Chapter 23
Lucas
I braced my hands on the sink and stared at myself in the mirror.
I didn’t recognize the man in the mirror. Sure, it was the same man who had been pulled out of the gutter, the very man who had found some semblance of power in the bedroom.
It was also the same man who had taken up a position that he didn’t know shit about, the same man who didn’t even flinch at his first kill, and the same man who finally saw his worth in what he thought would be his future.
Then there was the man who had been shocked to find out that he was now a Don, the leader of the very Mafia he had slaved under. I hadn’t thought that there was anything that could top that feeling.
But I was wrong yet again. Each stage of my life had compounded on the next, the elation only growing with each milestone, but this—this wasn’t something that had been in the cards for me, ever.
Drawing in a breath, I pushed away from the sink, raking a hand through my hair roughly. I was going to be a father. I was going to be the man that someone looked up to, that someone expected me to keep him or her safe, and I was fucking scared to death about it.
And I was scared for Leda. I was now scared that I couldn’t protect her, give her the future that she deserved, that our kid deserved.
Financially, I could make sure she had a life if this shit didn’t pan out, but I wanted to see her stomach swell with our child, to watch her bring the baby into the world and give me something I never thought I could have.
A family.
I swallowed hard and stepped out of the bathroom, finding Leda rubbing her bare stomach idly and staring off into space. Immediately I was concerned. Had I fucked her too hard?
What if I caused harm to our kid?
What if she realized that she really didn’t believe what she had said to me, and now she was trying to think of a way to tell me?
When Leda looked over, I watched as a small smile crossed her lips.
“You okay?”
Always thinking of me first. I crossed the room and climbed back into bed, grasping her carefully to fit her against me. Now that I knew she was pregnant, I really didn’t know what I couldn’t do with her.
It was, well, a little fucking unnerving.
“Yeah,” I forced out, throwing the covers over us so she wouldn’t get chilled. “I’m fine.”
Leda pressed her back against my chest, and I allowed my hand to cup her stomach, my thumb brushing over the gentle swell carefully. Inside was a living, breathing child, our child. I still couldn’t believe it.
“We haven’t discussed what I did,” she said after a moment. “And what your thoughts are.”
I pressed my face into her hair, giving me a moment to think of my answer. It wasn’t that I didn’t trust her. What Leda had done was brave, but also stupid in the same breath. She had risked her fucking life for our unborn child and me, yet I couldn’t be angry at her.
Hell, I was proud. “You must be tired,” I finally said, tucking my body around hers tightly. “Sleep, Leda.” I didn’t know what time it was, but already I could feel the pull of exhaustion myself. We were safe here for the time being.
I wouldn’t be sleeping. Not until I could guarantee that this happiness I had found with Leda wasn’t going to be ripped from me.