Page 62 of Sandro

“I can’t help it,” Rio said. “I’m a new member of this coven, and already I’ve let it down.”

“You haven’t,” I said. I picked up the baby and moved him off the messy towel now that he’d been wiped somewhat clean.

“Let me get his measurements and clean up,” Rio said. “You go and hold your beloved’s hand, give him kisses for doing an amazing job, and love on him until I bring the baby to the two of you.”

I did exactly what Rio said because I absolutely wanted to hold my beloved. I knelt down beside him and placed one arm across his chest and threaded my fingers from the other through his hair before I gave him a lingering kiss. “I love you, Leonardo. More every day. You are so strong and amazing, and I’m thankful you’re in my life.” I kissed him again, and when I pulled away, Leo smiled at me.

“I love you too.”

“See, now that’s what I wanted for the new daddy,” Rio said. “Here’s your little guy, Leo.” Rio handed our bundled son over to Leo, and I felt something in the center of my chest shift as my beloved held our baby for the first time.

Chapter 24

Leonardo

Oh my fates, he was so cute. I’d felt him kicking and moving for so long, and now he was finally here in my arms. I’d done that. I’d spent the last three months growing him, and now I’d pushed the baby out. I’d given birth. I was a daddy now. I stared down at our son and lost a part of my heart. He was so beautiful.

“Leo, your omega line is starting to close, but I’m going to use a bit of magic to help it along. It’s torn on your left side here, and I don’t want you to have any sort of scarring or anything of that nature. It will heal completely, and you won’t have any issues in future pregnancies.”

I tore my eyes from the baby and glanced at Rio. “Yeah. I felt it tear when I got out of bed and rushed to the closet when I heard the gunshots. My water broke on the way off the bed over there.” I looked over at Sandro. “I’m sorry, Sandro. We’re probably going to have to get a new mattress. And I’ll clean the floor as soon as I can feel my legs.” I’d been fine. There had been a few very light contractions, and I was going to mention them to Sandro, but he’d started acting off, and now I understood why. He’d somehow known that something wasn’t right in the house.

“Why would you need to clean the floor?”

“Because my water broke, and I know it hit the tiles over there. I slipped and almost fell when I was trying to get out of bed,” I told him. That was also when I felt the sudden sharp, stabbing pain in my left side. Most likely, that was the tear that Rio had mentioned.

“Don’t worry about the bed or the floor,” Rio said, joining the conversation. “I’ve just used magic to clean both, and now for you,” he said. Rio flicked his hand, and a green ball came floating toward me. I was suddenly in clean lounge pants and a T-shirt, something that I was incredibly thankful for.

“Thank you, Rio. I was going to get around to cleaning everything.”

“You are most welcome,” he said. “Now, I wouldn’t normally leave so quickly after someone gives birth, but I do need to check in with Master Vincent,” Rio said. “Do you wish for me to update him on Leo’s status?”

Sandro nodded. “Yes, please. I will need to talk to him as well regarding the man I killed in the hallway.”

“Yes, I saw him,” Rio said. “Do you wish for me to put the sofa back where it belongs? The threat is truly over at this point.”

“If you would,” Sandro said. “I would appreciate it.”

“Will do. Sit down and enjoy some time with your newest addition.”

I giggled as Sandro turned and then immediately looked back at Rio. Back was the super-comfortable-looking chair. Sandro pulled it closer before he sat in it and leaned forward. “I’m so proud of you,” he whispered.

“I didn’t do anything amazing,” I replied. “In fact, I messed so much up.”

“How so? You did everything you could to protect yourself and our son. You did incredible, Leo. Don’t think anything but that. You hid. You made sure you were quiet when I know you needed to shout through your painful contractions. I’m so sorry you had to go through all of that at the worst possible time. I don’t think there was any coincidence regarding that; it was simply terrible timing.”

“Do you think there’s anything to what Rio said?” I asked. “About them waiting until he was out of the villa for a perfect time for them to attack?”

That was certainly a possibility. But how would they know that Rio, of all people, could stop all of them with the wave of his hand?

“Is Mazzi still in Florence with the others?”

“As far as I know, yes. He, too, could have changed things as soon as the power went out. Something certainly isn’t adding up.” Sandro shook his head. “We’ll figure it out at some point, but I want to focus on you and our little guy here.”

I smiled at my mate. “He’s so cute. Can you believe he’s ours?”

“I can. He’s not nearly as beautiful as you are, but I might be biased.”

I felt my entire body warm at Sandro’s compliment. He was so incredibly sweet to me all the time. I’d had reservations all those months ago, and that was understandable with how Sandro had tried to warn me away. But I hadn’t ever been happier in my entire life, and I knew it was because that incredible man was in it.