Chapter 8 Mauro #2
“Yes. Why have you two decided to get married in such a rush?” He clasps his hands together and leans forward, bracing his forearms on the table. “I’ve barely seen you two interact with one another more than a handful of times. And now you’re announcing you’re husband and wife?”
“Well.” Alina looks up at me, and I nod, reassuring her to continue.
She leans into me, placing her right hand over my racing heart.
Her big brown eyes latch onto mine. “Sometimes you just know.” Her words are soft spoken, laced with something I can’t detect.
“And with Mauro, I think I’ve known for a very long time, but I was just too scared to admit my feelings out loud.
But when I did, I learned that he felt the same way, and we decided there was no reason to wait out the inevitable.
We were going to get married eventually, so why put it off when we can start living out our lives as husband and wife today? ”
I place my hand over hers, tapping my middle finger twice before intertwining our fingers as I lean forward and gently press my lips to her temple. A shudder runs through her as her fingers curl into my shirt, holding on to me for support.
“That was so beautiful.” Scarlett wipes tears from her eyes. “I always knew there was something between you two. I just never expected…” She waves a hand toward us, fighting back tears.
“Come here, Firefly.” Leo coils his arm around Scarlett, bringing her against his side. His other hand reaches up to brush away her tears.
“We didn’t even get to have a bachelorette party for you.” Madeleine frowns, crossing her arms over her chest. “Or an engagement party. Or a bridal shower!”
Alina lets out a nervous laugh. “That’s okay. I don’t need those things.”
“Wait.” Madeleine narrows her gaze on us. “You will be having an actual wedding, right?” Both of us remain quiet, indicating our answer. “Please tell me you’re joking.”
Alina shrugs. “It doesn’t seem that important.”
Madeleine arches a brow. “You’ve been dreaming of a fairy tale wedding for as long as I’ve known you. You had your wedding cake and flowers picked out before you even graduated high school. And you expect me to believe that you’re okay with getting married at town hall?”
Is that true? A deep ache settles across my chest as I glance down at Alina.
“I, umm…” Alina shakes her head, dropping her hand from my chest. She pushes up her glasses. “We just thought—”
“Why don’t we start cutting into the cake to celebrate the good news?” Eli suggests. I notice his hand wrapping over Madeleine’s, and he gives it a little squeeze. She looks at him, and they share a silent conversation with their eyes before she leans into him and smiles.
Her eyes turn to Alina. “I’m happy for you guys, and Eli’s right. Let’s celebrate with cake.”
Alina’s body relaxes, a beautiful smile appearing. “Cake would be great.”
“Take a seat,” Vin tells me as I enter his office, with Alex and Leo following in the rear. The door closes behind them as I choose to sit farthest away from everyone by the fire.
Vin sits behind his desk, leaning back with his hands steepled before him.
“I’m not buying it.” Shit. I cross my arms over my chest, staring him head-on and shrug.
He leans forward. “Did you knock her up?” I abruptly stand, taking a step toward him as he puts his hands up.
“I mean no offense. Merely had to ask. As head of this family, I should know whether we’re expecting new family members so we can take any additional security measures.
You know, babies in our world are taken left and right to be used as leverage.
” He shrugs, and I take my seat. “Besides, apparently, you would have become Mom’s favorite if you did.
” He swivels in his seat, deep in thought.
“But if that’s not the case, then I don’t understand.
And there’s a piece to this puzzle missing that you’re not telling us.
” He narrows his eyes at me, his elbows resting on his desk.
“You expect me to believe that the man sitting across from me, the one who hates being around people and loves nothing more than to be alone in the solitude of his own home, just up and decided one day to get married?”
“He’s got a point,” Alex remarks, lifting a shoulder.
I scowl. “Fuck…you,” I manage to get out, quickly regretting my decision as a burn scratches down my throat.
“And what does Gregory have to say about this?”
I glare straight ahead, not saying a word.
“Please tell me she told her father about this.”
Silence.
“Oh, fuck, Mauro.” Vin drags a hand down his face. “That man was nothing but loyal to our family for years, up until his retirement, and how do you thank him? By secretly marrying his only daughter.”
“Maybe they’re waiting until they start planning an actual ceremony to tell him,” Leo suggests.
I shake my head, staring at the fire.
Seeing that this is all only temporary, there will be no actual ceremony. Although I can’t lie and say finding out that Alina has always dreamed of a fairy tale wedding didn’t make me feel slightly bad for taking that dream away from her.
“You couldn’t have done this at a worse time. You know that, right?” Vin asks with disapproval. “The Vasilievs are breathing down our necks, and you’ve added another person to this family for them to target.”
I look down, my fingers tightening around the arms of the chair. He’s right. Of course he is.
I was too worried about the thought of Alina marrying someone else that I selfishly never stopped to think about the danger marrying me would put her in.
“She’ll be safe here,” Leo says, reaching into the cabinet beside him for an amber bottle of alcohol and some crystal glasses.
“Maybe it’s for the best that they married now, while we’re dealing with the Vasilievs.
Madeleine and Scarlett are always leaving the estate to see Alina.
Now, they can probably stay here more often.
It’ll give me a break from worrying about Scarlett every time she sets foot off the property. ”
Vin nods, thinking this over. “Perhaps.”
Discreetly, Alex signs to me, He’s just worried about you.
I know he is.
He’s my eldest brother who has always been there for me.
The one who stood by my side when I was delivered the news that I would never be able to speak the same again.
The one who called every top surgeon in the world to try to help me, only to be repeatedly told it was irreparable damage.
And the one who held a second private funeral for my father with just my mother and siblings present, so I could officially say goodbye.
And I hate that I’m lying to him.
Really, I do.
However, he doesn’t know how my and Alina’s stories crossed paths. He doesn’t know that in my darkest hour, she illuminated my soul, tethering me to here and now. And that without her…
“Stop!”
My eyes lock onto hers…
My knees connect to the ground…
Her arms wrap around me…
My heart thunders beneath my chest…
I swallow hard, pinching the bridge of my nose, waiting for the memory to wash away to the dark abyss where it belongs.
But I promised Alina I would keep this thing between us a secret, and that’s precisely what I plan on doing.
Vin sighs, tapping a finger on his desk, and then looks at me. “You’re happy?”
I nod.
“And you promise me, this is real? That this isn’t some fucking game that, as the head of the family, I should be informed of?”
I nod again as Leo passes a drink to each of us.
“Then…” Vin raises his glass in the air. “If you’re happy, I’m happy. That’s all I want for you, brother.” I swallow down the emotions crawling up my throat. “To Mauro.”
“To Mauro,” my brothers say in unison. We all throw back our drinks, slamming the empty glasses before us.
Knock. Knock.
“Come in,” Vin says.
The door hesitantly opens, and Samuel appears.
“What is it?” Vin asks, arching a brow.
“Umm…” He steps into the room, holding a sleeping little girl against his chest. His free hand tugs at his collar.
“I didn’t know you had a kid,” Vin murmurs.
“I… I don’t, sir.” He looks down at the little girl and then back at us. “She’s yours.”
Vin spits out his drink. “Excuse me?”
“Oh, no. Not yours, sir. Sorry.” He shakes his head adamantly. And as I look at the girl whose eyes begin to open, I see it. The light brown hair, the tiny straight nose, the grey eyes. We all look at Alex, including Samuel, who says, “Yours.”
Alex stares off, appearing dazed.
Leo clears his throat, gaining Alex’s attention, who blinks a few times, coming to. “Come again?” Alex stands, running his fingers through his hair. “You said she’s mine?”
“Yes, sir.” He holds out a piece of paper. “This came with her.”
Alex takes the letter, and I immediately see the tremble in his hand.
“Dear Alex,” he reads aloud. “Meet Clara, your daughter. I tried to do the whole single-parent thing, but I’m just not cut out for it. Here’s hoping you can handle it better than me. Attached are her birth certificate and health records. She’s allergic to strawberries. Best of luck, Elena.”
“Who the fuck is Elena?” Vin asks, glancing between Alex and the little girl who apparently is named Clara.
Alex stares at the words, swallowing hard.
“Alex?” Leo nudges him.
Alex shakes his head. “She was just some woman. One night. Maybe a little over two years ago.” He begins to pace across the room. “How the hell did this happen?”
“Well.” Vin grins. “When a man and a woman—”
Alex glares at him, and he immediately shuts up.
“What would you like me to do with her?” Samuel asks.
Clara’s big, grey eyes observe everyone in the room before landing on Alex. They stay there for a moment, her heavy lids blinking a few times until she falls victim to sleep, burrowing her head against Samuel’s chest.
“Well, fuck that was cute,” Leo says.
“I’m a dad,” Alex whispers in disbelief, pulling at the ends of his hair. “I don’t…” He swallows hard, shaking his head, and then drops to his seat. “What am I supposed to do?”
“Well, first…” Vin stands. “You’re to order a paternity test with Dr. Rose, just to be sure.” He steps toward the child. “Although anyone with eyes can see this little girl is clearly yours.”
“She even has your damn nose.” Leo chuckles.
“Do you want to hold her?” Samuel asks.
Alex swallows hard. “What if… What if I drop her?”
I reach over, grip his shoulder, and then sign, You won’t.
He nods, standing. Taking a few steps, he holds out his arms, and as carefully as they can, Samuel maneuvers her into Alex’s hold.
“I’ll, umm…” Samuel hooks a thumb over his shoulder and then backs out of the room, closing the door behind him.
Alex stares down at the little girl, standing as still as a statue. The girl releases a tiny hiccup and then stills, her chest slowly rising up and down.
“What just happened?” he asks quietly, clearly trying not to wake her.
Vin stands beside him, gripping his shoulder. Grinning, he says, “What just happened is you inadvertently became Mom’s favorite.”