Page 101 of His Vicious Desire

I wake up before my alarm goes off with Bianca in my arms, the only way I like waking up.Running a hand over our son, I sigh.

“Do you forgive me?”The words are a whisper.

“For what?”I wonder.

“For lying about being on the pill.And for having a boy instead of a girl.”Chocolate is soft and melting.

“There’s nothing to forgive.I got you.That’s the only thing I care about.Everything else is a cherry on top.”

“Good, because I woke up around four this morning from contractions, and they are still going.Now they’re only about three minutes apart.”

Laughing, I kiss her.“Let’s go have this baby.”

Three hours later, my son is in his mother’s arms sleeping.

“How the hell are you so beautiful when you had a baby an hour ago?”

She giggles.“First time baby luck.By the third one, it will be very different.”

“Three?”My eyebrows go up.

“Okay, really, I want five.But I’m willing to compromise at four.”

I’m stunned.I knew she wanted more kids, but four?

“Give in now, amore.You’re going to in the end.”She laughs.

“And why would that be?”

“Because you love me.”She says proudly.

“Very true.Four it is.”I sigh.“At least I’ll get my girl in all of that mix.”

Epilogue

One Year Later

Bianca

My gorgeous husband is pacing the room.It’s wrong to love the concern on his face.“I think you should have the baby immediately.You’re close enough to the due date, she’ll be fine.I’m not okay with there even being a chance something could happen to you.I will not lose you for her.”

Earlier today, my blood pressure spiked for the fourth time in my pregnancy.I didn’t understand what was happening when there were no issues when I was pregnant with Max.Apparently, preeclampsia didn’t care how your last pregnancy went.The doctors are giving us this afternoon to think and make the decision to deliver early.

It's odd how Carina is dealing with almost the same thing, not preeclampsia, but she went into shock a few hours ago, and she and Sandro are only two doors down.There was no decision they had to make; their newest daughter was delivered a few hours ago—whether they were ready or not.

There are still seven weeks before our due date, and I was afraid of issues that could haunt us later if the doctors deliver now.I hold a hand out to him.

Instantly, he’s back at my side, taking my hand in his.“You’re not losing me.I wanted to wait to give her as much time as possible.But I can admit, I think you’re right.The doctors know what they are talking about.So I’m going to trust your much-hoped-for daughter will be okay in all of this.”

His relief is in every inch of him.Bringing my hand up to his mouth, he presses his lips to my palm.“I’m grateful beyond measure for our daughter, but all I need is you.”

With a nod, he presses the call button for the nurse.When she appears less than three minutes later, he tells her of our decision.She nods and is gone again.In less than ten minutes, she’s back with someone who is giving me an epidural.Then I’m wheeled into surgery.I hated the idea of surgery—being cut open is scary to me.Max came naturally, and in less than two hours.Trust my daughter to be the one to put us through the most hoops.

I wonder if this means she won’t be like Max, who loved nothing more than to sleep through the night so he could go hard all day, then hit a wall and sink into sleep by six every day.He was work for sure.I wanted to read him stories and help him play with building blocks.Max wanted to climb, swim, and jump around.

One of the reasons I wasn’t as upset as Gaetano was when we found out that I was pregnant again so soon was because I was hoping another baby would be a calming thing for him.Kind of like my two kitties, Sasha and Minka, who were chill cats as long as they had each other.Another part of me was hoping for another boy for Max to be rough and tumble with.Yet, when I saw Gaetano’s face when they proclaimed we were having a girl, I couldn’t have been happier.

A hand comes down on mine.I sigh with relief at my husband’s strength that he tempers to hold my hand.

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