Page 81 of Unrelenting
“Damiano told me about Adriano.”
Lorenzo purses his lips. “I know you don’t like it but it had to be done.”
“I know.”
Sinking my teeth into my bottom lip, I clench my fists to stop my hands shaking. Why am I so nervous about this? Lorenzo obviously still wants me in his life. He wouldn’t be talking about surprising me with this place if he didn’t.
“Look, I don’t like violence but I do understand it’s necessary sometimes. You want to keep the people you love safe. I’m sorry I judged you for it.”
“So what are you saying? Do you want to give us another chance?”
“Yes. I love you, Lorenzo.”
Stepping forward, he curves his hand around my cheek. “I love you too,gattina.”
As he kisses me, my body melts against his. He wraps his arms around my waist and pulls me between his legs as he sits on the table behind him. I’m on the verge of losing myself in the kiss when I remember I have something to tell him. I pull back.
“Are you okay?” Lorenzo must see the apprehension on my face.
“Yes, I’m okay, It’s just…uh…I found out today. We’re having a baby.”
“A baby?” Lorenzo frowns. “But you’re on birth control.”
“I know, but sometimes……”
Before I can finish my explanation, Lorenzo lets out a whoop. He gets up and sweeps me off my feet, spinning me around. “We’re going to have a baby?”
“Yes.”
“Oh,gattina,” Lorenzo grins wickedly. “You are never getting rid of me now.”
Smiling I rest my head on his shoulder. I don’t want to get rid of him. Not now. Not ever. He’s mine and I’m his. Nothing will ever come between us again.
EPILOGUE
Lorenzo
Watching my son,Luca, running up and down the rows of vines, I feel a contentment I never dreamed of. He’s the image of his beautiful mother with the same deep brown eyes.
Even before he turned one, he mastered her disapproving scowl, the one she gives me when I’m encouraging our son’s natural cockiness or indulging my own.
Lucia strolls along beside me, our daughter Daisy on her hip. Her insistence on an English name raised a few eyebrows among our friends and family, but I like it.
My daughter is small and delicate like a flower but beneath it lies a fearsome spirit. This girl will conquer the world one day.
“Should he be doing that?” Lucia’s tone is stern as she motions toward our son who’s pulling grapes off the vine and stomping on them.
“Luca!” I shout in warning. He pouts, letting me know he’s angry I spoiled his fun. Then he takes off running again. The boy may look like his mother but his personality is all me. He’senergetic and unrelenting in pursuit of what he wants. I turn to my wife of five years. “He wasn’t really doing any harm.”
Naturally, Lucia doesn’t see it that way. “He was being destructive.” She sighs. “He needs an outlet for all that energy.”
“I could teach him to fight.”
To my surprise, my wife nods. “That could work.”
I turn to her. “What happened to the woman who couldn’t stand violence?”
“I’m not asking you to teach him to hurt people.”
