When we stepped into the mansion, Gianna and Matteo sat at the dining table, having breakfast. It was close to lunchtime so they’d probably slept in late, or rather fucked in late as usual. Gianna jumped up from her chair and hurried over to us. I released Aria. Before Gianna hugged her sister, she sent me a scathing look. “Are you okay? Did the brute treat you all right?”

I tensed. Did she fucking suggest I’d mistreated Aria? Even when I’d thought she’d fucked Dante, I hadn’t laid a hand on her. I’d killed and tortured people for far less. Aria gave me an apologetic look before I headed toward Matteo while she and her sister moved to the seating area and sat down.

Matteo clapped my shoulder. “Did you finally pull your head out of your ass?”

My eyes remained on Aria. I had trouble letting her out of my sight now that I had her back, now that I knew how vulnerable she was.

“What’s the matter with you? I thought you settled your fight.”

“We did.” I turned to Matteo, who was watching me cautiously. “Aria is pregnant with my child.”

Matteo’s eyes widened, his gaze swiveling to Aria then back to me. “You’re going to be a father?”

Could he have sounded any more shocked? I glared, then focused on Aria, who was placating Gianna from the looks of it.

“Maybe that was one of the reasons Dante let her go and chose the photo tactic to weaken you.”

I nodded. “Maybe. If I ever get my hands on him, I’ll ask him if he wanted me to kill my own wife.”

“He knew you wouldn’t kill her. He probably thought you’d risk a headless attack on his territory, on him, so he could kill you.”

I didn’t know Dante’s motives, but I’d give him an excruciating death if I ever caught him.

“How do you feel about becoming a father?”

I shrugged. “Our father wasn’t a role model.”

“No, that’s for sure,” Matteo muttered. We exchanged a long look. Our childhood had been a fucking ordeal. If we hadn’t had each other, we would have gone dipshit crazy.

“It’s a girl. It’ll make things easier,” I added.

Matteo smirked. “If she’s as beautiful as Aria, then we’ll have our hands full keeping men away.”

My lips curled into a hard smile. “Let them come.”

Matteo laughed, excitement flaring in his eyes at the prospect of blood, then he quieted and searched my eyes. In the first weeks after I’d received the photos of Dante and Aria, after I’d gone down the deep end and slaughtered the bikers, and more after that, he’d been worried. “I’m glad you didn’t go completely batshit crazy.”

I touched his shoulder. “That would have been your chance to become Capo.”

Matteo was alpha like me. He hated being told what to do, hated having to bow down to anyone. It had led to more than one torture session from our father. Yet he’d never used my moments of weakness to better his position.

“That you had my back rather than shoved a fucking knife into it, even though I gave you plenty of opportunity, Matteo—that I will never forget.”

Matteo gave a nod, then his mouth twisted in his annoying grin. “I can see the pregnancy hormones have already rubbed off on you.”

“Don’t hold your breath for sappy emotional outbursts, asshole.”

Matteo punched my stomach, but I tightened my muscles before the impact and didn’t make a sound. “I know you reserve those only for Aria.”

My eyes went over to Aria. She looked up and as always warmth settled in my body.

Matteo and Gianna had returned to New York with us two days ago. I knew it was because Matteo wanted to keep an eye on me and because Gianna wanted to keep an eye on her sister, but I honestly couldn’t care less why they had made their decision. Romero and Lily had been in New York already, because as a new Captain his presence was required, and Lily had to help Romero’s mother who had broken her leg. Aria was happy having her family around again. She and her sisters sat on the couch, browsing through baby magazines that Lily had brought.

As long as I didn’t have a second bodyguard for her, I wouldn’t let her leave the apartment unless I was with her.

“Maybe I can take over a few shifts,” Romero suggested.

I shook my head. I’d settled things with him and I would have preferred him to guard Aria again, but that was no longer an option. “You are Captain now, and you are a husband. That changes things.”

Romero’s eyes darted toward Lily, and I knew I couldn’t let him watch Aria. His priorities had shifted, and knowing the impact of love, I knew no threats would make him choose Aria’s life over Lily’s if it ever came down to it.

“What do you think of Demetrio?” I asked.

“He’s a good fighter, loyal, and unattached. There’s only the Famiglia for him,” Romero said, and his mouth set tight with guilt.

“He got Angelo for us, didn’t blink when you killed Gottardo.”

Demetrio had hated his father and his half-brothers. As a bastard son, he’d suffered living with them. He was grateful I had killed them.

“I’m considering making him Underboss of Washington if he proves himself.”

“The added incentive will definitely help,” Matteo said.

Romero nodded but didn’t look convinced. “He’s still young.”

“Twenty. You weren’t much older when you started guarding Aria.”

“Do you trust him with Aria?” Matteo asked.

My eyes moved to my wife, who was smiling at her sisters, her palm pressed against her belly.

“No. But I don’t have many options. I can’t guard her all the time. And I know Demetrio’s weakness. I will use it to keep him in line if I have to.”

Demetrio stepped into our gym, eyes cautious as they settled on Matteo and me. He usually worked with Orfeo, the son of one of my Captains, and it was obvious that he was wary of my reasons for calling him here. He was one of the few family members I could stand, though being a bastard he wasn’t even officially considered family. He had always been a loyal asset.

“Luca, Matteo,” he said carefully, stopping a few steps from us. His eyes took in my clothes with a frown. I had already changed into sweatpants, nothing else. No sense in getting blood on a shirt.

His gaze moved to the boxing ring behind me and tension filled his body. He was tall, Matteo’s height, but a couple of inches shorter than I, and not as muscled but that was a given.

I could see caution and a hint of worry in his eyes, but he didn’t reach for his gun or try to run. “You called for me?” His voice was firm and he met my gaze straight on.

I nodded, and took a step closer to him. He didn’t back off. “You’ve proven your loyalty in the last few years, and I’m considering making you Underboss of Washington.”

His eyes registered surprise. Washington was one of the most important cities in my territory and he was only the bastard son of my uncle Gottardo, not someone who was meant to inherit his father’s title—but he was someone who had never given me reason for distrust. Usually he would have become Captain, no more.

“It’s an honor,” he said. “What do I need to do to prove my worth?” Still caution and wariness.