She pushed me away from her with a little more force and I took half a step back, hands still on her. “So,” she answered. “We are not about to have sex with them both under the same roof.”
I rolled my eyes but there was no way I was going to convince her. “Fine, but you’re mine the moment everyone leaves tomorrow.”
The blush colored her cheeks before we left the garage to retire to the bedroom. Mia crawled into bed beside me, molding herself to my side. Since she had come back, I hadn’t taken for granted the quiet moments like this. Something so simple that had been overlooked the first time we were together, but I had craved so desperately when she left.
“Luc,” she whispered my name in the darkness. “I don’t want to wait longer than we have to.”
“What do you mean?”
Her fingers distractedly drew patterns across my bare chest, following the lines of tattoos, of my vow. “I don’t want to spend another Christmas plotting and planning when I could be enjoying it with my son. I want this all wrapped up sooner rather than later.”
“Say the word and I’ll head over to Xavier’s now.”
“And ruin all the hard work I’ve put in for tomorrow? I’d never forgive you.”
I chuckled. “Neither would Katia. Jonah said she’s been looking forward to it more than Christmas. You’ve made quite the impression on her.”
“She’s not so bad,” Mia admitted. Whatever frosty atmosphere had lain between them when Mia first returned had fully thawed until Katia had slowly worked her way into Mia’s inner circle. “Let’s just hope that I’ve made a similar impression on everyone else.”
As her breathing shallowed and sleep took over, I stared up at the ceiling. Mia was right. This needed to be dealt with sooner rather than later. We’d held off because of her pregnancy, had started to build new bridges and strengthen old ones, and with the holidays almost over, there was no need for delay. We’d usher in the new year with a new era.
Chapter Forty Four
Mia
“Ow! Jesus, Mia,” Dante said, pulling his hand away from the table of food, following my slap. “I’m sure they’re not going to miss one vol-au-vent. You’ve got enough to feed an army here and I’m starving.”
“When are you not?” Luc asked, walking into the room, carrying Link. Every time I saw them together my heart soared, and I was reminded just how lucky I was.
“Everything needs to look perfect,” Maria answered before I had the chance to. “Once everyone’s seen it then you can eat to your heart’s content.”
“I’m holding you to that,” he mumbled as a knock on the door announced the arrival of the first guests.
“Show time,” Luc said, kissing me on the cheek.
The house slowly started to fill with families as the staff showed them through to our large reception room. A few had replied to our invite and smiled, breaking the ice by asking about Christmas Day. Even those who hadn’t replied to the invitation had turned up throughout the day to partake in post-Christmas revelry. A small get together. Maria had mentioned that she and Charlie had used to host one that was followed by the Moretti New Year’s ball as the pinnacle events of the holidays and I had run with it. Revived the tradition in hopes that people would respond. I’d held my breath, always less confident than Luc in social situations, but the worry hadn’t been necessary. The family would take any excuse to celebrate in excess, and I’d provided.
For a few brief moments, as I took a drink off a silver tray, I surveyed the room. The holidays I remembered were quieter and not as grand. It was only two years ago that Dad and I would have sat in the living room, unwrapping gifts and drinking eggnog. It felt longer than two years ago; it felt a lifetime away while I watched women in expensive clothes and men with deadly secrets sip on champagne and share pleasantries. And although this was far removed from the life I was raised in, I was beginning to become accustomed to it. We were one and the same now. People who enjoyed the best that life had to offer and did anything needed to keep it that way. All these people had arrived per my invite. They came for my family and complimented me on my choices. Ever since the engagement, I’d seen the shift. I might not have liked them all—I definitely didn’t trust them all—but the feeling of importance was like a drug. For the first time in my life, I was gaining power and it was addictive.
Link had been put down for his nap and my eyes scanned the room until I found Luc. He stood near the fireplace, holding court with a few others. His shoulders were relaxed, hand occasionally flying as he punctuated a point in the conversation, and they all listened intently. He looked so comfortable and in control of the situation, and it sparked a deep yearning to pull us both away from all of this so I could have him alone.
As I looked away, I caught Xavier walking into the room, Emilia’s arm looped through his own. I felt an icy chill run down me. It had been Maria’s advice to invite Xavier and Emilia to avoid it looking strange. The couple found their son and lapsed into conversation. Xavier and Gabriel looked friendlier than I could remember since I’d arrived home. A woman stood with Gabe, someone I didn’t recognise, and I tried to place her but there was nothing, no previous event, no other person, that made her familiar to me. She was dressed demurely, hair scraped back showing off sharp, angular cheekbones. My invites had allowed a plus one, but I had assumed I’d know every guest. It was only polite for me to make an introduction, which meant biting the bullet and facing Xavier again.
“Mia!” Katia’s voice broke through my thoughts. “Come join us!” She tottered over to me in her heels and pulled me into a small ring of women, all nursing a glass of fizz in well jeweled hands. Introductions could wait a little longer. Tori smiled kindly from across the circle and lifted her glass to me.
“We noticed the Ferrari on the drive. Your Christmas gift to Luc?” Rosalie asked, placing a hand on my arm. As promised, Luc and I had taken the car out in the morning and returned with the vow that I’d be getting a driver for Valentine’s day. It came as no surprise that this group would only be interested in the material possessions. None of them would notice the way Luc and I had pulled ourselves back together. They didn’t know of the forgiveness, love and trust that had been exchanged since I’d walked back into his life. You couldn’t put a price on what we had together.
“No,” I said. I had the intense urge to look down into my glass. To watch the bubbles rise to the surface before they popped in a bid to avoid eye contact. Maria’s eyes were trained on me and she gave an almost imperceptible nod. I understood. No one here would appreciate modesty and so I tipped my chin upwards and smiled at the circle. “That was his gift to me.”
Rosalie let out a disgusted sound. “How unfair. A house, a ring, a baby and now a car.”
“I’d argue that Mia gifted Luc with Link,” Tori commented, rolling her eyes.
“Are you planning another?” Rosalie asked excitedly, ignoring Tori’s remark.
“She’s only just had Link. Plus, Mia has a wedding to plan first,” Tori reminded her.
Katia’s eyes grew as she asked, “When are we expecting you to both make it all official?”
