Page 113 of Lorenzo's Claim

“Wait, please let me finish before you say anything.” He opened the box, revealing a delicate white gold chain with a tiny, intricately designed L pendant. My eyes widened as he gently turned me around, his fingers brushing against my bare skin as he fastened the necklace around my neck. I spun back to face him, my fingers instinctively rising to touch it.

“I know you aren’t a massive fan of jewellery. You made that clear on our wedding day,” he chuckled, a small smile playing on his lips, “but I wanted to get you my initial. Not because you belong to me, but because I’ll always be with you even if I’m not,” he breathed.

My throat tightened, my emotions threatening to spill over. I snaked my arms around his waist, my chin resting on his chest as I looked up at him. “I know you are. You’re all I need, Lorenzo,” I whispered, holding his gaze.

Lorenzo cupped my face in his hands, the coolness of his wedding band branding my warm skin. “Ana, I’ve never been good with words,” he admitted. “I’ve always been a man of action, not poetry or lovey dovey words, but this is different.”

I waited anxiously for what he was trying to say. I knew how ruthless this man could be. He killed without hesitation, negotiated with ruthless precision, and commanded loyalty with a single glance. But this reluctance, this raw vulnerability, was something I never witnessed before.

“Take your time,” I murmured, reaching up to touch his chest. My fingers brushed the ink of his tattoos, a reminder of the life he lived before me.

“I’ve spent my entire life building walls.” He sighed, his gaze dropping to my lips. “Walls to protect myself, to protect the few I care about. But with you, those walls don’t exist.”

“They don’t, as in, past tense?” I asked.

“Yes, past tense. You blew those fucking walls to smithereens, and I never realised what I wanted all along.” His thumb brushed my cheek.

I never thought our relationship would be built on more than convenience or duty, but I continued to see glimpses of the man beneath the hardened exterior. The man who would stay up late just to watch me sleep and the man who I knew would protect me to the ends of the earth.

“Lorenzo,” I whispered, my voice trembling. “What are you trying to say?”

He looked into my eyes with an intensity that made my knees weak.

“I used to try and deny it, brushed it off and pushed it down, but I can’t fight the feelings I feel for you anymore,” he breathed. “You’ve become my everything, and that scares the hell out of me, but in the best possible way.”

“Lorenzo…”

“Anastacia, I’m not a religious man, but I thank God for you every single day. Maybe I should wish to turn back time and change the way you came into my life, but I don’t want to, because it got us to where we are now. It gave us a side to one another we might not have ever found. I would die for you, and not just because you’re my wife, but because you’re my everything. You’re my reason for breathing.” My heart raced as he continued. “I love you, Ana.”

Everything seemed to spin for a moment, the weight of his confession settling heavily in my chest. I loved him, too, though I had never voiced it. Not because I feared rejection, but because I knew the burden it could place on him. Love in our world wasa liability, a weakness that could easily be exploited. Yet there he was, laying his heart bare, no longer caring about the risk.

Tears welled up in my eyes, unbidden and unexpected. “Lorenzo,” I choked out, my voice thick with emotion. “I love you, too,” I whispered with a smile.

He froze, his expression a mix of shock and relief. For a moment, he said nothing, just stared at me as if afraid I might disappear. He wrapped his arm around me like a shield as I buried my face in his chest, inhaling the familiar scent of his cologne. His heart pounded against my ear, a rhythm that matched the chaos of my own.

“I never planned to say those words,” he murmured, his voice muffled against my hair. “But now I don’t want a day passing without you hearing them.” He pulled back slightly, his hands cupping my face as he searched my eyes. “You’re not just my wife, Ana. You’re my strength, my weakness, my everything. And I swear, I’ll spend the rest of my life making sure you never regret loving me.”

“I could never regret it.”

And from that moment on, I never did.

34

Two years later…

The morning lightfiltered through the small gap in the curtain, casting a soft glow over my wife as she stood by the full-length mirror, taking in every inch of her changing body. Her hands rested gently on the curve of her bump. Her body now bore the proud mark of motherhood, a swollen belly that hinted at the twins growing inside her. She wore a floor-length lounge dress, its soft fabric clinging to her figure and showcasing the bump that I was never able to take my eyes off.

I laid back on the bed, watching her with a mixture of admiration and possessiveness. We had enjoyed a couple of years together, just the two of us, but when she told me she was pregnant, I swore my heart could have exploded. It wasn’t because I wanted an heir. It was because I wanted to start a family with her. I wanted everything with her. I closed my eyes, reminiscing for a moment.

“Lorenzo, I’m pregnant.” Tears fell from Ana’s eyes as she spoke.

“Sorry, what?! Did you just say I’m going to be a papa?” I asked, hoping I heard her correctly.

“I did. You’re going to be a father.” She pressed her fingers to her lips, unable to control her emotions.

“When did you find out?” I cupped her face, the snow continuing to fall around us and the sounds of laughter coming from the skiers below. It was nothing compared to the joy and happiness I felt in that moment.

“About an hour ago. I was late so I checked my dates, and it all made sense with how I’ve been feeling,” she breathed. “I went to the on-site pharmacy and got a test just to see.” She wiped a stray tear that fell from my eye. “I’m sorry I didn’t find out with you.”

---