Page 45 of Tormented Hearts

The doctor, sensing the weight of the moment, smiles gently. "I’ll give you two some privacy," she says softly before quietly slipping out of the room.

As the door clicks shut, the silence in the room becomes almost deafening. Phoenix’s mind is spinning, a million thoughts and fears racing through her all at once. She has never expected this—not now, not with everything else going on. And as the reality of it begins to sink in, a wave of fear washes over her.

She was going to have a baby. A baby with Luca.

Luca sits back in his chair, running a hand through his hair as he tries to wrap his mind around the news. A baby. Phoenix was pregnant. The thought sends a jolt of emotion through him—something he hadn’t expected. He had spent so much of his life focused on power, on control, on maintaining his empire. A family had never been part of the plan, and yet now, in this moment, everything had shifted.

His gaze drifted to Phoenix, who was sitting in stunned silence beside him. He could see the fear in her eyes, the uncertainty, and it broke his heart. He had vowed to protect her, to shield her from the dangers of his world, but now... now they had something even more precious to protect.

Luca reaches out, gently taking her hand in his once again. "Phoenix," he whispers, his voice low but filled with emotion. "I didn’t expect this, but..." He trails off, searching for the right words.

Phoenix looks at him, her eyes glassy with unshed tears. "Neither did I," she admits, her voice trembling. "I don’t even know how to feel right now."

Luca’s heart clenches at the vulnerability in her voice, he pulls her off her chair and onto his lap, wrapping his arms around her as she leans into him. "It’s okay," he murmurs, pressing a kiss to the top of her head. "We’ll figure this out. Together."

Phoenix closes her eyes, letting herself melt into his embrace. She can feel the steady rhythm of his heartbeat beneath her cheek, and for a moment, it grounds her, makes her feel less like the world is spinning out of control. But the questions, the fears, were still there, lingering just beneath the surface.

"I’m scared," she whispers, her voice barely audible. "What kind of life will our child have? In this world? In your world?"

Luca’s grip tightens around her, his jaw clenches as he considers her words. He knows exactly what she means. His life—the world of the mafia—wasn’t a safe one. It wasn’t the kind of world where children grew up without fear, without danger. But now that he knew they were going to have a baby, something inside him shifted.

"I’ll protect you both," Luca promises firmly, his voice filled with conviction. "I don’t care what I have to do. I’ll make sure you and our child are safe."

Phoenix looks up at him, her green eyes filled with a mix of hope and doubt. "Can we really be safe, Luca? In this life?"

Luca’s heart aches at her question. He wants to promise her the world, to tell her that everything will be okay, that their child will grow up without ever knowing the darkness that surrounds them. But he knows better than to make promises he can’t keep.

"I don’t know," he admits softly, his voice raw with honesty. "But I’m going to do everything I can to make sure you are."

Phoenix’s eyes fill with tears, she leans up to kiss him, her lips trembling against his. It isn’t just about them anymore. It was about something much bigger—something neither of them had planned for but now had to face together.

PHOENIX 23

Over the next few days, the reality of the pregnancy began to sink in for both Phoenix and Luca. Phoenix found herself constantly touching her stomach, still unable to fully comprehend that a life was growing inside her. She hadn’t even had time to think about what this meant for her future, for her relationship with Luca, and yet it was happening, whether she was ready or not.

Luca, on the other hand, was consumed by the need to protect. His instincts had always driven him to shield those he cared about from harm, but now it was different. Now, he wasn’t just protecting Phoenix—he was protecting their child. And that changed everything.

One morning, as they sit together in the penthouse, Phoenix turns to Luca, her voice soft but serious. "What are we going to do?" she asks, her fingers absentmindedly tracing circles on her stomach. "I mean... how do we raise a child in the middle of all this?"

Luca’s jaw tightens, he leans forward, resting his elbows on his knees as he thinks about her question. It wasn’t something he had ever considered before. His life had always been dangerous, filled with risks and enemies lurking in the shadows. But now, with a baby on the way, he knew things had to change.

"We’ll figure it out," Luca promises after a long pause, his voice quiet but resolute. "I’ll make sure the world I’ve built doesn’t touch you or our child."

Phoenix raises an eyebrow, her expression sceptical. "How, Luca? You’re the head of the Tempo family. That life—it’s dangerous. How can you separate it from us?"

Luca turns to face her, his eyes dark and serious. "I’ll keep you both away from it. We can move to the country, somewhere far from Palermo. I’ll set up protection around you. You won’t have to be involved in any of it."

Phoenix frowns, uncertainty gnawing at her. "But you’ll still be involved, won’t you? You’ll still be part of that world."

Luca sighs, running a hand through his hair. "I have responsibilities, Phoenix. But I can limit my involvement. I can distance myself."

Phoenix’s heart aches at the thought. She knows how much Luca has sacrificed to get to where he was, how much power he held. Could he really walk away from all of that? Could he truly separate himself from the world that had shaped him?

"I don’t want you to lose yourself," Phoenix whispers. "I just... I want our child to have a chance at a normal life."

Luca’s eyes soften, he reaches out, taking her hand in his. "Our child will have a normal life," he promises, his voice filled with quiet determination. "I’ll make sure of it."

As the days pass, Phoenix and Luca begin to adjust to the idea of becoming parents. Phoenix’s fears still linger, but with Luca by her side, she feels a growing sense of hope. They had faced so many challenges together already—surely, they could face this one too.

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