Page 33 of Shattered King

Luca

F iorella hisses with pain as she limps up the stairs and through my front door. “Come here, let me help you.”

“No, seriously, I’m fine?—”

I take her weight anyway. “Did anyone look at that ankle?”

“I didn’t say anything.”

I sigh and shake my head. “We were at a hospital. It’s what they do.”

“I didn’t want to distract anyone from Raf.”

That’s fair and understandable, but still. I hate the idea that my wife was in pain but nobody was helping her. I sweep her into my arms, making her yelp in surprise, and carry her up the steps and into our bathroom. I set her down on the edge of the tub and start to draw a bath.

“Strip,” I command and start going through the cabinets looking for my first aid kit.

“I don’t think I need to be naked for you to check my ankle. Also, where did you get your medical degree again?”

“The school of take off your fucking clothes, Fio.”

“I really doubt they’re accredited.” She grins at me, but she does as I ask.

I find decent medical wrap and pause to watch her wearily strip off her black top and black jeans, tossing them into a pile on the floor.

She shimmies out of her underwear and unhooks her bra, and my god, even after the fucking hell of a day we just had, I can’t stop looking at my wife.

She’s absolutely divine. A fucking goddess.

I’m just glad she didn’t see that nightmare in her dead father’s house.

I help her slip into the tub. She leans back with a satisfied sigh, slipping under the warm water.

I keep thinking about the pile of bodies, all those old men fucking murdering each other, right there under their former Don’s roof.

I found Raf in the middle of it all, wounded in his chest, barely breathing. But still alive.

“You just going to stare or are you going to get in here too?” She smiles a little, her eyes still closed.

“How’d you know I was staring at you?”

“Because you always do when I get naked.” Her eyebrows raise. “Don’t worry, it’s flattering.”

“Guess I can’t help myself with you.” I undress and join her. The hot water feels good and helps soothe some of the bad knots in my muscles. I take her feet in my lap and lightly prod at her twisted ankle. “How’s that feel?”

“Not great but not terrible.”

“Probably just sprained, but I might take you to get imaging done if it doesn’t start to feel better soon.”

“Sure, Dr. Luca, whatever you say.”

“Come here.” I adjust so that her back is leaning against my chest. My dick’s only partially hard, but it still presses against her ass. She doesn’t seem to mind, though.

I rub her shoulders and knead the muscles around her neck.

She lets out a satisfied sigh of pleasure, and we sit in quiet for a while.

I think about the shooting, how close she got to getting hurt, and how she was all I could think about in those moments.

Protect Fio. Keep her safe . I was ready to die for her if that’s what it took.

But now the situation is a fucking mess. Raf thought those men were going to raise him to the head of his Famiglia; instead, they’re all fucking dead, and he’s on life support. The doctors think he’ll pull through, but he’s not going to be leading anything for a while.

Which leaves everything wide open for Corrado.

All that old bastard has to do is step in and take control. I’m sure the remaining Capos are all freaking out as news spreads of what happened. The Don is dead, his son is dying, and four of the most powerful members of their organization slaughtered each other.

It’s the goddamn worst-case scenario. And if Raf doesn’t make it?

I have a feeling we’ll go full nuclear.

“Luca?” Fiorella sounds calm and sleepy.

I hold her tighter, leaning down to kiss her neck.

I don’t want to think about the mess we’re in and all the blood it’ll take to dig our way back out.

I want to feel my wife against my chest. I want to comfort her and try to find some way to drag her back into the light.

Today’s been hard for her, and I need to be harder still. I have to be her rock.

“Yeah, mia cara ?”

“I need to tell you something.” She turns, the water sloshing around us, until we’re facing each other. There are tears in her eyes, but she’s smiling, and a strange bubbling feeling fills my stomach. It’s part dread, part terror.

“What’s wrong?”

“I should’ve told you right away, but I’ve had this plan for a long time.

Ever since I was young, honestly. Since the whole panic room thing happened.

I thought one day I’d get enough money, and I’d leave this city behind.

I wanted to fix up the Spider, then hit the road with Elisa.

I was going to steal from you to make it happen. ”

My eyebrows slowly raise. “You do know I would’ve come after you, right?”

She grins back, blinking as the tears roll down her cheeks. I don’t understand what’s happening, but I’m not surprised by this. I could tell from the second we met that she wasn’t going to sit still for anything. No big surprise she wanted to run away.

“It doesn’t matter now. All my plans are changed.” Her hand moves to her belly. I stare at it, slightly distorted through the water. “I was going to run, but I don’t want to anymore. I want this . I want you .”

“I want this, and I want you too.” I reach out and wipe a tear away. “But why are you so upset? Did you think I’d be angry? You can try to run as much as you want, but I’d always bring you back. You’re my wife. You’re all mine.”

“I know that. But I’m more than just your wife.” She leans in, her lips brushing against mine as she whispers in my ear. “Luca, I’m pregnant.”

I jerk back in total shock.

She’s smiling and crying, and a thousand feelings burst through my body all at once.

My wife is pregnant, she’s carrying my child, I’m going to be a father.

I take her hands as the most intense and pure joy I’ve ever felt before in my life bursts down along my spine and fills me up with an incredible glow.

“This is fucking incredible,” I say, kissing her again and again.

I kiss away her tears. I kiss her while she laughs.

“This is good, this is so good. You’re fucking pregnant!

We’re having a baby! We’re making a family!

” I laugh with her, overjoyed, and pull her into my arms, not caring if water sloshes over the edge of the tub.

I kiss her and kiss her, and I can’t believe this is happening.

“I was so worried about how you might react,” she says, grinning madly, so beautiful and flushed pink from heat and joy. “But this isn’t what I guessed.”

“Did you think I’d be angry? Disappointed? Anything but absolutely fucking crazy with happiness?”

“I guess so.”

“Then you were wrong.” I squeeze her face and kiss her.

“You are fucking perfect, Fiorella. And you are all mine.” We kiss for a good long time, tasting each other, enjoying this perfect, blissful moment, and I almost keep myself in check.

I almost manage to enjoy it for more than a few minutes without spiraling into bad thoughts.

I almost make it, but then I’m picturing my poor dead aunt, all the dead bodies I’ve left in my wake, how many of those were my fault, and how much suffering I’ve caused, and I know what’s coming with her family.

The civil war is going to be bloody, and she’s going to be a target.

Even worse than she was before. Now it’ll be both Fiorella and our baby in the crosshairs.

“I need something from you,” I say as we’re getting out. I towel her off gently and kiss her belly. She laughs and swats me away.

“What is it?” She frowns when I look her in the eye. “You’re getting all serious. What’s wrong?”

“Things are going to get bad,” I say softly.

She wriggles away and wraps the towel around her. “I don’t want to talk about this right now.”

“It’s important, mia cara .” I follow her into the room. She pulls on her clothes. I manage to get on underwear and a pair of sweats. “If Corrado wanted you dead before, you better believe he’s coming twice as hard now.”

“Then isn’t Elisa in danger too?” She glares at me from across the room. “She’s still back at the hospital.”

“She can come stay with me then. I’ll make sure she’s safe. But, baby, you have to go.”

Her mouth drops open. “What are you talking about?”

“You need to leave the city. Corrado’s going to take control of the Serrano operations while Raf is in the hospital. Then he’s going to come after you and your brother. You two are the biggest threats to him.”

“I’m not going anywhere. I just told you I wanted to run, but I’m not running anymore.”

“Fiorella, listen to me. This isn’t just about you and me anymore. It’s about our baby and our family.”

“I’m not leaving.” She glares at me, and anger swells in my guts. This girl can be so damn stubborn sometimes. I love it about her, except for when it gets in the way. “You don’t get it. I made up my mind. It was so freaking hard to come to this decision, and now you want me to throw that away?”

“This isn’t running. This is going into hiding until I can take care of your murderous fucking uncle.”

“Oh, what, you’re stepping in now? You’re taking over?”

“I’m the only one that can while Raf is down. I’ll push back against Corrado. I’ll keep him from taking complete control of the Serrano assets. And when Raf comes back, he’ll take the mantle of Don.”

“Then you’ll do that with me by your side.”

“Fio—”

“No, Luca. You need me. You can’t just start a war, right?

Everyone will see an outsider killing Serrano soldiers, and they’ll turn against you hard.

It’ll be so much worse. But if I’m here, I can help.

They know me. There are still Capos that respected my father and will be on my brother’s side. I can help get them together.”

I shake my head, walking toward her. “Not an option. You’re leaving the city.”

“That’s not happening. I’m staying.” She stands her ground as I approach, glaring at me defiantly.

God, she’s so fucking beautiful, and she pisses me off so much.

“This is my family. I spent so long feeling bitter toward them for what happened to me and Elisa, but now I’m starting to understand it was just a bullshit accident.

I don’t have to hate them anymore. I can move on and try to make this family better. ”

“I won’t let you put yourself in danger.”

“Then protect me.” She puts her hands on my chest as I stop right in front of her. I hold her hips, heart racing. This isn’t how I wanted this to go.

“I’m afraid I can’t. I don’t… in the past…” I stare at her, pain from the jagged scars deep inside my heart ripping open all over again.

“The past is gone,” she whispers, getting on her toes to kiss me. “I don’t know what happened. I don’t know what you think you might’ve done or maybe didn’t do. All I know is we’re here right now, and the family needs me. I can’t run away.”

Fuck.

I lean my forehead against hers.

I hate it, but she has a point. If I fight this war without her, it’ll look like the Marino Famiglia’s pulling off a violent coup.

The other families might not like that, and the Serrano Capos will definitely revolt.

But if she’s the one making calls and having conversations and pulling strings, then it could work.

All I have to do is keep her safe. I have to trust myself in a way that I haven’t in a very long time.

It kills me. This is my wife and my child. They’re my everything, and if I let her stay, she’ll dive straight into the fire. That’s the kind of woman she is, and it’s part of what I love about her.

“Together then,” I whisper, bending down to kiss her. “Because I love you, Fiorella. I love you and our baby.”

She kisses me back, leaning in hard, her taste flooding my mouth. I hold her body tight, and fuck, this might be the hardest thing I’ve ever done in my life, but doing it with her feels almost easy.

“I love you too,” she says and grins at me. “Maybe we can get back in the bath? You know, to celebrate?”

“What’s the occasion?”

“Killing our enemies.”

“My favorite.”