24. Arabella
Chapter 24
Arabella
“ G ood morning,” Chloe says when I enter the kitchen. “Did you sleep well?”
“Like a baby.”
“Same,” she replies, smiling. “All that dancing probably helped. I haven’t slept that deeply in a very long time.”
“Probably,” I reply with a small laugh.
“I had the best time with you last night.”
“Me too.” Which is true, but it also made me miss my sister even more. I bet she had a miserable Christmas with Papa. Not only wouldn’t she have gotten any gifts, other than the ones I posted over, she would’ve spent her day waiting on Papa and his men. “Would you mind if I made myself a coffee?”
“No, go for it.”
“Do you want one?”
She screws up her nose. “I wish, but coffee is a big no-no when you’re pregnant,” she says as she rubs her hand over her small baby bump before lifting the glass in front of her. “It’s apple juice for me for the next few months, I’m afraid.”
I place down the mug in my hand and take a step back from the coffee machine. “Oh. I might have juice as well. ”
“Don’t be silly,” Chloe says, rising from her stool. “I don’t want you missing out on my account.”
“I … umm …”
“You … umm, what?” she asks.
My eyes scan the kitchen, making sure we’re alone. “I’m late,” I whisper.
“Late?”
“My period.”
She gasps. “You think you’re PG?”
“I don’t know what that means.”
“Pregnant,” she squeaks.
“Shh.” I grab her arm, drag her into the pantry, and close the door behind us. “I haven’t discussed this with Dante yet. I wanted to make sure it wasn’t a false alarm before I said something.”
Her eyes widen with excitement. “We need to do a home test.”
“I don’t have one of those.”
“We can go for a drive into town after breakfast.”
“Won’t that make the men suspicious?”
“I’ll tell Alex I need supplies.”
“Okay,” I reply as butterflies take flight in my stomach.
I’m conflicted. Things are going well between Dante and me, but is it too early to start a family? We are still trying to find our feet as a couple, and I’m worried that throwing a baby into the mix will complicate things even more.
I love the idea of having a family—it’s something I’ve wanted since I was a little girl—but I also want to make sure that Dante and I are truly ready for such a big commitment, both emotionally and practically.
“Imagine if you are … our babies will be cousins, and they’ll get to grow up together.”
“That would be nice.”
Chloe shocks me when she unexpectedly pulls me into a crushing hug. “I’m so glad you’re here, Arabella. I’ve always wanted a sister, and now I have you.”
When the boys move out onto the back deck to try to catch us some fish for dinner, Chloe takes the test from the kitchen cupboard where she hid it earlier and drags me into the bathroom.
This test has been hanging over my head since we returned from town. Dante noticed something was off with me because he kept asking if I was okay. At one point, he even took me into the bedroom we’ve been staying in and told me that if I wasn’t enjoying myself, we could leave immediately.
I assured him I was alright. I adore his family. It’s been a perfect few days. Like always, the only thing missing in my life is Lucia.
My fingers knot nervously together in front of me as Chloe unpacks the contents of the box and lines them up along the stone vanity.
“All set,” she says. “I’ll leave you to it. I’ll be just outside if you need me.”
“Don’t leave me,” I plead, reaching for her arm.
“You have to pee on the stick. I thought you’d want some privacy for that.”
I’ve been through some scary things in my short life, but for some reason, this impending news terrifies me. “You could turn your back for that part.”
“Okay.”
My hands tremble as I move towards the toilet. I’m not sure what I’m hoping for, but whatever the result, I know it will change everything.
Once I’m finished, I pull up my underwear, shimmy down my dress, and move back to the vanity. I place the white plastic stick on top of the instruction leaflet and wash my hands.
“What do we do now?”
“We wait,” Chloe answers.
My heart races with every passing second. I don’t know if I’m truly ready. And beneath it all, there’s that constant, gnawing fear … what if I can’t give my husband and Papa a male heir?
Chloe must sense my anxiety because she places her hand on my back, soothingly rubbing it along my spine.
“Either way, it’s going to be fine. Dante loves you, that’s plain to see, and you also have us to support you if needed.”
“Dante doesn’t love me,” I confess as tears burn the back of my eyes. “I mean … I think he at least likes me, but it’s definitely not love.”
“He loves you,” she reiterates.
Her admission sends my heart into a flutter. Her voice is brimming with conviction, and I almost begin to believe her.
“How can you tell?”
“Easy, he looks at you the same way Alexander looks at me … like you’re the centre of his universe.”
“He does?”
Those images my sister texted me after arriving back in Italy flash through my mind. I place my hand on my stomach, fighting back tears once again. My emotions are all over the place.
“Yes. And if you’re pregnant, he’ll love this baby too.”
Since we arrived, I’ve watched Dante dote on his nephew. Their bond is genuine, and it’s heartwarming to see. He’s going to be an incredible father. He’s caring, protective, and values family deeply. He takes care of his own … of everyone. He would do anything to ensure our child feels loved and safe.
Papa used my sister and me as pawns to control my mother. By threatening to hurt us, he kept her under his thumb. I can only pray, as time wears on, that my husband doesn’t turn out to be anything like that monster.
“How long until we know?”
“A few more minutes. Relax,” Chloe answers, reaching for my hand and gently squeezing it.
It’s easy for her to say, she’s done this before, with a man who worships the ground she walks on. She’s been with him long enough to know what demons lie under the surface. She wouldn’t be doing this again if she didn’t.
I want what she has, but with Dante.
I want that close-knit, loving family.
I want my happily ever after with him.
When the alarm on Chloe’s phone goes off, telling us it’s time, I honestly feel like I’m about to throw up.
I quickly drop her hand and turn, giving the stick my back. “I can’t look.”
“Do you want me to do it for you?” she asks.
“Please.”
I suck in a sharp breath, holding it, and when she lets out an ear-piercing scream a second later, I have my answer.
I spin back around to face her, my heart hammering against my ribcage. She’s holding up the pregnancy test, the two pink lines glaring at me like a confession I’m not sure I’m ready to hear. This has the potential to change everything. I don’t know if it will be for good or for bad, but it feels like the world is shifting beneath my feet, making me feel woozy.
That feeling is quickly forgotten when Alexander bursts through the bathroom door. Dante is hot on his heels.
“Are you okay?” Alexander asks, his words coming out in a panted rush. His eyes dart between Chloe and me as he tries to make sense of the scene.
Thankfully, his wife had the foresight to hide the test stick before either of the men saw it. I don’t want Dante to find out this way or to hear such life-altering news in front of an audience. He may have mentioned babies previously, but I’m still unsure how he’ll take the news.
“I saw another spider,” Chloe lies, which has Alexander immediately narrowing his eyes. I think he’s on to us.
“A spider?” Giovanni says with excitement, pushing his way into the middle of the bathroom. “Can I see it?”
“I … umm, flushed it down the toilet,” Chloe replies, thinking fast on her feet.
“Ah, man … again. Why do I never get to see them?”
“Why are you both in here together?” Alexander queries, his suspicion mounting.
“Arabella came to my rescue.”
“Arabella is petrified of spiders,” Dante chimes in, which has me wincing. He’s right, I am.
“Holy cow, is that a real gun?” Giovanni screeches, finally noticing the one in my husband’s hand.
“The fu … fudge!” Alexander growls.
“I thought the girls were in trouble,” Dante retorts, with a casual shrug of his shoulder.
“Put that thing away!” his brother barks.
I use that opportunity to get us both out of here so we can talk alone. “Come,” I say, shoving him out of the bathroom.
“I don’t want that thing in my house,” Alexander barks.
“Yeah, yeah,” Dante replies, rolling his eyes. When we are out of earshot, he asks, “What was that about? I didn’t believe that spider story for a second, and you looked as guilty as sin, Bellezza .”
I wince again. “Did I?”
“Yeah, you did.”
“I …”
“You what?” he asks, frowning. “Has something happened that I need to be concerned about?”
“Umm …”
Dante grips my elbow and leads me into our bedroom, slamming the door behind us. “Start talking, Arabella,” he growls.
“It’s nothing bad,” I say. “Well, to me, it’s not … you might think differently.” My eyes dart down to his hand that’s still holding the gun. “Can you put that thing away?”
He tucks it into the back of his pants, which isn’t exactly what I meant, but I keep that thought to myself. Even if he’s unhappy with the news, I highly doubt he’ll shoot me. Well, I hope he doesn’t.
When I turn my head away, he steps forward and grasps my chin, returning my attention to his face. As soon as he sees the tears brimming in my eyes, his expression softens, and without hesitation, he pulls me into his chest, wrapping his arms around me like a shield.
“Talk to me, Bellezza , what is going on? You’re freaking me out.”
“I’m … I’m pregnant,” I sob into his shirt.
His hands move up to my shoulders as he draws me back to make eye contact. “You’re what?”
“Pregnant,” I repeat. “Please don’t shoot me.”
“Shoot you? Why the fuck would I shoot you?”
I shrug as more tears leak from my eyes. “Because it’s too soon … maybe you’re not ready for a baby.”
A huge smile breaks out on his face, and goddamn it, it’s disarming. This man is beyond handsome even when he’s frowning, but when he smiles … I can’t even.
“You’re pregnant … with my child?”
“Of course, it’s your child,” I snap, poking him in the side.
“After that shooting remark, I just had to double-check.”
“Are you mad?”
“Are you fucking kidding?” he asks, picking me up by my waist and effortlessly swinging me around in a circle.
I release a small laugh as all the uncertainty I felt a few minutes ago vanishes instantly. He’s happy, and that makes a world of difference .
When he places me back down on my feet, he cups my face in his hands and leans in, pressing his lips against mine, giving me the most devastating kiss.
The kind that steals every breath, every ounce of doubt.
We are both panting when he draws back, and I’m left speechless as he rests his forehead against mine and whispers, “I love you, Arabella Mancini.”
He loves me?
I let those words swim around in my head for a moment before replying, “You do?”
He releases me, retreats a step, and for a moment, I think I’ve upset him. But then he shoves his hand into the pocket of his trousers and gets down on one knee. I gasp when I see the ring box in his hand.
“This has been burning a hole in my pocket for weeks. I was just waiting for the right time, and this moment seems perfect. Will you marry me, Arabella?”
“We are already married.”
“I know, but this time, I’m hoping you say yes because you want to, not because you’re being forced to.”
I don’t even hesitate with my answer. “Yes!”
He opens the box to reveal the stunning, cushion-cut diamond solitaire ring. The stone is huge; I’m guessing at least eight or nine carrots.
“It’s beautiful,” I say as he slips it onto my finger, alongside the gold band I’ve been wearing since he first told me we would be married by the end of that week.
“I know the wedding band used to belong to your mother, but I wanted you to have something from me?—”
I cut him off the second his words register. “This gold band was my mother’s?”
“Yes, you didn’t know that?”
“How did you get it?”
“Your father gave it to me.”
I wrap my hand around the two rings that now adorn my finger, clutching them to my chest. Mamma must’ve removed the gold band before leaving the house that fateful day. And to think I almost flushed her ring down the toilet after Dante shoved it on my finger, to spite him. I’m so grateful now that I didn’t.
I’ll always have a piece of my mamma with me, a small, constant reminder of her love and strength.