Page 118 of The Art of You

I have to forget it, though. I have to. He wins if I let what he did hurt me.

“I should’ve killed him.” From the side of my hospital bed, Hudson was reading my thoughts. As always.

Refusing to be separated, Callie and I were in the same room, her bed right next to mine. Alessandro was currently pacing alongside her while we waited for the doctor to make an appearance and send us home.

I mean, physically I felt okay. The fact I’d been stalked and watched by a maniac would take more time to recover from.The man had defiled my privacy, and my bear. “No, I’m glad he’ll rot in his prison cell instead,” I finally answered him.

“He kissed you.” He bowed his forehead to our clasped palms, his angry tone jarring loose more emotions inside me.

I probably shouldn’t have told you that.

Hudson lifted his head, his sad eyes meeting mine, and I knew exactly what I had to do. What weallhad to do. Get over what happened. Otherwise, guilt would suck us both into an ugly never-ending vortex ofwhat-ifs, and we might lose our happily-ever-after towhat-could-have-beens.

We were alive and safe. The past finally needed to take its place in our rearview.

“We’re going to get through this,” I promised. “Dad is okay. Awake and talking. Nothing can take that man down.” I forced a smile. “Even that AG is going to live. Only the bad guys were hurt.” I’d keep reminding all of us of the facts until we truly absorbed them as true. Baby steps, I supposed.

At the sight of the doctor finally joining us, Alessandro abruptly whipped around and rasped, “Tell me the baby is okay.”

Baby?

“Baby?” Callie echoed my thoughts aloud. “Wait, what? How do you . . .?”

“I found the test you took.” Alessandro reached for her hand and dropped into the chair next to her.

“It was positive?” She stared at him in shock. And well, she wasn’t the only one.

“I didn’t have a chance to see the results before they took me.” Callie looked expectantly at the doctor who just might hold the key to us truly letting go of the pain of what went down to move on to something happy and wonderful.

“Both of your bloodwork is good. And as for you, Mrs. Costa, your levels are excellent.” She smiled. “My guess isyou’re about six weeks pregnant. You should make an appointment with your OBGYN when you leave here.”

The doctor’s words had Alessandro on his feet, bending over the bed to kiss his wife. Then he held her waist and lowered his mouth to her stomach over her hospital gown to kiss her there, too.

“We’re having a baby,” he said in a daze as he lifted his head, his glossy eyes on his wife. Tears fell as she cradled his face between her palms.

“See.” I sniffled. “Everything is going to be okay.” I rested my hand on top of Hudson’s that held my other palm, meeting his eyes.

He gave me a light affirmative nod that he was on board with my words, and I desperately needed him to be. No going back to any dark places allowed.

“Congratulations,” the doctor said after I did, then added, “You can see your father in a few hours. One at a time, though.” As she left the room, I caught sight of the governor, still hovering out there despite Hudson repeatedly telling him to take a hike.

The last thing on Hudson’s mind right now was any one-on-one time with his father.

At the sight of Constantine heading our way, wordlessly side-eyeing the governor, I sat taller in the bed. “Enzo call?” I’d take all the good news we could get.

Constantine closed the door, pretty much in the governor’s face. “Emergency C-section, but Maria and the babies are fine. We have two nephews.” He grinned from ear to ear in pride. It was adorable when the grump showed his softer side. “Aldo and Massimo. Enzo will FaceTime us when they’re in a room.”

Well then.Relief swelled in my chest, and I could truly breathe easily now. Screw Keith and what he did to me. I was stronger than him and what he did, dammit. We all were.

“I, uh, miss something here?” Constantine gestured with his phone back and forth between our beds, reading the room.

Plus, there was Alessandro still glued to his wife, half of his body on her bed as he continued to smother her with affection. “My wife is pregnant.”

The way that man said “my wife” had me anxious to hear the same from Hudson one of these days.

“Damn, wow, okay.” Constantine cleared his throat. “I’m happy for you.” He hugged the both of them, then turned my way, brows lifting. “Don’t tell me you have news, too.”

I laughed. “None that I can think of, no.”

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