Page 158 of The Serpent's Bride
“You made them feral,” I informed her.
“You encouraged it,” she teased.
True. I encouraged everything about this life. My sons. My wife. This family. Mine. Not stolen this time. Built. The realization settled heavily into my chest while fireworks exploded outside beyond the glass walls, painting the ballroom gold and silver.
The twins shouted excitedly. Chiara smiled brightly enough to ruin me permanently. And across the room, Sergio looked at Aurora Ventura like she was already becoming something dangerous to him. Chiara rested her hand lightly against my chest.
“You’re staring again,” she murmured.
“At you,” I murmured. Her cheeks flushed slightly even now. Two children. And she still reacted to me like that. I lowered my mouth beside her ear.
“You know,” I murmured darkly, “I think the twins need a little sister.”
Chiara nearly choked on her champagne. “Leonardo Moretti.”
The warning in her voice only made me grin.
Bruno gasped dramatically. “Another baby?”
“Oh God,” Chiara muttered.
Luca looked delighted. “Can we keep her?”
I laughed softly while pulling my entire chaotic family closer against me.
“Yes,” I said, watching my wife smile helplessly beneath the fireworks. “We’ll keep her.”
“Absolutely not,” Chiara muttered. Too late. The twins were already shouting excitedly about a baby sister while clinging to my shoulders like tiny mafia gremlins.
“She’ll need pink dresses,” Bruno declared.
“And knives,” Luca added thoughtfully.
Chiara pointed at me accusingly. “That one is definitely yours.”
“Obviously,” I laughed.
A soft gasp interrupted us. “Snakey!”
God. I turned just in time to catch Sienna launching herself directly at me in a cloud of pink tulle and birthday cake frosting. Years later and she still called me that. In front of everyone. Including terrified mafia captains. I caught her automatically before she could knock over the whiskey in my hand.
“You’re getting too old for this,” I informed her calmly.
“I’m literally twelve,” Sienna argued dramatically, wrapping both arms around my neck anyway. “And you promised I could sit next to you during fireworks.”
“You already stole my seat,” Chiara muttered. Sienna grinned victoriously.
She looked so much healthier now it still caught me off guard sometimes. No fear in her eyes anymore. No flinching. No shrinking into corners waiting for Lorenzo Ventura’s footsteps. Just light. Noise. Life.
“Snakey,” Sienna whispered loudly beside my ear, “Aurora totally likes Sergio.”
Across the ballroom, Aurora shouted: “I CAN HEAR YOU, DEMON.”
Sienna cackled. Sergio nearly choked to death. Interesting night. Very interesting.
Then Matteo appeared at my side quietly. Chiara’s brother. Seventeen now. Taller. Sharper. Dark-haired and composed in a black suit that probably cost more than most cars. He looked at me steadily. Not fearful anymore either.
“Everything’s secure outside,” he said calmly. “The last guests are arriving.”
