Total pages in book: 88
Estimated words: 84843 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 424(@200wpm)___ 339(@250wpm)___ 283(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 84843 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 424(@200wpm)___ 339(@250wpm)___ 283(@300wpm)
“Does your mom know what happened?” Gabby asked suddenly.
“Yes.”
“She must dislike me now.”
“Why on earth would you think that?”
Gabby didn’t look at me. “I’ve caused an awful lot of problems for you. Upset you. Put you in danger.”
I slid my chair closer. “Hey.” I waited until she met my eyes. “The only thing she is upset about is that you put yourself in danger. She wants to go find your ex and ‘give him a little taste of his own medicine,’” I said, using Mama’s voice and hand gestures. Gabby’s lips quirked a little at my actions. “She adores you and Theo.” I tucked a wild curl behind her ear. “She knows I love you, and she just wants us happy.”
“Do I make you happy?”
“Very much so,” I growled. “When you’re not running or risking your life. No more, Tesoro. Promise me no more.”
“Never,” she vowed. “I love you, Stefano. I-I want a life with you here, if that’s what you want.”
I studied her. “I want that and much more.”
“More?” she repeated.
“I want to marry you, Tesoro,” I said honestly. “Buy a house together and build a life. Make that baby for Theo. Take you to Mama’s on Sundays.”
She blinked. “You’re going fast again, Stefano.”
I winked. “Breaking the speed limit. You gonna join me or give me a ticket?”
For a moment, she said nothing. Then she smiled. “I’m right beside you.”
I pulled her close. “Ti amo, Gabby. My tesoro. My life.”
She snuggled close. “Amore,” she sighed.
GABBY
Stefano laughed loudly at the antics of the kids on Sunday. They tended to gang up on him, and Theo joined in happily. Right now, he was under a mass of small, wriggling bodies, being tickled until he agreed to ice cream. Little did they know, he’d already planned that but was soaking up the attention.
Rosa sat beside me, watching, her hands busy as ever as she snapped green beans for dinner. The house smelled incredible, the scent of roasting meat and fragrant tomato sauce making my mouth water. I was starving again. I was constantly hungry the past couple of days, and I suspected it was the stress that had disappeared.
Stefano received a call the night after Wayne’s arrest. He’d had a seizure that landed him in the hospital from the drug withdrawal. Another followed, and his heart gave out. He was dead.
I looked at Stefano in disbelief. “He’s gone?” I asked.
He crouched beside the chair. “You never have to fear him again. Or worry about Theo.”
I let the news filter through my brain for a moment. “Is it wrong I feel nothing? No remorse or sadness?”
He stroked my cheek. “No. The man you thought he was didn’t exist. The man he became was created of his own choices. You don’t have to feel as if you have to grieve that.”
And I didn’t. I realized I had no good memories of Wayne. The short time before I’d seen his real nature had been eradicated by all the terrible things he had done. I no longer had to worry about him looking for me. Coming after me.
I was free.
Rosa handed me a plate of cookies, interrupting my thoughts. “You sad, Gabriella?”
“No.”
“You look sad.”
I shook my head. “Thoughtful. Thinking.”
She patted my hand. “No more thinking about past.” She indicated the mountain of kids laughing and wrestling with Stefano. “Your future. There.”
“I love him.”
She smiled. “I know. You give him baby soon, and he be happy.”
“Pardon me?”
“You hungry. You cry. You smile at same time. I was same when I carried Stefano. It’s good. You marry him. Give baby family.”
She stood and winked. “I keep to myself until you tell him. He be very happy.” Then she frowned. “No more hero. Capisci?”
I was dumbstruck as I watched her walk away.
Pregnant?
She thought I was pregnant?
She was wrong—
I found myself counting backward, realizing I was late.
Holy shit.
Rosa could be right. I had to take a test. I had no idea how to do that with the way Stefano was watching me right now. If I left the room, he followed, his anxiety still evident.
Then I got an idea and sent off a text.
By tomorrow, I would know.
But if it was positive, how was I going to tell Stefano?
Monday, I went to visit Charly. Maxx was happy to see me, and he headed to the garage, taking Thomas with him. Thomas was a quiet toddler, speaking rarely, but happy and sweet. When he did talk, he didn’t mince words and came right to the point.
“Bibby no like my twuck.”
This was, it seemed, unacceptable to him. I hunched down, smiling at him. “She’s too little.”
He sighed. “I gib to her. She not take.”
I stood, laughing. “One day, you’ll complain that she takes everything. Trust me.”
He frowned, then began to giggle as Maxx put him on his massive shoulders. “Come on, my boy. We’ll leave the girls to it.”