GIO
I propelled myself off the couch, gathering Millie into my arms, her form fitting perfectly against my chest. Her arms wound around my neck, and she nestled her cheek against my shoulder, a contented sigh escaping her lips.
“Time for bed. You need rest,” I insisted, my voice a gentle command.
I carried her up the stairs, traversing our bedroom and entering the bathroom before setting her down in front of the washbasin. Millie protested, her stubborn spirit intact. “Pregnant, not incapacitated.”
My gaze dropped to the curve beneath my shirt, where our future rested. A fierce determination surged within me, a vow to shield Millie and our unborn daughter. Her gaze met mine, and she relented. “You’re unyielding on this, aren’t you?”
“I won’t waver.”
Effortlessly, I helped her shed my shirt, her body now covered by a nightgown that hinted at the swell of her belly. A sight that stirred emotions in me that I hadn’t anticipated. Children had never been a tangible concept for me; they had remained a distant thought.
As we prepared for sleep, my eyes remained fixated on her, captivated by her every move. She cleansed her face, a fleeting moment of unease crossing her features before her fingers clutched the countertop’s edge. Instantly, I was by her side, my grip steadying her. “Millie?”
“Dizzy,” she confessed apologetically. Without hesitation, I scooped her up, carrying her to our bed and gently laying her down. I stretched beside her, pulling her close, her fingers gripping my arm as if she feared I’d vanish.
Her lips brushed against my chest before her gaze sought mine, and I reached to cup her cheek. The smile she bestowed upon me warmed the coldest corners of my heart, a sensation that had become familiar.
Within minutes, she succumbed to sleep in my embrace, her breaths becoming a soothing rhythm that enveloped me. I lay awake for hours, not because slumber eluded me, but because I wanted to bask in this moment. Holding Millie, feeling her heartbeat against my own, was unlike anything else. My hand ventured down, settling over her stomach, a gesture that, in another lifetime, might have triggered tears. But that part of me had withered away, reserved for that grim day when I stumbled upon my mother’s lifeless form, her wrists slashed open. And yet, an indescribable tightness constricted my chest, an emotion that defied my hardened exterior.
~***~
The following day marked our return to the Hamptons, the place we ventured back to retrieve a few essential articles of clothing that Millie required. It was decided that she would now remain with me in New York. The reasons were two-fold: my longing to keep her near and the pressing demands of my presence in the city.
As we stepped across the threshold of the opulent mansion, a tableau of life unfolded before us. Harper and Sebastian were seated at the expansive dining table, indulging in their morning repast. Given the nearness of the lunch hour, it was evident that they had embraced a leisurely start to their day perhaps slumbering in till late morning, or engaging in their customary and intimately involved activities. Harper’s chair was abandoned abruptly as she rushed over to us, her face a mix of concern and affection. A swift glance from her eyes towards me contained a hint of reproach, as if I were under scrutiny for my treatment of Millie.
“Are you alright?” she inquired anxiously, enveloping her sister in a warm embrace. Her gaze, however, bore a subtle undertone of accusation as it briefly settled upon me. “Did that brute treat you decently?”
My muscles tightened instinctively. Did she seriously imply that I had subjected Millie to any form of mistreatment? Even during the period when I mistakenly believed she had been unfaithful with Mathias, I had refrained from any physical harm towards her. My history was rife with violence and cruelty against those who transgressed, yet I had exercised restraint even in the face of profound betrayal. Millie offered me an apologetic look, understanding the tension that gripped me, before proceeding to the seating area with her sister, their interaction unfolding in hushed conversation.
In the interim, I approached Sebastian, my mind still preoccupied with Millie’s presence. She was a delicate entity, now more than ever, given the revelation of her vulnerability.
Sebastian’s hearty pat on my shoulder punctuated the air. “Have you finally emerged from the depths of your stubbornness?”
My attention, however, remained riveted on Millie, my desire to keep her within my line of sight almost insurmountable now that she was back in my proximity, now that I fully comprehended the extent of her fragility.
“What’s troubling you? I thought you had reconciled your differences,” Sebastian continued, his gaze scrutinizing me with a hint of caution. The tenderness I felt towards Millie was palpable, and it had not gone unnoticed.
“We have,” I replied, my gaze shifting from Sebastian to Millie, who was engrossed in a conversation with her sister.
Sebastian’s eyes widened, his attention oscillating between Millie and myself. “You’re going to be a father?”
The disbelief resonated in his voice. His astonishment was so glaring it could scarcely be concealed. I met his gaze with an unflinching stare, refusing to be unsettled by his reaction, my focus never wavering from Millie.
“Perhaps that was one of Mathias’s ploys, to exploit her vulnerability and weaken your resolve,” Sebastian ventured thoughtfully.
I nodded in agreement, mulling over the possibilities. If ever I were to confront Mathias, his motives would be a subject of intense inquiry. Did he orchestrate her release in order to prompt me to eliminate her, my own wife? His intentions remained obscure, but one fact was undeniable: should I capture him, his demise would be protracted and agonizing.
Sebastian’s query cut through my contemplations, demanding my attention. “How do you feel about impending fatherhood?”
I shrugged, my thoughts skimming the surface of the question. “Our own father wasn’t the best role model.”
“That’s an understatement,” Sebastian muttered, the shared history of our traumatic upbringing resonating in his voice. A common bond had emerged between us, a result of surviving the horrors of our past together.
“It’s a girl. That should simplify matters,” I offered, the faintest hint of a smile playing upon my lips.
Sebastian’s smirk mirrored my sentiment. “If she inherits Millie’s beauty, we’ll be waging wars to fend off suitors.”
My smile transformed into a resolute expression. “Let them come.”
Amidst our banter, a moment of solemnity gripped our interaction. Sebastian’s gaze bore into mine, a depth of understanding passing between us. In the tumultuous weeks following the revelation of Millie’s entanglement with Mathias, my descent into a vortex of violence and retribution had not escaped his notice.
“I’m relieved you didn’t plunge into utter madness,” Sebastian admitted. His voice resonated with sincerity, tinged with the concern of a brother who had shared both my trials and triumphs.
My hand found his shoulder in a silent acknowledgement. “That could have been your opportunity to ascend as Capo.”
Sebastian possessed the same tenacious spirit as I did, an aversion to submission and a disdain for yielding to authority. It was a trait that often garnered the brunt of our father’s wrath. Despite this, he had never exploited my moments of vulnerability to further his own standing.
“That you supported me rather than striking me down, even when the chance was ripe Sebastian, that is a debt I’ll never forget.”
Sebastian nodded, his features softened by the trace of a grin. “It seems the pregnancy hormones are already working their magic on you.”
“Don’t expect an overflow of sentimental outpourings from me,” I retorted, our exchange infused with familiarity and camaraderie.
His response was a good-natured punch to my abdomen, a gesture I met with controlled strength, refraining from any sign of discomfort. “I’m aware you reserve those exclusively for Millie.”
My gaze shifted back to Millie, our eyes meeting, an unspoken warmth enveloping us in its cocoon.