The Sicilian's Secret Son

Luca glanced at his watch. ‘Couple of hours.’

‘I’ll collect them from the airport if you like,’ Ethan offered, always eager for an excuse to drive now that he was eighteen.

‘Thanks, sweetheart.’ Annah smiled. ‘That would be great.’

Eva and her husband lived in Rome, but they often travelled to Sicily for holidays and special occasions. Today they were arriving to spend Easter at the Cavallari Estate.

Eva had met Alberto through a mutual friend seven years ago, and the charming widower had courted her for eighteen months and then proposed.

Annah was thrilled for her mother-in-law. Alberto was a warm, kind-hearted man who loved Eva deeply. Their wedding joined a long list of family highlights that included the births of Siena, Leo, and Aria, and of course Annah and Luca’s own wedding a few months after she and Ethan had moved to Sicily.

Seeing Luca repair his relationship with Eva in those early years had inspired Annah to reconnect with her own mother. To her surprise, Rachel had tearfully embraced the opportunity to mend her relationship with her daughter. For Annah, moving forward had meant burying old hurts and finding forgiveness in her heart, but letting go of all that baggage had proven incredibly liberating.

As the children bantered with one another, Annah’s gaze found Luca’s again. He, too, had mastered the art of forgiveness, letting go of the ill feeling he’d harboured towards his mother and, more importantly, himself. While he would always mourn the loss of Enzo, he no longer blamed himself for his broth

er’s death.

He held her gaze, a slightly wicked smile curving one side of his mouth, and she knew he was thinking about their lovemaking in the shower that morning. Her pulse quickened. Fourteen years married and their chemistry was still electric.

Twenty minutes later, after the children had finished their breakfast and disappeared to do their own things, Luca moved to a chair close to Annah’s, reached for her hand, and tugged her into his lap.

Cupping his palm around the back of her head, he drew her lips down for a slow, lingering kiss. ‘I have an idea, dolcezza,’ he said against her mouth.

Smiling, her arms looped around his neck, she pulled back to look at him. ‘What?’

‘Let’s leave the kids with Mamma and Alberto and disappear for the weekend.’

She laughed and shook her head.

A look of mock-affront crossed his handsome features. ‘Not even tempted?’

She arched an eyebrow. ‘By a dirty weekend away with my husband? I’m tempted,’ she assured him. ‘But it’s Easter and everyone’s here. You know how much I love it when the family’s all together.’ She poked a fingertip against his chest. ‘And so do you.’

His lips quirked up. ‘Have I told you recently how much I love you?’

‘Mmm-hmm. Just this morning, in fact.’

He splayed his hand over her stomach, a teasing light entering his eyes. ‘Perhaps we made a bambino this morning?’

Annah pretended to scowl. ‘No more babies,’ she declared. ‘I’m too old—and we already have four beautiful children. Besides, I’m enjoying working again.’

Fourteen years ago Luca had placed the development of the winery restaurant and function venue in Annah’s hands. He’d given support and advice when she’d sought it, but otherwise trusted her and the winery manager to run with the venture and make it a resounding success—which they had. Annah had loved every minute of it and kept her hand in right up until Aria was born, at which point, with four children to keep her on her toes, she’d decided to devote herself to full-time motherhood for a while.

Now she was enjoying turning her hand to business again. In particular, working more closely with the foundation she and Mia had established. In conjunction with local businesses, they ran programmes to get vulnerable teens off the streets and into legitimate work or vocational training before they were lured into a life of crime they couldn’t escape. Motivated by the tragic story of Luca’s brother and also by the troubled teen who’d held Luca at gunpoint all those years ago, Annah and Mia had wanted to prevent other youths from stumbling down that same dark road.

Annah leaned in and pressed her mouth against Luca’s, her chest swelling with the force of her emotions. Her feelings for her husband ran so deep they frightened her sometimes. But in those occasional moments when she felt overwhelmed by how much she adored and needed this man, she reminded herself she was stronger with Luca than without him.

And that wasn’t weakness.

That was love.

* * *

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