Page 175 of Heartless Mafia Prince

He dropped his elbows on his knees and palmed his head.

“I hated not having you here. Not waking up to you. Not being able to kiss you, Melanie. In case you haven’t realized I love you. I will never love her.” Pain and sorrow hung over every one of his words.

Stepping closer, I placed my hands on his head. The mafia boss was broken without me in his life.

His large hands caressed my ass. Luciano’s touch lit all of my senses on fire.

“It wasn’t easy being away from you, Luciano, but I had to prepare myself the best I could for this life I chose to share with you. If I wasn’t going to be with you, I wouldn’t have returned to our home.” Those last words felt bitter on my tongue. The world I shared with this man was about to get hairy.

I was pregnant and once his father found out, he would try to kill us.

Luciano lifted his head and planted a kiss on my small belly. His hands swept over my stomach. “We’re having a baby.”

“Yes, Luciano. We’re having a girl.”

A wide smile swept across his stubbled face.

He didn’t look well. My absence really took its toll on him.

“If you leave me again. Know that I will find you and bring you back. I don’t want to ever be without you.” He gripped my wrist and kissed the bracelet. “What does this bracelet represent?”

I swallowed hard past the lump in my throat. “Our union. Our love.”

“That’s right, baby, it signifies you and me. No one can take that from us.” He stood and his hands braced my belly. Luciano gazed into my eyes. His hair had grown past his ears. The curls dangled over his eyes.

“We’re going to raise her together, Melanie.”

I placed my hands on his prickly cheeks.

“We are.” I pressed my lips against his.

Luciano’s lips devoured mine in a bruising kiss. I missed him so much.

“Luciano, I love you.”

“You’re my everything, Melanie.” He pulled me back with him into the chair. We remained wrapped in each other’s embrace for a long time.

The sunrays heated my skin, bringing me back from my memories. Sitting on the back patio, I scanned the lush green grass that swept across the large backyard. Luciano called back. He said our little girl was safe. A smile crept across my lips. She’d arrive before sundown. I missed her. Our life was full of ups and downs, but we always pulled through. My relationship with Ryah had been strained since the day I lost my shit over this trip. Sometimes, I thought about telling her what I’d gone through to bring her into this world. About the time her grandfather tried to kill us, the countless times Rosetta, and I tried to kill each other, and last, but not least, what really happened to her grandmother. How long would I hold on to that secret?

“I miss you, my friend,” I said aloud. My hand quivered over my lips as the tears slipped down my cheeks.

Eloisa and I became thick as thieves. She treated me like her own daughter. She loved Ryah with all of her heart. She never treated us differently because of skin color. I missed her immensely. Maybe one day I’d tell Ryah everything.

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