Chapter 14 Vittoria
CHAPTER FOURTEEN
vittoria
I stare at the pregnancy test in my hand, heart racing like I just ran a marathon. Two pink lines stare back at me, confirming what I'd begun to suspect over the past few days.
I'm fucking pregnant.
I woke up this morning and waited for Cesare to leave our room before taking the test. Now I have my answer.
Damn.
A mixture of emotions crash over me: joy, excitement, terror. Cesare and I had talked about having children someday, but we hadn't been actively trying. This is unexpected as hell, but not unwelcome.
I take a deep breath, trying to calm my nerves. How will Cesare react? Will he be happy? And what about his children? We've made so much progress lately. Will this news fuck everything up?
I hear the bedroom door open and quickly hide the test behind my back. Cesare walks in, looking tired but smiling when he sees me.
"There you are," he says, coming over to kiss me softly. "The girls want to do a final fitting for their dresses before the engagement party tomorrow."
I nod, trying to act normal. "Of course. I'll be right there."
Cesare studies my face, brow furrowing slightly. "Is everything alright, Tori? You look pale."
I force a smile. "I'm fine. Just a little tired, I suppose."
His eyes narrow. "Tori," he says, a slight edge to his voice. "Do not lie to me. What are you hiding?"
Fuck. I should have known I wouldn't be able to hide anything from him.
I take a deep breath and bring my hand forward, the test facing him. Those two pink lines are bright and unmistakable.
Cesare's eyes widen as he sees the pregnancy test. For a moment, he's completely still, gaze fixed on those two lines.
"You're pregnant?" he whispers, voice a mixture of disbelief and hope.
I nod, suddenly feeling nervous as hell. "Yes. I... I just found out. I'm not sure how far along I am yet."
Cesare takes a step closer, eyes moving from the test to my face. "Are you sure?"
"Pretty sure," I say, gesturing to the test. "But I'll need to see a doctor to confirm and find out exactly how far along."
There's another moment of silence, and anxiety grows in my chest like a living thing. "Cesare?" I say hesitantly. "Are you... are you okay with this?"
Suddenly, Cesare's face breaks into a wide smile that makes him look younger than ever. He's so fucking handsome. He closes the distance between us in two quick strides, pulling me into his arms and lifting me off my feet.
I wrap my legs around his waist as I drop the pregnancy test onto the bathroom counter.
"Okay with it?" he says, voice thick with emotion. "Tori, I'm beyond happy."
Relief floods through me as I wrap my arms around his neck. "Really?"
"Really," he confirms, eyes shining with joy. "We're having a baby, Tori. Our baby."
I can't help the tears that start falling. "I was so nervous to tell you," I admit. "We hadn't really talked about when we wanted to start trying..."
"Hey," Cesare says softly, wiping away my tears with his thumbs. "This is wonderful news, Tori. Unexpected, yes, but wonderful."
I lean into his touch, feeling tension leave my body. "I love you," I whisper.
"And I love you," Cesare replies, leaning in to kiss me. The moment our lips touch, it's like the air changes. Everything goes electric, my body heats beneath his touch, and I feel his cock thickening. I'm still in my nightdress and it doesn't have much fabric. I can feel him fully.
When his tongue snakes into my mouth, I'm completely lost.
Cesare's lips move from my mouth to my neck, leaving a trail of fire. I moan softly, tilting my head to give him better access.
"God, Tori," he growls against my skin. "Do you have any idea how sexy you are right now? Knowing you're carrying my baby?"
I love that he thinks that about me. He's never made me feel anything less than beautiful.
I grind against his thick cock hidden beneath his pants. "Cesare," I whine. I need him.
With a low growl, Cesare unsnaps his pants, and within seconds he thrusts into me. I gasp as he enters me in one smooth thrust, my back pressed against the bathroom wall. The sensation of him filling me completely is overwhelming, heightened by the emotional intensity of the moment.
"Fuck, Tori," Cesare groans, forehead resting against mine as he gives me a moment to adjust. "You feel incredible."
I roll my hips, urging him to move. "Please, Cesare," I whimper. "I need you."
He doesn't need further encouragement. Cesare sets a relentless pace, hips snapping against mine with each powerful thrust. I cling to his shoulders, nails digging into his skin as waves of pleasure wash over me.
"That's it, baby," Cesare murmurs, voice low and husky. "Take all of me."
His words send a shiver down my spine. I love when he talks to me like this, his usual controlled demeanor giving way to raw passion.
I'm panting, and he's grunting. The only noise in the bathroom is our heavy breathing and the sound of our flesh hitting against each other.
Our pace is relentless, both of us going hard and fast. We're so lost in one another, nothing else matters.
My toes curl around his waist as I feel pleasure rising.
My body arches back and I groan low and loud. One of Cesare's hands slides from my waist up my body, leaving goosebumps in their wake, until it reaches my hair. His hand fists my hair and pulls my head backward.
"Cesare," I moan, feeling my release building rapidly. "I'm close. So close."
"Come for me, Tori," Cesare commands, his movements becoming erratic as he nears his own climax. "Let me feel you."
I cry out, his name ripping from my lips. Stars explode behind my eyes as my orgasm takes over.
"Christ, Tori!" he growls as he explodes inside me, burying his head into my shoulder, breathing ragged. My body is shaking from the most intense orgasm I've ever had.
I cling to my husband as I come down from the high. He keeps his arms around me, pressing soft kisses against my neck.
Once I'm able to stand, Cesare gently lowers me to my feet, keeping an arm around my waist to steady me. He presses a tender kiss to my forehead.
"I love you," he says softly. "Both of you."
I feel tears prick my eyes again, but this time they're happy tears. "We love you too," I whisper, placing a hand on my still-flat stomach.
Cesare's hand covers mine, and for a moment we just stand there, basking in our unexpected but very welcome news.
"We should probably get cleaned up," I say eventually, reluctant to break the moment but aware the girls are waiting. "The engagement party is tomorrow, and we have a lot to do."
Cesare nods but doesn't move his hand from my stomach. "We'll need to tell the children."
I bite my lip, worried about how the girls will react if something goes wrong. "So soon?"
He watches me for a moment, brows knitted together. "Let's speak with the doctor first, then we'll tell the children."
I take a steadying breath. That sounds reasonable.
"Do you think they'll be okay with it?"
He's quiet for a moment, fingers tracing patterns on my skin. "I think they'll be surprised," he says finally. "But I believe they'll come around. They've grown to care for you, Tori. This baby will be their sibling."
I nod, hoping he's right. "I just don't want this to undo all the progress we've made."
Cesare cups my face gently. "It won't. We'll handle this together, as a family. Now, let's get cleaned up and go see the girls. We have an engagement party to prepare for."
I smile, feeling reassured by his confidence. As we start getting ready, I can't help but place a hand on my stomach again, marveling at the little life growing inside me. Despite my nerves about telling the children, I'm filled with joy and anticipation for this new chapter.
After we're cleaned up and dressed, we head downstairs to meet the girls for their final dress fittings. As we enter the living room, I'm struck by how much things have changed. Sofia, Valentina, and Elisabetta are chatting animatedly, their excitement for the party evident.
"There you are!" Valentina exclaims when she sees us. "We were starting to wonder if you'd forgotten about us."
I force a smile, hoping my earlier nerves aren't showing. "Sorry to keep you waiting. Shall we get started?"
Cesare escorts us, along with our guards, to the boutique, something I hadn't expected, but I love that he's here.
The girls try on their dresses one by one, and I find myself giddy with excitement. I love that they trust me enough to want to do this with them.
Valentina and Sofia are easy to buy for. Even at sixteen, they already have their own sense of style. It was just a matter of choosing perfect colors. Elisabetta, on the other hand, hasn't found her style yet, and it's taken us a while to figure out what she likes and what suits her.
"Vittoria?" Elisabetta's voice pulls me from my thoughts. "What do you think?"
I blink, focusing on the beautiful young woman standing before me in a stunning aquamarine dress that fits like a glove and showcases curves she's been hiding.
"Oh, Elisabetta," I breathe. "You look absolutely gorgeous."
She blushes slightly at the compliment. "Thank you. I wasn't sure about the color at first, but I think it's growing on me."
"It's perfect," I assure her. "You're going to turn heads at the party tomorrow."
Cesare, on the other hand, looks displeased. I have a feeling he's finally seeing that all his daughters are growing into beautiful women.
"What about you, Vittoria?" Sofia questions. "Do you have a dress picked out yet?"
"I'm not sure on the color yet," I say, glancing at my husband. He saw the three dresses I tried on earlier. Each one I loved; I just couldn't pick which color, which is why I purchased all three. Or rather, Cesare did.
"Purple," he tells me simply, and my stomach flips as I remember how his eyes darkened when I tried that dress on.
"Okay, so we're all sorted? Do the boys need anything?" I ask, wondering if they're ready for tomorrow.
Valentina hands me a slip of paper—the boys' measurements. I glance at Cesare and see him shrugging. I shake my head and quickly get the boys' suits sorted.
But as I do it, I can't hide my smile. I love my family. I love everything about them. I may not have been ready for them, but I'm so fucking glad I'm here now.
The Delaney Estate is a sight to behold, as big as our own home, just with slightly more statues and paintings.
Lorenzo is standing tall with narrowed eyes as he watches Daire Delaney dance with one of Olezka Morozov's sons, Rurik. It seems Lorenzo has the same green-eyed monster as his father.
I lean in to whisper to Cesare. "Perhaps you should encourage Lorenzo to cut in? It wouldn't look good for the newly engaged couple to spend the whole night apart."
Cesare nods and makes his way over to Lorenzo, having a brief word. Moments later, Lorenzo is striding purposefully toward Daire and Rurik on the dance floor.
I see Lorenzo tap Rurik on the shoulder and say something. Rurik steps back with a nod, allowing Lorenzo to take his place as Daire's dance partner. As they begin moving together, I notice Daire's posture tighten.
Oh, that does not look good.
"Crisis averted," Cesare murmurs as he returns to my side.
As I watch the young couple on the dance floor, I can't help but wonder what's going on. When Daire was dancing with Rurik, she was at ease and comfortable. But with Lorenzo? She's tense as a bow, and they're barely speaking.
I think back to how Cesare and I were at the beginning and realize it could just be pressure and uncertainty.
My gaze moves to Elisabetta, and I see she's dancing with Rurik's older brother, Danil. She looks beyond beautiful tonight and has turned many heads, including her soon-to-be fiancé's. She looks confident, and I love that she's finding herself.
"Are you doing okay?" Cesare asks softly so only I can hear.
"I'm fine. A little tired, but good," I reply.
"If you need to leave, just let me know."
I press closer to him, loving how attentive he is. I could never have imagined this when we first married, but Cesare has shown me over and over just how amazing he is.
I'm beyond excited to begin the next chapter of our lives, and I really hope everything works out for the best. I want everyone to be as happy as I am.
But as I watch Lorenzo and Daire's stilted dance, a knot of worry forms in my stomach. Not all arranged marriages turn out like mine and Cesare's.
Some remain cold, distant, unfulfilling.
I just pray that's not the fate awaiting his children.