Laughing between the tears, she palmed his cheek. “Because you have that brother you always want, baby. Maddox is your brother.” The child clapped his hands, his face ruptured in glee. She turned to look behind us. “Did you get what I asked for, Julian?”
Julian came around. “Yes, and it's confirmed.”
Curious, I looked between her and Julian before she turned her gaze on Salvatore. “I left a message with my babysitter that if anything had to happen to me, she was to ask Julian to get a paternity test done for Rowan because I never wanted to find out who his father was.” Her gaze flicked between me and Salvatore before she said, “would you like to meet your son, Salvatore?” There was a sharp intake of breath followed by a muffled curse before he walked around and knelt in front of us, his gaze on Rowan. “Rowan, this is your daddy.” Ria dragged a hand through the child’s hair.
Rowan looked at Salvatore and wrinkled his nose making his father frown before his features relaxed. “Can I get a hug, buddy?” Rowan’s hesitant gaze drifted to Ria, and she nodded. He moved from her lap into Salvatore’s and the man cradled his child in his arms. The look on his face pure adoration.
I glanced down at Maddox, sitting in my lap, playing with my watch, and smiled. A son. I had a fucking son.
“Serendipity might be fucked up at times, but it sure as fuck knows how to bring a beautiful family together, doesn’t it?” Kairi asked, her gaze flicking between all of us. There were nods all around.
70
Vincenzo (44 years)
“I’m sorry for keeping him from you, Salvatore and if you want me to leave, I understand,” Gianna’s red-rimmed eyes stared at me, desperation in every word. “I love my son, please don’t take him away from me.” She gripped my arms, dropping her brow to my chest.
I wanted to be angry, I couldn’t. If anyone deserved punishment, it should be me. I’d hurt her so much and yet she felt more pain for keeping my child from me. After what happened last night with the three of us, I had no idea that on our return to the castle I would not only find out I was a father but be standing on the balcony with a sobbing Ria in my arms asking for forgiveness.
Strangely, I expected to feel hate for Zayne for the threesome and that he also shared a son with her, I didn’t. All I knew was that I couldn’t lose Gianna again. I couldn’t watch her walk away once more. The last five years had been a different kind of hell and for a man who was called the devil, I should be comfortable in that space. I wasn’t. Watching her give way to the torment she’d carried around for so long, I’d learned to recognize that slit down my heart every time she hurt. I couldn’t fucking live without this woman.
As her sobs quietened, I slid a finger under her chin and tilted upward, forcing her gaze to meet mine. “You shouldn’t be the one to ask for forgiveness. My days will always be gray clouds and one storm to the next, Gianna. With you beside me, it’s all the sunshine I need to survive. Only if you want to. The last time you walked away, I let you. This time I won’t hold you back, but I want you to understand how I feel. I’ve only ever loved you, since you were aged nine, yes, fucked-up I know. However, everyone knows the heart wants what it wants. I hurt you and you might hate me forever and it’s probably why you never told me about my son. Know this, though. For every tear I’ve made you shed, I’ll kiss your feet a thousand times if I have to.” I didn’t understand the despair lining my voice. I never begged, yet when it came to this woman, I was willing to bow my head just to see her smile.
“Which means you’ll be kissing my feet for the rest of your life,” her light-hearted comment tugged at my heart. There was hope.
“If that’s what it takes to make you feel something for me, anything.” I rubbed the pad of my thumb lightly over her bottom lip. “I love you, Gianna. I only have one heart to give, and it has always been yours. Walk away and it will be forever cased in stone.”
She palmed both my cheeks. “I love you too, Salvatore.”
Every inch of me exploded in a warm feeling I’d never experience before, still, I found myself asking, “what about Zayne?”
“I love him too,” there was no hesitation in her response and strangely I didn’t feel uneasy or angry. “I want him to stay with me, with us.”
And as fucked-up as it might sound to most, I replied, “I want him to stay too.” The sudden sparkle in her eyes told me I’d made the best decision for us. I glanced away as Zayne moved into my periphery. Holding Gianna’s hand, I walked her inside. “Zayne,” I began, not sure what his response would be. “About last night—”
“No need to talk about it, we’re consenting adults,” came the clipped reply, telling me he might not agree to my suggestion.
