21. Sandro
Sandro
“How are you feeling?”
I looked at Leo and tried to smile. “Shouldn’t I be asking you that question? You’re the one who is pregnant and is due in five weeks.”
Leo came bounding over to me. Somehow, he was still able to do that despite his growing stomach. “Yes, but I’m not the one who didn’t sleep well last night.”
I sighed. “Yes, you are, because my nightmare woke you.” I felt terrible about that. I wanted him to have the rest that I knew his body needed. Instead, he’d been up with me for several hours last night.
Leo reached up and cupped my face. “I love you, Sandro. All parts of you. And if that means I’m up for a few hours in the middle of the night because you were stuck back in that warehouse again, then I’m up with you.
” He shrugged. “I’ll take a nap later. What was more important to me was that you got what you needed from me.
And soon, hopefully the new doctor can help you. ”
I leaned down and kissed him. “Ti amo.” I leaned my forehead against his and sighed.
“More every day, and more than I ever thought possible.” I kissed his nose and then moved my lips to his forehead and let them linger there.
That was how we were discovered. It wasn’t any surprise, though, because we were standing in the kitchen, on our way to the dining room for a meal.
“You two are so adorable together,” Abel said.
Leo turned his head, and after giving me a tight squeeze, he dropped his arms. “And how are you doing? Marcello still being cranky?”
“Is he still Marcello?”
Leo snorted, and I had to bite my lower lip. Truer words could not describe Marcello. He was amazing at his job, which was why he was the coven’s second. But he tended to be cranky, as Abel and Leo called him.
“I needed to go to the bathroom,” Abel said. He waved before he hurried off.
I kissed Leo’s forehead again before I placed my hand on his back, and we went to the dining room. I felt Leo’s mood shift through our bond, and when I glanced around, it was to see Marcello staring in our direction with a scowl on his face.
“Marcello, knock it off,” I said. “You’re making Leo uncomfortable, and I’m tired of it.”
There was a snort from down the table somewhere, but I couldn’t tell you who it came from.
“Sandro,” Leo said quietly as he pulled on my arm.
“What did I do?” Marcello asked, his face now showing nothing but surprise.
“You’re always glaring,” I said. Leo tried to leave, but I held him in place beside me.
“I’m not,” Marcello said.
“You are,” several others said together from around the table.
Marcello sighed and peered up to the ceiling before he looked directly at us. “I apologize, Leo. I mean nothing by anything. My face is broken most of the time, it seems, but I have nothing against you, and I am happy you are here. You make Abel very happy and have become a good friend to him.”
“I’m going to make you pay, Sandro,” Leo said through our bond.
“I…uh…didn’t say anything, but thank you,” Leo said before he quickly sat down.
“I apologize, mio amato. I know how uncomfortable he makes you, and I never like that you feel that way around him.” I sat down, and immediately, Leo placed his hand on my thigh and offered me a smile.
“I understand. And it’s sweet, but I think that he’ll not like me even more now.”
Abel returned, sat down, and didn’t seem to realize what had happened in his absence. He picked up his fork but froze when he realized that the table was unusually quiet. “What did I miss?” He looked directly at Marcello. “Did you growl at someone?”
Marcello’s eyes rounded. “Why do you immediately think I’m the one that did something?”
“Because it wouldn’t be unusual for you to have been the one to cause everyone to be quiet.”
I cleared my throat. “Actually, it was me,” I said. “I swiped at Marcello. It was me this time around.”
Master Vincent entered the dining room and sighed. “Children, please behave. You are not showing the beloveds your best sides,” he said. He ran his hand through Leo’s hair, and when Leo looked up at him, Master Vincent smiled. “How are you feeling? The sickness is passed completely?”
I could see Leo’s smile from where I was sitting. “Yes. I think it was more me not eating as often as I should. Sandro has set a timer on my phone to remind me to get a snack every three hours.”
“Bravo.” Master Vincent smiled again, then went over and placed his hand on Abel’s shoulder. Abel smiled up at Master Vincent. “And how are you this morning, Abel?”
“I’m good, Master Vincent. Frankie and Luci are finally starting to sleep in longer spurts. Hopefully, it isn’t just a temporary thing because sleeping in almost four-hour stretches is wonderful.”
“That’s also good to hear. My hope for you and Marcello is that they continue to sleep for longer stretches.” Master Vincent sat down, then looked directly at Marcello.
“Where’s Naldo and Mazzi?”
“Naldo is on assignment with Nicolo and Carmelo. Mazzi, as far as I know, is with them, staying at the hotel with Tulio. He can get them out in a hurry if needed.” I sighed, contemplating telling him they were in Florence looking for Franco and his brother, Pietro.
Their days were numbered, and Leo deserved to know it.
“They are in Florence, looking for Franco and Pietro.” Leo’s hand tightened on my thigh.
“The council has sent some enforcers as well. That is a bit of a surprise since they don’t particularly care for Master Vincent. ”
“Why not? What did he do?”
“Our family doesn’t exactly follow the rules, mio amato.
We break them. All the time. We are involved in what is considered illegal activities.
And yes, we kill if needed.” I felt Leo’s mood shift through our bond.
“The same was true of your father before he left his family once you were born. You said it wasn’t an issue for you when we first met. ”
“It’s still not. I guess I just don’t understand why Master Vincent isn’t liked by the council. He doesn’t mistreat those in his coven. In fact, he’s incredibly protective of us. He takes care of all of us, and I’ve noticed he really seems to dote on us omegas.”
It was difficult not to laugh. That much was true. Master Vincent had a soft spot for all omegas and carriers. If a man deserved a beloved of his own, it was Master Vincent. I hoped that one day he would be gifted a strong-willed and understanding beloved.
“Are you not hungry?”
I looked over at Rio, then around the rest of the table. They all had their food and were eating while Leo and I were sitting here waiting. “Ready to eat?” I asked Leo.
“Yes.” He got up and was off to the food without hesitation.
“Thank you,” I whispered to Rio. He gave me a steady look, and I knew he could most likely see the lines of stress on my face.
“I’ll talk with you after the meal,” I said quietly before I got up to follow my beloved.
I found him piling eggs on his plate as well as fruit.
He added three different pastries before he grinned at me and then went back to the table.
I quickly filled my own plate, adding an extra chocolate pastry for Leo, and rejoined the others at the table.
Once back with the others, I settled in and found my beloved chatting away with Abel across the table.
Perhaps we should just move over to the other side so they could sit next to one another.
“Have you heard from the newest addition, Rio?” Marcello asked.
“If by newest addition, you mean Dr. Higginson, no. At least not since he confirmed his arrival date.”
“There’s a confirmed date?” Marcello asked. He looked over at Master Vincent.
“Did I not tell you?” Master Vincent asked.
“Apologies, it must have slipped my mind. Dr. Higginson is to arrive here the beginning of November. He was working out the turnover of his patients in his practice. There was an issue with one in particular, and with what he specializes in, he didn’t want to leave them without care. ”
That was admirable but also frustrating. Although, technically, he didn’t work for our coven quite yet. But I was more than ready to get started with sessions, and hopefully, I would be able to be a better mate for Leo and father to our son.
“I know you were hoping to start discussing things with him sooner than that, Sandro,” Rio said. “I can try to assist you if needed.”
I sighed before nodding. It wasn’t as if Rio wouldn’t find out everything anyway. He’d already treated my physical injuries after Master Edison had healed me, and I had talked to him more than once since about the nightmares. What could it truly hurt?
“Have you picked out any names yet?” Abel asked. I realized he was talking more to Leo than me, but I could answer that question just as easily as Leo could.
“No. We probably should though,” Leo said before he looked over at me. “We’ve not done much of anything, really. We have only a few things. Should we go shopping?”
I chuckled. “We will sit down with the tablet after our meal and order everything we could possibly need.” I smiled at my beloved.
The hope was that while we were busy shopping, even if it was online, I could convince Leo to order some more things for himself.
Not that I minded him wearing my shirts.
I had plenty, and he looked amazing in them, but I knew they weren’t necessarily his style, nor nearly as comfortable as his more casual clothing.
“I can relate to that,” Abel said. “We realized we didn’t have everything we needed until right before the twins were born. I can send you the sites that I order from regularly. Although you speak the language here. I guess you won’t have any issues with reading anything, huh?”
Leo shook his head. I left them to their conversation and turned back to Rio. “I am fairly open to discussing things,” I told him. “We’re not overly busy at the moment, which isn’t a bad thing.”
“No, it’s not.”