Page 54 of Deadly Don's Baby Contract

I eye him out with suspicion. "So it took her getting shot for you to come to your senses."

"You pushed me," Marco says. "You took my bride, got her pregnant, married her..."

"Not in that order," I comment, sipping my coffee. "Sometimes things just feel right, and Aria and I together is the right thing, Marco."

"I see that now, and I accept it." He sips his coffee. "I want to make things right."

"We're moving out of the mansion," I say quietly. "I want our own home where we can raise our family."

"Fair enough, my niece or nephew's going to need a nice estate to grow up on," Marco says.

I nod. "I've got one in mind. It's outside of the city, more in the suburbs. It has a vineyard."

"Whatever you want, the family will get it for you," Marco says, downing his coffee.

I nod and drain my own cup. "I'm going back. They're waking her up today."

"Good luck. Keep us posted."

I nod and walk back to her room, visible from far because of the two guards that stand outside of it.

I sit back in my chair and take Aria's hand, lacing our fingers together. The wait for the doctors feels like an eternity, but soon enough, they come in.

"We'll need you to step back, Mr. Morelli," the doctor says.

I step up and back, but I stay in the room. They fuss over her, taking her vitals and checking on her before they inject something into her IV that's running into her arm.

I wait with bated breath. A small groan escapes her lips, and I feel a rush of relief. I almost want to collapse on the floor as her eyes flutter open, and she tries to keep them open. She closes them again.

"Franco." her voice is strained, but I push my way to her bed and take her hand.

"I'm here, Aria. I'm here." I kiss her fingertips. "It's going to be okay."

She swallows and licks her dry lips. I pour her a glass of water and put a straw in it, holding it to her lips. She takes a sip and rests back. "I'm so tired."

"You were shot," I say quietly. "You've been out for days."

"The baby..." she opens her eyes to look at me, disorientated.

I smile. "That baby is going to be fine. The doctors are keeping an eye on the baby. You don't have to stress."

She nods and closes her eyes. "I want to sleep."

"Rest," I say quietly. "I'm not going anywhere."

She dozes off, and I smile proudly. "She's a Morelli, that's for sure."

I visit her every day. She steadily grows stronger and soon is walking around the hospital with me, her IV in tow.

As her arm begins to heal and her body gets stronger, the doctors recommend that Aria start physiotherapy in order to regain full mobility in the injured arm.

"Will it be painful?" I ask her doctor.

"Unfortunately." She finishes her check-up and looks happy with Aria's progress. "You rest now, mommy. You've done very well." She tells Aria before helping her to lay back down. For all my poking and prodding, I have to admit that they've treated her exceptionally well. I know I irritate them with my incessant questions and protectiveness, but they're too professional to show it. They're probably used to it when it comes to partners and spouses.

She turns her attention back to me and indicates for me to follow her out. She turns to Aria.

"I'm just going to give your husband an update on your progress, put his mind at ease." She rolls her eyes, and Aria laughs. The two of them seem to have a kind of camaraderie with me as the "indulged hubby." It makes me feel better somehow that at least one of the doctors doesn't just see her as a mafia wife.

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