Page 123 of Savage King

"What was that?"

"A pregnancy test," she speaks up louder, her eyes flaring in defiance.

"A pregnancy test?" I curse as my palm hits the wall next to her head. Fury wages war inside my gut once again.

She doesn't flinch. Her eyes are fully focused on me, filled with love and… trust. Trust that I won't hurt her. Which I neverwould, but fuck! She could have been killed. My sister could have been killed. My child could have been killed. And all because I kept toying with her instead of having an open conversation. Fuck! This is as much my fault as it is hers.

"I didn't want to tell you until I was sure," she adds quietly. "Please don't be mad at me."

I lean my forehead against hers. "I knew all along, Scarlet."

"You… what?" She looks at me incredulously.

"Like I told Gigi, nothing happens in this house without me knowing about it. I knew you were pregnant before you did," I declare smugly.

"I doubt that," she responds with some stubbornness. Then she pulls back. "You were playing with me, like you were with Gigi and Vito," she accuses.

"You didn't tell me either," I throw in her face.

"Yes, but I had a reason," she huffs. "I didn’t want to get your hopes up and… wait, how the hell did you know?"

I hold up a finger. "You, throwing up all the time," I add another, "being tired," and then a third, "plus, I had Doc Brown check when he drew your blood."

"Oh! Of all the neanderthal, controlling, dictator stunts you've pulled, this one takes the cake." She shakes her head.

Did she just call me a neanderthal? I'm not sure if I should be flattered or not. But she looks angry enough to stop me from throwing her over my shoulder caveman style. I suppose we'll have to work this out before I can do that.

"No more secrets between us, okay? Good or bad."

Her foot taps against the ground, and I give her a moment to decide if she's still mad at me. But then she nods, "I'm sorry, Antonio, I didn't fully comprehend the consequences of my actions. I won't do something this stupid again. I swear."

God help me, but I believe her. I'm not really furious at her anymore, either. She didn’t fully know what she signed up for. She should have known after having been kidnapped before, but I'm willing to forget that. What I'm not willing to forget is my fucking sister. The woman who should have known better. Her words,This outing was the most fun I've had in a long time,come back to me. When she said that phrase, it amused me. I felt she was trying to reassure my wife, but now I see the entire event in a different light. Gigi should have known better. She risked her life, my wife's life, and that of my unborn child. Rage surges through me.

"Don't," Scarlet says, putting the palm of her hand on my cheek, repeating my earlier words back to me.

"Don't what?"

"Don't be angry with her. This is all on me. I wanted to make sure I was pregnant before I told you. I wanted… it to be a surprise."

I laugh, hard and bitter. "Well, you sure managed that. It's a surprise, alright."

Now tears form in her eyes. Fuck! "Passerotta, I'm sorry, I?—"

"I just wanted to pee on a fucking stick," she hiccups, completely breaking through the wall of my anger.

She rises to her tiptoes and gently kisses me. "It's been a very emotional day, and it's not over yet, Antonio."

She's right. I lean my head down until our foreheads meet. "I love you so fucking much. I've been through hell thinking I'd lose you."

"But you didn't. You saved me. Again."

"And I always will," I promise. "Now, pregnant, eh?"

Her smile is slightly wistful, before it lights up her entire face. "I guess so, yeah!"

I still sense some hesitation. "What?"

"It's really stupid," she mumbles.

---