“Of course, I am. Aren’t you? You said that you always wanted kids, and I’ve seen you with Elio. You’re going to make an amazing mother.”

  I grinned, almost in tears from the relief at his reaction. “I am. I just wasn’t sure how you’d feel about having a baby so early in our relationship.”

  “Mira, as far as I’m concerned, you’re it for me. We’re going to be together, and this was going to happen at some time or another. I already see that my future is with you. In fact,...” he paused, taking a step back and lowering himself down onto one knee right there on my family’s patio. “Mirabella Venturi, you are the only woman that I can picture spending the rest of my life with. I know we haven’t been together all that long but when I see something I want, I go for it. You are already going to be the mother of my child, I want you to be my wife as well. Marry me and make me the luckiest man in all of Italy.”

  I was shocked but my heart swelled with his heartwarming proposal. So why, at that very moment, did Luca’s face come to mind?

  I closed my eyes and willed the image away before opening them to see Stefano still on one knee, looking up at me hopefully.

  “Yes,” I blurted out. “Yes, I’ll marry you.”

  Stefano practically leapt from kneeling to pull me into a big hug, and he kissed me again. “I’m so happy. I can’t believe we are getting married and having a baby—an heir.” His excitement shifted to urgency. “We have a lot to do to be married before the baby arrives.”

  “I don’t want to have a big pregnant belly for the wedding. I want to feel beautiful on our special day, not like a beached whale.”

  “Do you know how far along you are?”

  “From my calculations, I’m seven weeks.”

  “And when will you start showing?”

  “I’m not sure. I can look it up.” I pulled out my phone and went to one of the sites I’d been using to look up information on early pregnancy. “This says twelve to eighteen weeks. Usually on the later side with a first pregnancy.”

  “Okay. So, we’ll plan the wedding in the next eight weeks, and you’ll pick a wedding dress that isn’t overly form-fitting around the belly, just in case.”

  “Wow, that’s fast.”

  “You said that you helped plan your brother’s wedding and we won’t have all the crazy obstacles like he did. I believe that you can make this happen for us.”

  I felt a little overwhelmed with everything happening so fast, but Stefano looked so excited. If we were going to get married, why would it matter how fast it happened?

  “Okay, eight weeks.”

  "Perfect. Now, amor mio, I'm afraid I must go."

  "Go? Already?"

  "Si. I have a meeting to attend, and I must call to tell my father the good news. We are having an heir." He grinned brightly and gently placed his hand on my belly before giving me a chaste kiss on the corner of my mouth.

  He hurried back through the house on his way out while I sat on the edge of the wooden table, my mind racing with everything that had just happened.

  From inside the house, Teo's booming voice greeted someone. The house was always bustling since he conducted most of his work from home after Eli was born. He wanted to be home with his family as much as possible, and who could blame him?

  I needed time to process everything, so I decided to go to the cafe for a while. I enjoyed getting lost people-watching while sipping on a cappuccino, although I'd have to get used to drinking decaf for a while.

  I was just walking through the kitchen when Luca’s voice echoed down the hall. "I'll meet you in your office after I grab a coffee and maybe one of Bianca's pastries if there are any left."

  "Perfect. Take your time. That'll give me a chance to get this conference call over with."

  I thought about turning around and going another way but aside from retreating to the wine-cellar, there wasn't really anywhere for me to go.

  I was still at the doorway when Luca rounded the corner, nearly running into me. I don't know what I expected to say or feel when I saw him again but stunned silence wasn't it.

  "Mira, geez I nearly plowed you over. Are you alright?"

  I nodded. "I'm fine. Excuse me."

  I stepped to the side, to go around him, but he blocked me. "Wait. Hold up. We need to talk."

  "Not now."

  "Yes, now. This can't wait. I want to make sure that you're okay after everything that you went through in Milan.”

  “I'm fine, but I have to go.” I moved to step around him, but he grabbed my arm.

  “Mira I know that you're mad at me, but you have to understand that I was trying to protect you.”

  “Protect me? From what? What did you do to Giulietta and the others?”

  “They needed to be afraid—really afraid. We postponed the sale for another few days to let the girls sweat it out. Then, I let that man take Giulietta.”

  “You did what?” I raised my voice, but he held up his hands defensively.

  “It was all part of the plan.”

  “You sick, son of a—you said it was all an act, that you were just going to scare them. I knew there was something up with that man. It all felt too real. He gave me the creeps. How could you?” I pounded Luca’s chest with my fists. When I moved to strike his face, he snatched my wrists, holding both hands in the air so that I couldn’t hit him anymore.

  “He didn't actually do anything to her, but I had to make her really afraid. I had to sell what we were trying to do.” Irritation laced his voice but calmed as he explained.

  “He picked her up the next morning as planned. Once they were gone, he told her that he was part of a task force to take down traffickers like us. He told her that she was safe and that his men would be arresting us and freeing the other girls.”

  Luca released me, running his fingers through his hair in frustration before motioning for us to sit at the small kitchen table and I sat. “We put on a little show for them, mainly slamming things around and running around upstairs, a few gunshots in the air, then his men went down into the basement to rescue the girls.

  “The fake police told the girls that they could keep things quiet, that they had enough against the men who had taken them to put them away for life without having to bring their names into it. But for that to happen, they couldn't say a word about it to anyone. The girls eagerly agreed, and they were sent home.”

  “So why have me escape?”

  “I wanted to get you out of there as soon as possible. The whole thing took another week and a half, and I didn't want you anywhere near our mission to begin with.”

  “And why not tell me that it was just going to be me? Why make me think I was supposed to be escaping with all of the girls?”

  “I knew you’d never leave without them, not if there was any other choice.”

  I sighed heavily, seething inside at all Luca had done, but even more so at the fact that he lied to me.

  Luca dipped his head to catch my eye, concern and tenderness in his expression. “I was worried about you. Are you okay?”

  “I'm fine. I'm better than fine actually.” I let my anger fuel my words. “In fact, Stefano has asked me to marry him, and I said yes. Congratulations, you're the first to know.”

  Luca’s caring expression morphed into anger and disgust. “You're going to marry him? Why would you do that?”

  “Because I love him, and he loves me and we're going to have a baby. We're going to be a family. And you know the craziest thing, he was happy—thrilled actually that I was pregnant. He wants me and he wants this baby.”

  Luca jumped up from his chair. “You can't love him, not so fast. There's no way that you could know you want to spend the rest of your life with him already.”

  “Luca, I know you might find this hard to believe but some people know what they want. Some people know when they have a good thing, and they will do everything they can to make sure they don't lose it. Now if you'll excuse me, I want to tell Teo myself before word gets out about the baby or the engagement.”

  And with that I stood from my chair, heading toward Teo’s office. I knew he would be on a conference call, but I wanted to talk to him as soon as he was done before Luca had time to talk with him.

  Chapter 21

  Mira

  Things began to move quickly after telling Teo, my father, and the rest of my family that not only were Stefano and I getting married, but we were having a baby as well. We only had two months to plan a wedding and on top of that, exhaustion and morning sickness had arrived in full force.

  Bianca had already informed me that Stefano and his father had arrived, and I hurried to finish getting dressed. They were joining my family to discuss wedding details and enjoy a small celebratory dinner. I walked into the dining room to find everyone already gathered, a hush falling over the room as I entered.

  “Sorry I’m late.” I looked around at everyone’s tense postures and perked an eyebrow. “Did I interrupt something?”

  “Of course not, Mira,” Stefano started.

  “Considering this is your life and the life of your baby that we are discussing, I would expect that you will have some strong opinions about the conversation.” Teo scowled at Stefano and Don Costa.

  “What about our lives?” I asked hesitantly as I took a seat in a corner between Teo at the head of the table, and Stefano on my right.

  “We were simply discussing when the three of you would be relocating to Sicily.” Don Costa spoke casually before taking a drink from his wine glass.

  “Oh,” my stomach sank at the thought of moving so far from my family after I just got back home, but it wasn’t that the thought hadn’t already occurred to me. “We haven’t discussed specifics yet, but I would definitely like to be here for the first few months after having the baby.”

  “The baby needs to be born in Sicily, where he will be raised,” Don Costa said as if there was no argument to be had on the matter.

  “Wait,” Teo interrupted. “So, you are planning on moving there?”

  “It makes the most sense.” I shrugged, looking at Teo apologetically. “I mean, Stefano is the heir, primed to take over once his father retires, I’m just the family lawyer, and not even that yet.”

  “I just thought you always wanted to settle down close to home.”

  “I do. I don’t want to move so far away but that’s where my future husband will be, so it only makes sense. But—” I turned to address Stefano and his father. “I would like to stay here for the first six months at least before relocating.”

  “So, we are supposed to live separately just after getting married?” Stefano sounded irritated. “No. I will have you by my side in Sicily as soon as we are married just like a wife should be.”

  “Just like a—” I started but my father cleared his throat from across the table.

  “While I can see how a man would want his new wife and unborn child by his side, surely you can see why Mirabella would want to be in the place where she’s most familiar as she goes through all the changes she will be dealing with over the next few months. Stefano would be welcome to stay here as well during that time. He can work remotely and make occasional trips as needed. Considering Mira is agreeing to uproot all her own future plans to move from the only real home she’s ever had, to go live in a strange place with people she doesn’t know well, I believe it is a good compromise.”

  “They should be at our home for at least part of her pregnancy. Our family will want to feel a part of this as well,” Stefano’s father argued. “They should at least stay with us after the wedding. Just for a few months. She can return during the third trimester to be near family when she’s close to delivery.”

  “If Mira agrees with that, I suppose I can be agreeable.” My father looked to me for an answer.

  I reluctantly nodded, not really wanting to travel there while I was pregnant but knowing that it would eventually become my home. It would be better to get used to it in small steps instead of all at once after the baby was born.

  “Stefano?” His father looked at him for confirmation that he agreed.

  “Fine. But I won’t be living months in another man’s home. Once we return from our extended honeymoon in Sicily, I will secure a temporary residence here where we will live until we return home for good.”

  “Good. Thank you.” I smiled at Stefano and squeezed his hand affectionately, but he didn’t seem his usual warm self.

  “As for the wedding itself, will you two be wanting to have the wedding here? Or perhaps at one of our family’s hotels?”

  I opened my mouth to tell them about my idea of having the wedding at Mia’s family vineyard, if she was okay with that, but Stefano spoke first. “No. We will be having it at the Duomo di Alba.”

  “We are?” I looked at Stefano in surprise.

  “Si. If you won’t have us get married in Sicily, we will at least get married in the best Cathedral in the area.”

  I didn’t like the air of superiority in which he said the words, but I bit my tongue in front of our families.

  “Have you thought of a color palette for the wedding?” Mia redirected the wedding plans back to me. If anyone knew how it was to have your wedding railroaded by powerful Italian men, it was her.

  “Blue, to match the paintings of the Cathedral,” Stefano interjected, and Mia looked at me uncomfortably.

  “Actually,” I tried to hide my irritation with excitement, forcing a smile so big that my face hurt. “I’ve always wanted burgundy and gold.”

  Stefano scoffed. “Red is for whores, not for a wedding.”

  I took a deep breath, trying to calm my anger before I cut out Stefano’s tongue with a dinner knife.

  Mia must have sensed my annoyance and scrambled to intervene. “Perhaps we should hold off on the details. Planning a wedding can be overwhelming. Especially on an empty stomach. Where is Bianca with our dinner?”

  “Maybe I should go see what’s taking her.” I stood quickly, needing a moment away from Stefano and his father.

  “I’ll join you,” Mia said, and she hurried to follow me.

  Once we were in the kitchen, she stopped, taking me by both arms. “Are you alright?”

  “They were being overbearing, controlling asses, right? It’s not just the hormones making me crazy?”

  “No. They were definitely trying to control everything and even your fiancé seemed less than interested in your thoughts on your wedding day.”

  “Right?”

  Just then Bianca hurried into the kitchen with two bottles of wine in her arms. “Bianca,” she jumped at hearing my voice then smiled. “We wanted to see what was taking dinner so long. It’s a little tense in there, and we could use food as a buffer.”

  “Of course, it's almost ready. I’m sorry signoras.”

  “Almost? You usually don’t have any trouble serving dinner punctually. Is something wrong?” Mia asked with concern.

  “No. Nothing’s wrong. Signore Stefano requested a last-minute change to the dinner menu, so I had to start all over after going back to the store this morning.

  “He did what?” My voice pitched.

  “It’s okay, signora. He just wanted a traditional Sicilian dinner which I’m not as accustomed to cooking but I promise, I’m going as fast as I can.”

  “Of course, you are, Bianca. Please, don’t stress yourself about it. I’m sorry for the inconvenience.”

  “We can wait. It’s no trouble at all,” Mia assured her. “We’ll be in the dining room whenever it’s ready. Call Lucia to help you if you need. I’m sure she won’t mind at all.”

  “Si, signora.”

  We returned to the table and Stefano made a show of pulling me close and kissing my temple, but I turned to whisper to him. “You changed the dinner menu the day of?”

  “Si. I thought a nice Sicilian dinner would be fitting to celebrate.”

  “Bianca is killing herself in there trying to hurry the dinner along because she had to redo everything for this dinner. You can’t just—”

  “I hope she’s not rushing the meal too much. You really have to give the food time if you want it to be good.”

  “That’s not the point.” My voice came out a little louder than I meant for it to, and everything went quiet, looking in my direction. “I’m sorry. I’ve suddenly lost my appetite. I think I’m going to retire for the evening, but I hope you all will enjoy your meal.”

  I stood from my chair and Stefano stood as well. “I’ll join you.”

  “No,” I snapped before clearing my voice and trying again a little calmer. “No, you should stay and entertain our guests. I’m just going to lie down for a bit. We can talk later.”

 

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21