Page 26 of Unrelenting (Ruthless Temptations #1)

Lorenzo

Watching my son, Luca, running up and down the rows of vines, I feel a contentment I never dreamed of. He’s the image of his beautiful mother with the same deep brown eyes.

Even before he turned one, he mastered her disapproving scowl, the one she gives me when I’m encouraging our son’s natural cockiness or indulging my own.

Lucia strolls along beside me, our daughter Daisy on her hip. Her insistence on an English name raised a few eyebrows among our friends and family, but I like it.

My daughter is small and delicate like a flower but beneath it lies a fearsome spirit. This girl will conquer the world one day.

“Should he be doing that?” Lucia’s tone is stern as she motions toward our son who’s pulling grapes off the vine and stomping on them.

“Luca!” I shout in warning. He pouts, letting me know he’s angry I spoiled his fun.

Then he takes off running again. The boy may look like his mother but his personality is all me.

He’s energetic and unrelenting in pursuit of what he wants.

I turn to my wife of five years. “He wasn’t really doing any harm. ”

Naturally, Lucia doesn’t see it that way. “He was being destructive.” She sighs. “He needs an outlet for all that energy.”

“I could teach him to fight.”

To my surprise, my wife nods. “That could work.”

I turn to her. “What happened to the woman who couldn’t stand violence?”

“I’m not asking you to teach him to hurt people.”

“You realize that’s an inevitable consequence of fighting?”

“Yes, but you can teach him not to use his skills unless necessary and he’s only four. He’s not going to hurt anyone yet.”

I scoff at that. “Tell that to my balls.” The little devil head-butted me in the crotch two nights ago and my eyes still water when I recall the pain.

“Are you still griping about that?” Lucia grins. “I kissed it better, didn’t I?”

Wrapping an arm around her shoulders, I kiss the top of her head. “Yes you did.”

Lucia glances back toward the visitor center. “We should head back. I promised Nicolo I’d try his new amaretto trifle or whatever it is.”

Nicolo has been running the restaurant, which bears my wife’s name, since it opened. There hasn’t been a single night it hasn’t been fully booked, and that’s largely thanks to his incredible desserts, which have become world famous.

Lucia gave him free rein over the pastry section while she oversees the main menu. Her former junior chef, Davide, now handles the bulk of the cooking, using fresh produce from our extensive kitchen garden.

My wife now does only the occasional shift here and at the rebuilt Gianetta’s, which Suki runs for her.

Despite some challenges from the Rossinis, who sought retribution for Adriano’s death, and issues with other mob families, I’ve largely been able to keep my promise to keep my Mafia business away from my personal life.

“Luca! We’re going back now,” I call. A moment later he zips past us, heading up the hill. “Watch out for…”

“Cars!” he shouts back. “Yes, Papa, I know.”

I roll my eyes. “That kid will be the death of me.” I pinch my daughter’s chubby cheek. “You won’t give Papa problems, will you, sweetie?”

“Wait until she’s a teenager,” Lucia says. “She’ll turn your hair gray.”

I close my eyes, dreading the thought. “What if she’s another Olivia?”

“Your cousin turned out alright.”

“Eventually,” I admit.

As the hill gets steeper, I take Daisy from my wife and settle her in my arms. She’s not exactly a heavy one year old, but I don’t want Lucia to struggle up the path.

Ahead of us, Luca runs into the building. I don’t have to worry about him.. We live mainly in the city but stay out here regularly enough that the staff all know him.

“I hope this dessert isn’t too boozy,” Lucia says as we near the top of the hill.

“No? I thought you liked a dessert with a bit of a kick.”

“I do, but I’m not sure he will.”

Confused, I furrow my brow. “Who? Nicolo?”

Lucia shakes her head and gives me that indulgent look that says I’m being dense. She takes my hand and lays it on her stomach that’s been slightly curvier since she had the kids.

“No, him.”

Realization dawns. My eyes widen in wonder as I gaze at my beautiful wife. She was an absolute warrior when she gave birth to our two children, but we’d talked about waiting a few years before adding to our family.

“I thought you were on birth control.”

Lucia throws her hands up in the air despairingly. “I was.” She chews nervously on her bottom lip. “Are you happy?”

“Happy?” It’s not a big enough word. “I’m ecstatic, gattina . How do you know it’s a boy?”

“I don’t. It just feels more like it did with Luca than with Daisy.”

Pulling her close, I kiss her, reveling in the warmth of her soft pink lips until Daisy starts to squirm, reminding me she’s there. I smile and lift her onto my shoulders, then kiss Lucia once more.

“We should have an early night.” My wife’s eyes sparkle with mischief and desire. “Celebrate our news.”

“Whatever you want, gattina . I’m yours to do with as you will.”

She laughs, but it’s true. Anything this woman wants, she can have. From the moment I first saw Lucia, I was hers and I always will be.

The End