My eyes sting, and I don’t know why, so I blink it away hard.
Elena watches them with a look that makes my throat tighten again.
“Alessandra. She adores him,” Elena says softly, like she’s explaining something obvious. “He’s her favorite person.”
Alessandra pats Nico’s face with her small hand, right on his faint scar, and my stomach drops reflexively.
Nico doesn’t even flinch.
He just catches her wrist gently and kisses her fingers.
“Hey,” he murmurs. “You being good?”
“Goo,” she says, proud.
He smiles. A real smile.
I’m going to pass out.
Nico turns his head slightly and finally seems to remember I exist.
His gaze meets mine for half a second.
Like he’s checking if I’m okay.
He shifts Alessandra to his other hip and keeps a hand on my back as he guides us farther in.
“Papa,” Nico calls.
Papa. Why do I find that so adorable?
And it’s like the crowd parts to make room for Luca Conti.
He’s tall. Imposing in a way that has nothing to do with size alone. It’s the posture. The eyes. The authority that doesn’t need to announce itself.
His gaze lands on Nico first, then the baby in his arms, then me.
I can feel myself trying to become smaller without meaning to.
Nico doesn’t let it happen. His hand stays at my back.
“Nico,” Luca says. His voice is even. Calm.
Then his gaze returns to me.
“And this must be Erica.”
“Yes,” I say, and my voice almost cracks. I clear my throat. “Hello, Mr. Conti.”
Luca’s mouth twitches slightly, like he notices everything.
“Luca,” he corrects. Not unkind. Just direct.
I nod once.
“Luca,” I repeat, doing my best not to sound like I’m about to faint.
He steps forward and holds out his hand.
