41. Liana
LIANA
I pace around the house when Dario leaves for work the next day, and although I’m worried about him, I know he can handle himself.
I’m more worried about what I have to tell him tonight.
I huff out a breath as I see Giovanni’s car pull up. They always carpool in Giovanni’s car for some reason. I guess because Dario’s is so flashy.
Dario goes up to his office after kissing me hello, and Giovanni starts to leave.
I grab his arm.
“Wait.”
Giovanni turns, both eyebrows raising. “Yeah?”
I groan. “Listen, my best friend is dead.”
He blinks. “I know.”
“And my new bestie lives in Europe. So you’ve got to be my surrogate bestie.”
“I do, huh?” He looks bemused, one corner of his mouth turning up.
I drag him into the dining room where it’s quiet and Dario is less likely to walk in on us.
We sit down at the empty table and he looks at me with mild interest.
“Okay. Shoot.”
“I have something to tell Dario,” I say. “And it’s... big. Important. I don’t know how he’ll feel about it.”
His eyebrows raise again. “You’re pregnant.”
I sputter and gasp. “How did you know?”
He chuckles. “I didn’t get to where I am by burying my head in the sand, Liana. I notice things.”
“Things like what?” I put a hand on my belly, which is slightly swollen but not much. I’m only ten weeks along.
He snorts. “You’re worried you look fat.”
“Am not.”
“You don’t.”
Relief floods through me and I kind of want to hit him.
“You just... look different. Like you’re glowing.”
“I hate that term,” I mumble. “I feel like a cow.”
“So why are you worried about telling him? You guys already have a kid.”
“But we’ve never talked about having more. And a newborn is really a lot of work, especially on a wiseguy’s schedule—”
“You have Marie.”
“I know. Bless her.” I worry my lower lip between my teeth. “But what if he doesn’t want the baby?”
“He will,” Giovanni says confidently.
“How do you know?”
“Because he’s crazy about you, Liana. I’ve never seen him like he was after you left.” He pauses and whistles. “And then, when I told him you were pregnant—”
I reach across the table and smack his shoulder. “You told him?”
He laughs. “What was I supposed to do, let him run into you? That would have been a disaster.”
“You’re not being helpful.”
He groans. “I’m not good at this... girl stuff.”
“Well, try!”
“Alright, alright. Well, the way to any man’s heart is through his stomach, right?”
My heart sinks. “I can’t cook.”
He sighs. “I can.”
My eyes light up and I grin at him. “You’ll help me?”
“Of course I’ll help you.” He stands and heads into the kitchen. I follow.
It’s a lot of work, making the ziti from scratch. Giovanni honestly does most of the work, but I help.
Dario keeps peeping his head into the kitchen and I push him out.
“Out!”
“What’s so secretive in here?”
“We’re running away together,” Giovanni drawls.
Dario growls but there’s no bite to it. He knows how loyal Giovanni is.
“Real fucking funny, Giovanni.”
“I’m a laugh riot,” Giovanni calls back and I burst out laughing.
“Don’t laugh at his jokes, you’ll only encourage him,” Dario says flatly, and I giggle more.
“Just... go to your office. I’ll text you when dinner is ready.”
“I’m starving,” he says with a pout. He’s so cute when he wants to be, my big intimidating mobster.
I push at his chest and he goes, still sulking.
When the ziti is done, Giovanni puts it on the table for me.
“Thank you so much,” I say, exhausted. How does Sofia do this all the time?
He cracks a smile and leaves.
I text Dario and he comes down to dinner. Sonny’s spending the night at a friend’s house, so I don’t have to worry about telling him yet.
He’ll be thrilled to have a baby brother or sister.
Dario sniffs the air. “Is that... my mother’s ziti?”
I smile. “Surprise!”
His eyes well with tears. “How did you do this? You can’t even boil water.”
I pout. “I can make pancakes. Giovanni taught me. Well... he did most of it. I helped.”
He smiles. “I’m sure you were very helpful, baby. But what’s all this about? You never have to cook for me.”
“I wanted to,” I mumble. “Besides, I have... something to tell you.”
His face goes a bit pale. “Don’t tell me you’re leaving.”
“What?” I rush to him, perching on his knee. “No, baby. I’m never leaving you again.”
He nuzzles against my neck. “You swear?”
“I swear,” I say firmly, threading my fingers through his hair. I reach into my back pocket and place an ultrasound picture in front of him on the table.
He looks down at it, his face blank and still pale.
“This is—”
“Sonny’s brother or sister,” I answer quietly, biting my lip. I’m still not sure how he’ll react to this.
“Li,” he breathes, and crushes me to him so tightly it makes my ribs ache. “This isn’t some kind of April Fool’s joke, is it?”
“It’s August,” I say, deadpan.
He laughs and kisses all over the side of my face. Then he stands, hefting me over his shoulder easily.
“What are you doing?” I screech. “The ziti will get cold.”
“That’s what microwaves were made for,” he says simply, carrying me up the stairs and I grin, going limp. I fucking love it when he manhandles me.
He puts me on the bed, covering me with his body, his silver chain dangling in my face. God, I love this man.
I feel it so strongly, love blooming inside me like spring flowers.
He rips off my shorts, tossing them on the floor, and then he’s kissing down my body, focusing on my slightly swollen belly, dipping his tongue into my navel.
“Dario,” I gasp.
“You’re going to look so fucking hot, all full of my baby,” he says against my skin and moves his lips lower, lower, until he’s latching his mouth around my clit.
He eats me out for what seems like hours, and after I’m trembling and barely conscious, he sweeps me up into his arms.
“I can’t wait to meet our second kid,” he mumbles against the back of my shoulder as he spoons me.
“Me either.”
I can’t wait to live this life with him, every day for the rest of mine.
Thank you for reading The Don’s Secret Heir!