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“Because I couldn’t face it without you.”

Her words hit like a wrecking ball through every defense I thought I had. “Christ. Come here, baby.”

She moves before my words are fully out—like she’s been waiting for them. When she throws herself across my chest, I hold in a grunt of pain and release a sigh of relief.

This was the hell I faced as I bled out on that cold kitchen floor. Never holding this woman again. My arm finally cooperates as I wrap it around her, pulling her even closer.

“Fine, Caden, do it then,” she whispers against my neck. “Love me the way you want.”

A chuckle escapes me, broken by everything I feel as I press my lips to her hair. “I couldn’t stop if I wanted to.”

Dante approaches, breaking the moment. “Here.” He places a single white lily on the bedside. “It’s from my wife. She even wrote you a love note, too, jackass, but I draw the line at reading it to you.” Dante then holds a card up about a foot from my face.

The words are blurry, but since Dante isn’t about to bring it any closer, I squint to make out the words.

This is redemption, Cade Quinn. Try not to re-entangled in religion.

Luna looks between me and the note, catching my shock, her own eyes wide with surprise.

Addy must have worked out who I was. She’s a forensic analyst after all, and obsessed with serial murders. And trust Addy to say more with one flower than most people manage in a lifetime of words.

I give Dante a curt nod. “Tell her I understand.”

“Good. And that’s our cue to fuck off.” Dante nods at the envelope tangled between Luna and me. “We’ll let you two open your little present.”

Luna doesn’t even look up; she just crumples the envelope and launches it in the general direction of the bin. “I don’t even want to look at that thing anymore.”

Dante stills. “Excuse me?”

Luna’s fingers slip into my hair, her lips stroking over the pulse point in my neck. “I don’t care about the results. I got tested for you, Cade. I was . . . well, too proud to admit it earlier.”

My free hand finds her face, tilting it up so I can look into her eyes—clear, fierce, and so full of love I’m drowning in it.

My lips pull into a smile. “Well, shit. If it isn’t my little princess finally learning how to trust.”

She huffs out a shaky laugh. “I had to. You’re not exactly gentle with your lessons, Tarzan.”

I bring her face to mine, until we’re nose to nose, and just breathe her in.

Dante clears his throat. “Sorellina,you and Quinn might be caught in your wonderful bubble, but Nico and me, we’re gonna need to know about that genetics report.”

Luna hesitates a beat, then with a careless flick of her wrist, says, “Go ahead.”

My brows arch in surprise at how much she already trusts the Vitellis.

Dante bends to retrieve the crumpled envelope and tears it open, the sound unnaturally loud as the rest seem to hold their breath.

I watch Dante’s face as he reads, then passes the report to Nico whose expression might as well be carved from stone. And then they turn to leave—classic Vitelli, handling shit quietly.

“Wait. Hold on.” Luna whirls back. “You’re not going to say anything?”

“Not if you don’t want to know,” Dante shrugs.

Luna hesitates for a heartbeat. “Fine. Just say it.”

Dante sighs watching my face like a hawk as he announces. “I’m sorry.It’s positive.”

The word lands like a final piece clicking into place. Sophie gasps. Luna freezes, then settles against my neck, hot tears soaking through the thin hospital gown.