Page 107 of Pretty Little Princess

She nods, her eyes brimming with tears.

“Oh,sokrovishche.” An overwhelming joy sweeps through me, quickly followed by deep concern because Silvia looks leagues from happy. “It will be okay,” I reassure her. “Everything will be okay. Come here.”

God, I feel fucking useless, with my hands literally tied.

A sob racks Silvia’s body, making her shoulders curl forward, and she closes the distance between us. I’m thankful she doesn’t try to sit on my lap as soon as she kneels before me. I don’t know that I could handle her weight on my wounded leg.

But as always, she’s so intelligent, compassionate, and observant as she rests her hands lightly on my knees. I lean forward and press my forehead to hers, willing her to feel how much I want to hold her. Though I’m bloody and covered in bruises, I don’t care, and she doesn’t seem to either.

Her fingers comb hesitantly into my hair, and she releases a quiet sob.

“I’m here, okay? I’m with you. Whatever it takes. I’ll take care of you and the baby,” I murmur.

“You’re not… angry?” she asks, her voice quivering.

“Angry?” I laugh at the impossibility of that.Overjoyed?Yes.Concerned for her?Definitely.Overfaced?Maybe a little.But angry?Not in a million years. “Why would I be angry?”

Silvia sniffles, pulling away from me just enough to look me in the eye. “Because I didn’t tell you right away. And I wasn’t supposed to get pregnant. And we’re not even married yet.” Her voice breaks, and she shakes her head.

“Hey, hey. None of that matters. I love you,” I breathe, looking deep into her hazel eyes. “I want to marry you, so who cares when we start our family?” My gut knots as I realize she might not want to be a mother yet. “Do you… want to keep the baby?” I ask tentatively.

She nods again, tears rolling down her cheeks. And I breathe a sigh of relief.

“Well, that’s good then, right?” I ask tentatively. “It might not be ideal, but together, we’ll be fine.”

Her tears come harder, but her lips curve up into a smile–completely opposite signals that leave my head spinning.

“Right,” she agrees after a moment of collecting herself.

“Holy shit, we’re going to be parents?” An elated laugh bursts from me.

Silvia laughs, too, wiping the tears from her face. And all I want to do is hug her.

“These fucking restraints,” I growl, tugging against them, then slump forward, dejected. “I’d hug you if I could.”

“Nico, please, will you cut him loose?” Silvia begs.

For a moment, I’d almost forgotten her brothers were still here.

They still stand in shocked silence, seeming confused by our exchange. They clearly don’t know how to respond now that they’ve seen us together. Witnessed our connection firsthand.

But Nicolo finally stalks forward to cut me free.

“Okay, I think I’m going to need a bit more of an explanation here,” Cassio demands, studying me.

I nod, ready to lay it all out on the table once and for all. But I take a moment to collect my thoughts as my bonds loosen and Nicolo releases me. Bringing my hands forward into my lap, I rub the circulation back into my wrists and stifle a groan as my ribs protest angrily.

“My mother sent me to… claim Silvia and ensure our marriage before your family could back out,” I say, cutting to the chase. They don’t need to know all the dirty details. That would only embarrass Silvia, and it sure as fuck wouldn’t help my case. “But the more time I spent with her, the more I learned how incredible she is. I was just supposed to get the wedding moved forward, but I fell in love with her in the process.”

“Not that I can blame you, because Silvi’s one of the best people in the world, but what makes you think you deserve my little sister after everything you’ve done to her?” Nicolo demands, crossing his arms.

It’s a legitimate question. One I’ve wrestled with for nearly two months. And I consider my response as I push myself to a stand. Silvia stabilizes me, tucking her shoulder under my arm in case I need support, but that’s not what I need desperately. I pull her tight against me, and though my body protests noisily, I refuse to let her go.

“I don’t think I’ll ever deserve her,” I rasp, my ribs groaning. “But for some reason I can’t fathom, she wants to be with me. And I’m not strong enough to stay away. So instead, I plan to do everything in my power to prove worthy of her.”

Silvia tips her head up to look into my eyes, and she places her hand so gently on my bruised and bloody face that her cool palm soothes my aching flesh. I smile down at her, barely noticing when I reopen the split in my lip. And she smiles back at me, her face radiant.

“I actually believe our families could have peace because of this,” I state with conviction. Then I look at Nicolo, dropping all signs of defensive animosity. “Iwantto find peace with you because I know that’s what will make Silvia happy.”

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