Total pages in book: 88
Estimated words: 82332 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 412(@200wpm)___ 329(@250wpm)___ 274(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 82332 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 412(@200wpm)___ 329(@250wpm)___ 274(@300wpm)
That’s more proof that my husband actually cares. My father never had more than two guards on me at a time. Most of the time it was just one. It's blatantly evident that Antonio is taking no chances with me, and it makes me feel loved. Which is silly since he has never said he loves me. He says he wants me all the time, sure. The word love hasn't passed his lips. Still, I know he cares for me. He wouldn't do everything he's doing to make me happy otherwise.
Emilia takes a moment to disengage from the other girls to lean over to me. "Are you okay?"
"Yeah, sorry...I was just thinking."
"You look like something's wrong," Emilia insists.
"No," I shake my head, wondering if I should just keep it at that. "It's just..."
"Just?" Emilia prompts me. She props her elbow on the table, watching me.
"I'm in love with my husband," I whisper.
“I already knew that,” she whispers back, giggling.
“And I'm pregnant,” I confess, my heart beating harder as I say it out loud.
Emilia squeals in excitement as she pulls me into a hug. The other girls glance our way with smiles on their faces. I can feel the blush blooming on my cheeks as she pulls back to look at me. “That’s good news, right?”
“It is. It's just…” I sigh as I try to figure out how to put my feelings into words. “I know Antonio wants me. I even know he cares for me. That's more than I ever had or ever expected in life. God…”
"You want him to love you too," she says, being a mind reader by finishing my sentence.
I nod, tears stinging my eyes. “I do,” I admit. “I'm being silly, aren't I?”
“No,” Emilia denies, shaking her head. “I think you do need to understand stomaching though. Sometimes, with the type of men we are involved with, love is a foreign emotion. That doesn’t mean those words won’t come later. It just means that they will show it in other ways. Notice their actions. Pay attention to that and you will see what love means to him.”
"Is that how it was for you and Niko?" I ask, blinking away the tears.
“Girl, I got engaged to Niko on my sixteenth birthday. He didn't even tell me. My father did.”
“That sounds very...ominous.”
“Basically, the two of them set up an arranged marriage where Niko was to marry me on my twenty-first birthday. I didn't see Niko again for quite a while. He even kept a woman on the side.” Emilia scowls at the last part.
“Oh, God. That would kill me,” I groan. I can tell that it hurts her to admit it. I know I would have died of jealousy had that been what happened between Antonio and me.
“I’m mostly annoyed now. Don't get me wrong, it hurt. But it didn't hurt as bad as it would have if Niko and I had started a real relationship. He got rid of her when he saw I was old enough to develop feelings for him and want him,” she says, softening. “He apologizes all the time for it now. I still throw it up occasionally, I can’t lie. I only do it to be a pain in his ass, though. It keeps our relationship interesting,” she jokes.
“Has he told you he loves you yet?” I ask, smiling. Her happiness is contagious. I'm glad that we were introduced. I can see us becoming close friends. She's easy to talk to and understands what I'm going through.
“Every single day,” she admits, nodding. “If it helps, I don't doubt it for a minute that Antonio loves you. He will eventually get around to giving you the words.”
Helen leans over, grinning as she speaks up. “Melina, no one could stop themselves from loving you. You don't see it, but I always have. You're special.”
All the girls around the table look at me as they smile and nod. I wait for the embarrassment to come and consume me, but it doesn't. I feel safe and welcomed. It's weird to think how often I've used the word safe since marrying Antonio. Heck, it was before that. He made me feel safe the first night we were together.
“Ignore me,” I laugh. “We’re not supposed to be having a therapy session. We are supposed to be partying here.”
Everyone goes back to chatting, but I grab Emilia’s hand before she can return to the conversation with the others. “Please don't say anything about me being pregnant. I need time to tell Antonio first.”
“Your secret is safe with me. The men in this life have a brotherhood, but I'm learning that the women have a sisterhood that is just as strong. I’m so glad to have you in my family, Melina.”
I have to swallow the lump in my throat. “I feel the same way about you.”