Page 55 of Dark Promise

“Five cats,” Dante adds, smirking. “An army of cats to rival your enemy’s.”

“An army needs a general,” Luca chimes in, his tone dry. “Better make it six.”

“All the cats, as far as the eyes can see,” Cassio says.

“That’s a lot of litter boxes,” Luca says. “I read that you’re supposed to have one for each cat plus an extra. So seven litter boxes.” He glances at Leo. “You’ll need to hire someone just to deal with all the cat shit.”

Nicole blinks. “Not a cat. Not now, anyway…” She pauses, her expression turning serious. “We’re having a baby.”

There’s silence for one…two…three seconds. Because Nicole has gone from trying to kill Leo, in the most literal sense, to carrying his baby in the span of just a few months, and everyone at this table knows it. We also know that she almost died taking a bullet for him. So, yeah, redemption and forgiveness is a thing.

Damian lets out a low whistle, and Alina’s eyes widen with delight.

“A baby?” I say, my voice filled with surprise and joy. “You’re having a baby?”

Nicole nods, her gaze flicking nervously to Leo, as if seeking reassurance. But Leo doesn’t let her face this moment alone. His hand tightens around hers, and the look he gives her is pure, unguarded love.

Tears well in my eyes as I stand, raising my glass. “I’m so fucking happy for you,” I say, my voice cracking with emotion. “Seriously. I’m going to be an aunt. This is the best day of my life.”

Nicole gives a teary laugh, and Leo pulls her into his side, pressing a kiss to her temple. Around the table, chairs scrape as everyone rises to hug Nicole, shake Leo’s hand, and share their congratulations. The warmth, the joy, is infectious.

I step back after the hugs and congratulations, taking a moment to soak in the happiness around me. For a few brief moments, the weight pressing against my chest lifts. This is what family is supposed to be—unbreakable, even in the face of everything we’ve endured.

But as the others settle back into their seats, their laughter and chatter filling the air, the weight returns. I slip away to the edge of the pool, cup of coffee in hand, and sit down on one of the loungers.

The shimmering water reflects the lantern light, and I let myself get lost in its gentle ripples. A few moments later, Alina joins me, her smile as radiant as ever.

“Wonderful news, isn’t it?” she says, sitting beside me.

I nod, managing a small smile. “The best present I could have gotten this year.” Almost. Only one gift would be better: Nikolai, here with me. But even that thought is layered with complications, like a gift wrapped in razor wire.

Alina studies me, her smile fading as she takes a sip from her coffee. “You okay?”

“Of course,” I say too quickly, brushing a strand of hair behind my ear. “Why wouldn’t I be?”

“You haven’t seemed yourself today,” she says, her tone gentle but probing. “It’s okay to not be okay, you know. Damian didn’t tell me much, but I know you’ve been through a lot recently. And breaking off your engagement with Roberto, on top of everything else? That’s no small thing.”

I let out a soft laugh, shaking my head. “Roberto is the least of my concerns.”

Her brows lift slightly, but she doesn’t push. Instead, she leans back, her gaze drifting to the pool. The flickering lanterns cast golden shadows across the water, making everything feel surreal, like we’re sitting in a dream.

“You know,” she says after a moment, her voice quiet, “I get it. Loving someone in this world is…complicated. Messy. Terrifying, even. But it’s also worth it.”

My chest tightens at her words. I don’t ask her how she knows…whatshe knows. That would be an admission that I love someone in this world, and I definitely am not about to admit anything of the sort. Not to her. Not to myself.

There’s a difference between lust and love.

Instead, I ask, “How do you do it? How do you handle the fear that every time Damian leaves, it could be the last time you see him?”

Alina turns her head to look at me, her blue eyes soft but unwavering. “I don’t handle it,” she says simply. “Not the way you’re thinking. I just accept it. Life isn’t safe, Sabina. It’s never going to be. I lost my parents to something as mundane as a drunk driver, and they weren’t involved in anything dangerous. It taught me that you can’t protect yourself from everything, no matter how hard you try. All you can do is decide what’s worth the risk.”

I swallow hard, her words hitting deeper than I’d like to admit. “And Damian’s worth it?”

A soft smile touches her lips, and her gaze shifts back to the pool. “He’s worth everything. I don’t know if we’ll have fifty years together or five, but I know we have today. And I refuse to waste it.”

Her words settle over me like a blanket—warm, comforting, but heavy with implication. I glance down at my coffee, watching the steam curl into the cool night air.

“I don’t know if I’m brave enough to think like that,” I admit, my voice barely above a whisper.

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