Page 85 of Ti Amo

Mira smiled. “I have to use the toilet sweetheart. Be right back.”

Giovanni released her and rolled away. Their room was exceptionally cold at night. She found her slippers first and then slipped on his robe, which felt like it was several sizes too big. She peeked in at Eve. Her daughter kicked away her blanket but slept peacefully with her pacifier plugged in her mouth. Mira made sure to cover her. She pressed a kiss to her fingers and then pressed her fingers to Eve’s cheek before she smoothed back silky curls from her face. In a few hours she would wake to more toys than one child could manage. And she couldn’t wait to share the moment with Giovanni.

Eve’s nightlight and the moon rays from the balcony outside of her bedroom provided the only light through the silent darkness filling the adjoining rooms. She crept back inside to the bathroom and locked the door. She had hid the pregnancy box in her vanity bag under the sink. Mira found it and read the instructions in the dark. Quickly she opened the package and squatted on the toilet. She peed on the wand and then placed the plastic stick on the edge of the sink. Mira sat there patiently waiting. She hadn’t brought her watch inside to time the wait. So minutes dragged on and she resisted the urge to peek.

“Mira?” Giovanni called out, his voice loud enough to wake Eve.

“I’m coming sweetheart.” She answered. If he woke his daughter, she’d kill him. Wiping and flushing, she washed her hands and sucked down a deep breath to calm her nerves. If she was pregnant, it wouldn’t be a surprise. He would be thrilled, and she would be a mother again. She stared at her reflection. How was it that just two years ago her only dreams were to take over the fashion world? Motherhood wasn’t anything she’d ever fathomed. And was she a good mother? After all, she brought her daughter here based on love not sensibility. The Battaglia’s were a complicated, dangerous family, and Eve would grow up behind these walls influenced by all she’d learn and see. Mira closed her eyes and pushed down her surfacing doubts. She remembered her promises to Giovanni and herself. Love did matter. It would change things. It would change all of them. And this baby could do so as well, if she was pregnant.

Mira opened her eyes. She reached for the wand and paused as her heart and mind registered the truth. A plus sign meant anotherbambinaor bambino for the family. They were pregnant.

“Mira? What are you doing?” Giovanni called out again.

“Good grief.” Mira groaned. The man acted like it was unnatural for her to use the bathroom. She wrapped the wand in a tissue and stuck it back in her vanity bag. Washing her hands once more, she finished and returned to bed.

“What were you doing in there?” he asked, a bit of irritation in his voice.

“Giovanni! I was using the bathroom!”

“Oh?” he said as if it didn’t dawn on him that she might have to do more than tinkle. He moved over her, kissing her face. She put a hand to his chest to slow him down. “Wait.”

“I missed you,cara,” he groaned as he slipped inside of her. Mira bit her tongue to withstand the pleasure rush of warmth flooding her channel when he buried himself deep inside of her. His mouth captured hers, and he kissed away her news. The long strong frame of his body lifted, and he slowly withdrew then slammed down into her channel. The lovely thrusting he performed made her body quake under its force. Before long her orgasm was so close she could practically taste it. All thoughts of her pregnancy faded. The world narrowed down to the pleasure between them. It was nothing but pleasure from her head to her feet. And he kept moving, kissing her face, and neck, his thrusting cock tunneling and stretching her. Mira arched up into him. Her vision blurred so her lids fluttered shut. Intense pressure coiled in her pelvis and a climatic wave shocked her system as her body shook, racked with the intensity of her orgasm. Exhausted after making love to him, she snuggled him and closed her eyes. Christmas morning she had the best surprise for him. One he’d never forget. A soft groan escaped her lips, and she slipped into bliss.

Epilogue

“Say it again.”

“Maywee… Maywee… Chrispma!”

“Say Christmas. Merry Christmas.”

“Chrisy!”

Giovanni opened one eye. He squinted at the hovering face above his. Eve leaned further out of her mother’s arms. She grabbed his cheeks and covered his nose with her mouth. Giovanni chuckled and pulled her down to him. “Buon Natale Eve!”

Mira plopped down on the bed. She had changed into a red satin floor length nightgown and matching robe. Her face was scrubbed free of makeup but her hair was neatly groomed. Had he overslept?

“It’s time babe. We need to go downstairs. Everyone is waiting for you.”

Giovanni yawned. He sat Eve on his chest and tried to fully wake. He’d gone to bed late after fielding updates from New York. Kei Hyogo was arrested, and with the confession from Cheung Bojing, the charges kept piling on. He didn’t share this news with his Bella. He couldn’t help but rejoice silently at the irony of his victory. It didn’t take violence on his part to end the business between him and the China man. The fucker had hung himself on his twisted vine of lies.

“I need to brush my face and wash my teeth.”

Mira laughed. She crawled over him and lay on his chest. “You mean brush your teeth and wash your face?”

“I do.” He smirked.

“I’m so happy baby.”

He stroked her head. Happiness was something he could get used to. Mira rose and pulled Eve from his arms. She grabbed his robe and tossed it to him. “We’ll wait for you Papa but not for long. So hurry! Hurry!” she said as she breezed out of their room into Eve’s. His daughter waved at him from over her mother’s shoulder.

Giovanni waited until he was alone. He slipped out of bed, located his pajama pants and put them on. He went to the drawer to retrieve the gift he’d wrapped for her. He shoved it down deep into his pocket and put on his robe. Quick about his actions Giovanni went through the motions of washing his face and brushing his teeth. When he returned to the room he picked up his watch and read the time. It was three in the morning. “Bella?”

“Yes?” Mira said walking back into the room holding Eve’s hand.

“It’s three in the morning! No wonder I couldn’t wake. We just went back to sleep.”

“You’re a father now sweetheart. Christmas morning always starts early. Now let’s go. Zia said she’s got the rest of the family up.”

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