Bound By Blood Anthology

“The men, yes.”

Matteo came toward me and touched my shoulders, watching me in the mirror. “If Luca and Aria raise the kid, they are the ones who decide how to raise it.”

“I know,” I muttered. “But it wouldn’t hurt if a girl would be allowed a bit of freedom as well.”

Matteo wrapped his arms around my ribcage; I didn’t like it if he touched my belly. “Luca’s controlling and protective with the women in his life. That’s who he is. We can’t interfere even if we don’t like how he handles the kid. We’re giving up that right by letting them adopt the baby.”

I freed myself from his grip, glaring. “You make it sound as if what we’re doing is wrong.”

“I didn’t say that. How can it be wrong to make sure the kid gets a welcoming, loving home that’s ready for it? That’s a reasonable decision.”

“As if you’re ever reasonable,” I hissed. I wasn’t even sure why I was attacking him, but for some reason I was angry.

Matteo pulled me against him. “Come on, babe, let’s watch a movie and relax a bit. Let’s not argue over this. We’ll cross this bridge when we come to it.”

“I hate it when you are the reasonable one. It’s unnatural.”

He flashed me a grin and like that, I felt better.MatteoGianna’s pained gasp made me jerk up. My hand lunged for the knife and I flipped on the lights, fighting the lingering disorientation.

“What’s the matter?” I asked, turning to her.

Gianna regarded the blade as she blinked against the brightness. “No need for your knife,” she said. Her hand rested against her belly. “The baby is kicking me again.”

I froze and slowly put the knife down. “Again?”

She nodded. “It’s been doing it for several weeks now. I wasn’t sure if I should tell you.” She fell silent. I couldn’t look away from her hand cradling her belly. She pulled up her chemise and then I saw it, her belly bulging where a small foot must have kicked from the inside.

My throat became dry. So far her pregnancy had been a very abstract concept, one I could ignore most days, but this… I wasn’t sure what I felt.

“You can touch it,” she said hesitantly.

I pressed my palm to her skin and for a few moments nothing happened but then I felt the kick. I drew back, swallowing. “Fuck.”

“Yeah, fuck,” she whispered. “It won’t let me pretend it’s not there. It’s kicking and pressing down on my bladder and just being temperamental like its father.”

Like its father. I was becoming a father… but Luca would be the kid’s father, he’d be the one it would call Dad. “It sounds like it has your temper.” My voice sounded strange to my own ears. It wasn’t as if I’d ever dreamed about being a father. Most of the tedious tasks linked to the job were rather deterrent.

Gianna lowered her chemise again, regarding me. “Aria and Luca won’t know what hit them.”

I nodded. “They can handle it.”

“I know,” she said. “Let’s try to get some sleep, okay?”

I kissed her and extinguished the lights but I couldn’t fall asleep. I couldn’t forget how it had felt to have the baby kick against my hand. Eventually, I gave up and got up, careful not to wake Gianna.

I crept through the dark of the house and went outside onto the terrace where I sat down on a chair. As I stared off into the distance, the horizon slowly turned gray and the sun peeked out. The door slid open and closed behind me. Luca sank down in another chair in only briefs.

“What are you doing out here?”

He, Aria, and the kids had joined us for the weekend, and Lily, Romero, and Sara had arrived this morning as well.

“Enjoying the silence before the storm,” I joked, but fuck, it sounded off.

Luca narrowed his eyes. “How’s Gianna?”

“The baby’s moving a lot so she can’t sleep well,” I said.

“It’s only four weeks now, then you’ll have your nights to yourself again.”

I glowered at Luca. “I get it. You’ll have the sleepless nights then because you have to raise our baby, no need to rub it in.”

Luca leaned back in the chair. “I see the pregnancy hormones are rubbing off on you.”

I didn’t say anything because I was a fucking mess right now and would only talk more bullshit if I opened my mouth.

“Matteo,” Luca said slowly. “It’s not like you and Gianna have to give the baby to us. If you’d rather keep it, then…”

“Then what? Then you’re happy? Is this your way of telling me that you don’t want to raise my fucking kid?”

Luca pushed to his feet and gripped me by the shirt, jerking me to my feet. I grabbed his wrist tightly. “Now listen up, you asshole,” he growled. “Stop twisting my words in my fucking mouth. I’ll raise your kid like my own if that’s what you and Gianna want.”