deanna and I married yesterday. And she is carrying twins. They are mine.”
The blonde froze and said something in Greek. It sounded strained. Her gaze snapped to my left hand, belly, and then my face. Her expression shifted from shock to fury.
Aris walked over to her. They spoke in rapid Greek. Every word from his mouth seemed to make her angrier.
The rest of the family watched openly, and the tension in the room ratcheted higher with each hissed syllable.
After several minutes of escalating argument, he dismissed her with a curt gesture. She spun around, glaring at everyone before storming out.
Stunned silence fell over the waiting area.
“Who was that?” I asked carefully.
“My assistant, Phoibe.” He shook his head. “She is not important.”
The tightness in his voice, and the way his brothers exchanged glances suggested otherwise. The woman had looked at me as if I’d stolen something that belonged to her.
That wasn’t the reaction of someone who was “not important.” But Aris’s expression had turned to stone, making it clear he wouldn’t discuss it further.
His mother was in surgery. I let it drop for now.
Kayla broke the uncomfortable silence by reaching for my hand again. “I can’t believe you two are married! I’m so happy for you both!” Her smile was genuine.
Like a dam breaking, the others joined in. Konstantin offered his congratulations with a reserved smile. Dimitrios clasped Aris’s shoulder briefly. Even the dark-haired woman—Despina—offered a smile.
Irida looked up from baby TJ, tears streaming down her face as she reached out to touch my belly with her free hand. “More babies,” she whispered, her voice cracking. “Domna will be so happy. She has to... she has to meet them.”
I covered her hand with mine, blinking back my own tears. “She will, Irida. She’s strong. She’ll pull through this.”
The words were hollow, but hope was all I had to offer. For Irida, for Aris, for all of them waiting in this sterile room while surgeons fought to keep their matriarch alive.
From across the room, I heard Matthaios say, “Now who’s the one married to his sister?”
Santo gave him the finger. “At least I have a sister to be married to. Yours disappeared.”
Matthaios’s smile faded into a scowl. “Little shit.”
Tia leaned close to me. “Chrys has been jokingly suggesting that Simone is Matthaios’s sister, since Michail adopted her. Now Matthaios is throwing it back because technically Chrys and I are step-siblings now.”
I nodded, not wanting their teasing to spoil this moment. I’d expected skepticism, maybe even opposition to our marriage. After all, I probably wasn’t what they’d envisioned for the head of their dynasty. Instead, they welcomed me warmly.
Then a contraction hit, stronger than the gentle twinges I’d felt since the flight. Strong enough to make me shift uncomfortably in my seat. I straightened, hoping the change in position would help.
This caught Aris’s attention immediately. “You are all right?” He moved closer, concern etched across his face.
“Great,” I managed, but another sharp contraction called me a liar. “Aris...”
He knelt before me. “Are you in pain? Are you tired?”
“Not tired.”
“Can I get you tea? Water?” He looked around as if expecting someone to materialize with supplies.
I shook my head. A rolling cramp spread from my lower back around to my abdomen.
I’d been through this before with Tia. I knew what labor felt like.
This was lit.
I didn’t panic. I breathed slowly and deeply, centering myself.
“Dede.” He gripped my hand. “What do you need? Should I get doctor? Water?”
“The babies,” I started, then lost my breath to a contraction so intense it felt like being squeezed in a vise.
When it passed several seconds later, I could speak again. “Our babies, Aris. They’re coming.”