After Rafe died, I haven’t been able to bring anyone else into my mess.
I can’t lose anyone else.
I push off my chair and walk down the hall. Victoria is in the sitting room. She looks up the second I enter.
She always does.
Something in my face gives me away because her smile fades before I say a word.
“What’s wrong?”
I don’t answer immediately. Instead, I cross the room and pull her against me, burying my face in her hair. I need her. Need to inhale her. To ground myself in her presence.
She melts into me, fingers fisting in my shirt. “Lorenzo. You’re scaring me.”
“I found him,” I mumble against her neck. “The last one.”
Her breath catches, her vein throbbing against my lips.
For years, we’ve lived with this unspoken countdown ticking between us. Years of pretending nothing was wrong. Nothing except the fact that she’s lived years locked behind these gates.
We built a life for ourselves, yet . . . she’s never been free.
The thing about Victoria is that she never complained.
Never doubted me.
Always knew I’d protect her.
She pulls back just far enough to look at me. Her eyes shine, already filling with unshed tears. “You found him?”
I nod once.
Her hands slide to my arms, gripping like she’s afraid I’ll disappear if she loosens them. “I knew this day would come.”
“So did I.”
Victoria’s shoulders begin to tremble.
I pull her back into my grasp and hold her tight.
“It’s almost over,” I whisper. “I won’t let this baby be born in secret.”
Her hand drifts unconsciously to her stomach. Soft footsteps interrupt us.
“Why is Mommy crying?”
I look up and see my son standing in the doorway. His dark brown hair is wild with curls, and he’s holding a bike helmet in his little hand.
I can’t help but laugh, though. Only my kid would want to go for a bike ride but has no shoes on and is missing one sock.
Victoria swipes at her cheeks quickly, forcing a smile that could fool no one but him.
“She’s just happy,” I say, dropping my voice. “You know Mommy. She has big feelings.”
He considers this. “Is it the baby?”
I move away from Victoria and kneel in front of him. “No, buddy. The baby’s fine.”
