I almost sagged with relief. A girl. A little version of Aria. Not a boy who would harbor my darkness, a darkness I would have to encourage to help him survive in the Famiglia.

Aria squeezed my hand and I turned to her. She smiled. I gave her a small nod, feeling the eyes of the doctor on me. “It would be good if your wife got as much relaxation as possible. The baby is still growing but if she keeps losing weight, we might have to admit her to the hospital to be safe.”

I gave a terse nod. “She will gain weight, don’t worry.”

We headed to our penthouse after the appointment. Aria was too tired for the hour-long drive back to the Hamptons, and I had a feeling she wanted to return to our apartment. She had spent almost all of her time in the Hamptons over the last few weeks.

I could tell how happy she was to be back as she strode out onto the rooftop and let her gaze glide over the skyline. I came up behind her and wrapped my arms around her waist, still stunned by her bump. “How about we order sushi and lounge on the couch?”

She gave me a look. “Sushi? Aren’t your forgetting something?” She rested her hand over mine.

I didn’t get it.

She laughed. “Men are so clueless. I’m not allowed to eat raw fish or raw meat, and it’s best not to order anything uncooked in case the restaurant doesn’t wash their products enough.”

“If I told them to wash them, they would, trust me,” I said. If something happened to Aria or our daughter because anyone messed up, I’d show them that monsters walked the Earth.

“I know.” She turned around in my embrace, touching my cheek. “My big bad mobster.”

I choked on a laugh. Aria was the only one who would joke about it. I leaned down, making my voice the deadly whisper I used when people displeased me. “I am bad, and worse, I am Capo.”

Aria shivered but definitely not from fear. She wrapped her arms around my middle and pressed her face against my chest. “God, I missed this.”

I stroked her silky hair then followed her spine down to the soft swell of her ass. She shivered again and moved even closer.

“You need to eat,” I said, even if my cock had other plans. She nodded, but didn’t move. “How about pasta? That can’t be bad for the baby, right?”

“Gnocchi à la Genovese for me,” she said without hesitation. “And perhaps one of those delicious almond cakes. You are ordering at Da Daniele’s?”

I smiled. “Of course.”

Forty minutes later we settled on the couch in the living area with our ordered food, Aria in one of my white shirts, and I in only gray sweatpants and a shirt. I opened the boxes and spooned a small heap of gnocchi on Aria’s plate. “Do you want a bite of my ossobuco?”

She eyed the meat then quickly shook her head. “I don’t think I can eat it.”

I held her plate out to her and she took it and settled back against the couch, her bare legs tugged under her body. She smelled her food hesitantly. Watching her, I dug into my own dish.

Aria picked up the fork and took a bite of her gnocchi, then smiled. “It seems okay.”

I was finished with my main course, the focaccia and the tapenade before Aria had even eaten half of her plate and the box was still half full of gnocchi. Feeling my gaze on her, she glanced up. “You don’t have to watch me. I can eat.” She smiled to soften her words.

“Not enough,” I said. I stroked her knee. “Come on, principessa. Don’t make me force-feed you.”

She sighed. “I’m worried I’ll get sick if I eat too fast.”

“Perhaps you need to stop worrying about it.” I paused. “Was the doctor right? Did you feel sick because of our fight?”

Aria swallowed another bite before she put down the plate on her lap. “I don’t know. Perhaps? You are the most important person in my life. You are the father of our baby girl and I couldn’t confide in you for so long. It hurt, hurt worse than anything ever had.”

“Fuck,” I muttered. Remorse still was a strange sensation, unfamiliar in my body.

“It was my fault, too, Luca. I should have realized how you’d take my going to Chicago without your permission. As you said, I know what kind of man you are.”

“A possessive, controlling asshole?” And that wasn’t even the worst of my character traits, but Aria knew, she knew and loved me despite it all.

“Yes,” she said with a small smile. “And the man I love with all my heart.” She touched the spot over my heart. “Mine.”

“Only yours. Always.”

She brought another bite of gnocchi to her lips and ate it. Her voice became very soft when she spoke again. “Did you ever waver?”

“Waver?”

“Grace. Or other women.”

Her shoulders were tense.

“No,” I said firmly. “All I could think of was your smile.” And it was the fucking truth. I was completely whipped when it came to Aria.

“And you?” I couldn’t keep the growl out of my voice.

Aria actually threw her head back and laughed her bell-like laugh. She took another bite then filled her plate with the rest of her dish. “I wouldn’t even know how to flirt with a man, Luca. You are the only man I can imagine being close to. It’s like your possessiveness flipped a switch in my brain and made me incapable of tolerating any other man’s closeness.”

I smirked, and Aria huffed. She took another bite. I had to stifle a smile. She didn’t even notice how much she was eating.

I reached for the remote control and turned on the stereo. Soft music began playing from the speakers, and then a deep male voice started singing. Aria’s eyes flashed with recognition; it was her favorite album by Rag’n’Bone Man. She beamed, that fucking perfect slow smile taking over her gorgeous face. How had I gone eight weeks without it? Without her?

She put down her plate, regarding me, seriousness banishing her smile. “Promise me we won’t ever fight again for so long. I don’t think I can survive it again.”

I opened my arms and she climbed on my lap, wrapping my neck in a tight embrace. “I promise, and you promise me to never go behind my back again, no matter what it is. You going to Chicago alone, it was suicidal.”

“I know,” she said quietly. “It was because of Fabi. He called me the night you left for New York.”

It was betrayal. If Dante found out, he would have to put Fabi down.

Aria’s voice shook as she continued, “My father is cruel to him. He is beating Fabi, and I’m so worried he will do worse. I wanted to help him. That’s all.”

I got it. Aria couldn’t help herself. But Fabi was an initiate. He would experience, and do worse than a beating. “Did you see him?”

She shook her head. “I failed him.”

“He wouldn’t have come to New York with you. He is loyal to the Outfit.” Aria swallowed hard. I stroked her back, wanting to set her at ease. She had been upset for too long. “Fabi is strong. He won’t have any trouble surviving in the Outfit.”

And if he wasn’t strong enough, I hoped Aria would never find out.

“Can’t there be peace again?” Aria begged me with her eyes, but this was something I couldn’t give her.