24. Leonardo #3
I smiled at the baby because I couldn’t do anything else.
My heart was incredibly full at the moment.
There was a mess going on outside the door of our suite, but in here, I was in my own little bubble of safety with my mate and our baby.
Would reality descend on us soon? No doubt, but for now, I had everything I needed in these two rooms.
Sandro came back with a tiny little bottle, and I marveled at the size. How could it possibly be enough, yet at the same time, how could someone so tiny drink so much?
“How are you doing?” Sandro asked after I took the bottle and Santino started sucking on it greedily. He sat facing us on the plush ottoman that we had to go with the chair, and I placed my feet on his lap.
“I’m okay. I know that tomorrow, or I guess later today, is going to be a lot to deal with, but it needs to be done.” I took several deep breaths. “I don’t want anyone to hate me, Sandro. It was my grandfather’s men that caused all of that.”
Sandro nodded slowly. “Yes, they were the ones inside the villa. Master Vincent told me that it was orchestrated by Alonzo, one of the donors. It was his code that had been used at the gate to let them in. He was also the one who suggested Rio go out with the others for a night of fun.”
I cringed. I felt bad for Rio. I hoped he wouldn’t be punished. I really liked the warlock doctor, and he’d not done anything except go out to…well, have a life for a night. That was allowed. The others had fun with some of the donors, and—
“Did you…were you and Alonzo a thing? Is that why he did that?” I didn’t know if I wanted the answer to that question, but it would maybe give us a reason as to why.
“I have been with Alonzo before. A long time ago though. It’s been several years since I’ve used any of the donors here at the coven house.
There was never any sort of romantic anything between us.
If anyone, I would say that he had a thing for Nicolo, but he only ever spends time with the female donors. ”
I would not let my mind go anywhere. It wasn’t anything that I didn’t already know. Not really. Sandro touched my foot, and I looked up at him. “I’m all right,” I told him.
“I hope so. I want only you. I will desire no one but you for the rest of our lives.”
I nodded. “I know. I just…I think I’m a bit overly emotional right now.
Everything that happened was my fault, and I don’t want the others to not trust me or treat Santino poorly because of who I am.
” I looked down at the innocent little baby in my arms. He had been born into a complete mess of reality at the moment, and I’d do everything I could to make sure nobody ever mistreated him because of who my grandfather was.
“Nobody is going to ever hate our little guy,” Sandro said.
“They’re going to smile, and some might even hold him, but none would ever think anything negative about an innocent newborn.
Nor will they hold judgment against you because of something out of your control.
Until you met me, you didn’t even know who your grandfather was. ”
That was true. Santino stopped sucking and all but spit out the nipple, so I handed the bottle to Sandro before I carefully moved the baby and tried to burp him.
He’d not been overly fussy yet, so hopefully, there wasn’t too much air in his stomach.
I got a tiny little burp out of him and figured that was probably as good as it was going to get.
I moved him to my shoulder and snuggled the little guy. “Now what?” I asked.
“Now we go back to bed for a few more hours and do it all over again. Only then it will be a reasonable hour, and the house will be full of activity. We can hide in here for a few days, or we can take the baby out and everyone can meet him then. There will be several things that the family will have to deal with, but it won’t necessarily involve me.
Master Vincent has taken this personally, and I know he’s going to deliver a message to your grandfather. ”
“As long as he doesn’t get hurt,” I said. “I don’t want Master Vincent to come to harm because of me.”
Sandro shook his head. “He won’t. He’s the head of our family for a reason.” Sandro lifted my feet and placed them on the floor before he stood. He surprised me by picking me and Santino up and carrying us to the bed.
“What are you doing?”
“I’m taking my beloved and our son to bed. I think we could both use some snuggle time with the little guy. We won’t make a habit of it, but he’s only a few hours old, and it’s been quite the night. I think we can make an exception this time.”
Sandro carefully set me on the bed, and after he tossed the blanket farther down the bed, I laid the baby just over the middle. I moved closer, and Sandro snuggled up behind me. “Sandro?”
“Hmm?”
“I love you.”
His arm tightened around my chest, and I moved my hand to lace my fingers with his.
“I love you too, mio amato.” I felt him kiss my hair, and I smiled as I lay there in my mate’s embrace and stared at our sleeping son. The fates had been so incredibly wonderful to me.