A Love Restored

Tell me, Gipessa,” Julian says sodily, “Are you pargnant?

My breathing quickens. Of all the way I imagined

his ass with

“Sit down, Chiny” Nico cosses, and I nost, walking backwards Hill I stumble and fall on

“Is it true?” Julian asks, following me.

spiciously between the two of

Are you porglint

I try to speak, but its like my that has closed up, and only an incompuchemailide sejurik leaves my mouth. Fluck at Nico for help. He nod assuringly, rubbing my back, and I kook back at julian. I reallow the kinge in my thrisit. Of all the wors imagined telling hôn, this was not

“Yes.” I whisper.

I watch him come undone. He falls to his knees, mattering prodanities under his breath. He looks defeated. When he looks sop

Frustration? Despair?

“Is it mine?” He finally asks, bis geen blue jeles bitirng

hi and I want to tell him. Its yours, Julian. Ours. Our baby A Hivers. Hell have any brown hair and your ocean eyes. Tell me you want us, just oner, tell me, and I’m yours. Tell me and I will leave everything behind just to tim away with you. We’ll live in some small town in Italy and make so many babies, and just love each other.

It would be nice, wouldn’t it? just the two of us. No mafia politics. No violence, to blood. No promises to the familia.

“No.” Nico pipes up, suddenly, “It’s mine

I stare at him, my mouths agape, Julian stumbles back, his eyes still on nie, mwavering: He looks confused for a moment, as if he doesn’t recognize his

surroundings for a moment. Then the look on his face changes, “Impossibile, Glisena muld never cheat on me.” He says it with such conviction, it sendi chills down my spine.

“Just like you didn’t cheat on her. Nico sendis.

Julian ignores lüm. “I never cheated on you, darlin‘. I didn’t touch her, I still havenl”

You’re going to marry her.” I whisper. “Cheating is not just sex. Hut fui sure that will happen soon enotigly, too.”

Julian’s expression sours. He turns away from me and looks at Nico. “Can you leave us alone? He soups, Nicu slukes his head. “Tis not going to leave her alone with

you, dickhead. You were gonna hurt her if I hadn’t intervened.”

Id kill myself before hurting her. He seethes.

“It’s okay tell Nic. He shakes his head, Int accepts, kissing my forehead and glaring at fullan before leaving and going to his rooms.

the word, Ginevia. Julian says once Nico is out of carshot. “Say it, and I’ll come to you. Fuck Nu. Fuck everyone. I’m y

‘m yours.”

I stay silent. I want to tell him. I think both of us know, that he knows that the baby is his. He knows I would never have looked at, forget touched another man while I was with him. But he needs to hear it from tur, he needs the assurance.

Tell me its my baby” He whispers. “Tell me,”

The words should tumble out of my throat, Julian has never been so vulnerable with me. Here he is, offering everything that has happened in the past few weeks keeps repeating in my head.

g me himself, offering me the world, but

I will love you, Nuu. I promise.Ccontent © exclusive by Nô/vel(D)ra/ma.Org.

Ginevra is just. Ginevra. She’s not important.

“Would you leave Nua for the baby?” I question. “Would you leave everything, this instant, the mafia, the money, your position, everything?”

He hesitates. The words should be tumbling out of his throat, too. He should be saving yes, he should be asking for forgiveness, he should be telling me

child and I are more important to him, that he wants us enough to leave the things that keep him from us.

His hesitation is an answer enough. The silence – its worse than if he would have said a straight up no.

And I don’t know if Im making the biggest mistake of my life, but in this moment, I know we’d be better off without this man who refuses to pat me first. This man who I love with everything in me, and yet, it was never enough for him.

“Never mind.” I say. My voice breaks. Don’t answer that.” My voice is hard and cold. I don’t recognize it. “Its not your child. Now, please leave, Capo Bastone.”

He stares at me for a moment or two, then stands up. “I’m sorry I couldn’t be the man you deserved.” He tells me. “I hope you’ll be happy with him.”

“And you with her. In

manage to muster a smile.

Talian leaves, and I close the door behind him, then go to Nico’s room. He is sitting on his bed, staring at the floor.

“Hey.” He says when he sees me, pulling me to him, “Did he leave?”

I nod. “I’m happy you told him that it isn’t his kid.” Nico whispers.

“You didn’t give me a choice. My smile is wavering.

“Im sorry.” He whispers, holding my hand. I was angry.”

I nod, staring at his hands. “Did you have a fight? His knuckles are bruised and bleeding. “With Julian?”

He shrugs. I hate that he fought with Julian for me. I can only imagine that they made a scene at the party. I feel bad for Nua. She is a kid, she doesn’t deserve this. I had never expected there would be family drama with the Rivers because of me, of all people,

I get out of his hold and bring him the first aid box from the bathroom. He isn’t that hurt, but I make him put some cream on the cuts.

“We’ll get through this.” He tells me, and I nod. Yes. Maybe. Hopefully.

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