Page 124 of Stolen Seconds

On my last day in Russia, my father was done giving me space and barged into my room, refusing to let me leave until we had made amends. He swore that he wouldn’t let anything or anyone harm Nico while I was gone. And I chose to believe that because whether I liked it or not, I knew I could trust him in that regard.

After all, Nicolai would be the nextPakhanof the Bratva.

And now Luca and I were back in Italy, our first stop to the Mancini household.

Roman had opened the door for us, his murderous gaze settling on Luca immediately before grasping him by the neck and forcing him into a room.

I guess Nico shared the news with him sooner than I expected.

Walking past the foyer and down the hall, I’d reached the living room.

There was a sort of melancholy being back here and after all that happened, I couldn’t quite pinpoint it.

I stopped near the entrance, almost afraid to see my best friend. The last time I’d seen her, she was in early labor.

“Are you done hogging my nephew?” Enzo’s voice drifted toward me, and I peered around the corner to see him take the baby from a scowling Evangeline.

“It wouldn’t kill you to ask nicely,” she replied back before taking a seat on the couch.

“It might.”

Enzo was as bitter as ever and it could only mean one thing, Sofia was still in rehab.

“Irina. . . ”

My head snapped to the right, heart dropping when my gaze landed on Aurora, her mouth parted in shock.

A whimper fell from my lips as I rushed toward her, her cinnamon scent relieving me of all the heartache as I hugged her tightly.

“You left without telling me,” she whispered against my neck, her voice cracking.

Confusion set in at her accusation.

Unless no one had told her what really happened to me that night. It made sense if they didn’t. Relief flooded through me, and I smiled to myself. The last thing I wanted was to stress her out more than I already had.

“I’ll never do it again.” I pulled back and caught her green eyes. “I’m sorry.”

“Good because I really want you to meet Aro.” She half sobbed, half laughed as she grabbed my hand and led us inside the room.

“Oh God, Irina.” Eva clung to me as if my absence had jarred her. “I’m so glad you’re alive,” she said to my ears alone.

“Thanks to your brother,” I replied. Even if that bullet had taken my life, I’d felt more alive with Luca than I ever did before him.

She peeled away from me; her expression filled with sympathy I didn’t deserve.

“Survived death once again I see,” Enzo said with a hint of amusement.

I nervously looked at Aurora, hoping she wouldn’t decipher the meaning behind her brother’s words before Roman walked in my direction with Luca in tow. “Don’t be dramatic, Enzo,” Roman chided before reaching me. He leaned forward and placed a kiss atop my head. “Welcome home, Irina.”

Instant affection flooded my chest. I’d been seeking for the love of a family all along when it already surrounded me, and it was all I needed.

“And don’t speak of death near my child.” Roman took little Aro into his arms and stared down at him with the same devotion that he’d only ever shown to one other person. His wife.

“Not your turn, husband.” Aurora swept in and stole their son from his embrace, and her voice rose a few octaves as she said, “You ready to meet Auntie Irina?”

I hadn’t even held the little one yet and the urge to cry was extreme.What the hell was wrong with me?

Aro was fast asleep as his mother passed him to me. I stared in awe at the bundle of joy whose nose was as cute as a button and had more hair than a newborn should, black waves covering his head.

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