Chapter 29

“How dare you take me so lightly?” I growled. “You think I tell you these things just to fool you? Why do you think you have the privilege?”

Her tears that pooled in her eyes fell slowly down to her cheeks.

“Yeah? Why me?” She muttered. “Why me, Dante? You said so yourself. You’re after a woman who’s in love with somebody else. You could have every beautiful… sexy woman you have yet you chose someone like me. Someone who's been relying too much on her already friend; who can't even pick herself up when she's now alone! Yes, I loved him, Dante, so why me?!”

Tears flowed to her cheeks like waterfalls. I don't know who between us is insecure. I don’t know when I started getting jealous of a dead man.

I stared at her. Her eyes held all the answers but I can’t seem to translate it in words.

“See? You can’t even explain to me why.” My hold on her tightened, releasing a small gasp from her.

“I don’t think there’s even an explanation why I love you.” I’m angry. I’m jealous but somehow I couldn’t stay mad at her for long. My voice came out soft yet strong with conviction. “I just do.”

My thumb unconsciously traveled towards her wet cheek, wiping away the scattered tears. Her cheeks were flushed, lips trembling trying to resist a sob.

“You’re lying.”

My hands went to her cheeks, palms pressed feathery against it. “Why would I? You said so yourself. I never lie to you.”

“The woman…” A little sob escaped from her.

I sighed as I withdrew my hands. Her head tilted questioningly, frowning at my action. This must have caused her some doubts. “Amore… I wanted to keep this as a secret from you.” She inhaled sharply. “I wanted to surprise you. The woman yesterday was someone I hired for work. She was in charge of the opening of my club I just built here.” She frowned even more. “Considering I’m going to stay here for the rest of my life with you.” Her eyebrows then raised seeming to get where my explanation is headed to.

She shook her head in bewilderment. “I can’t believe… I can’t believe you did something like that.”

“See where I’m coming from, amore? I told you before. I’ve always wanted a family of my own. When you came into my life, I saw you as my opportunity. I’m like this metal who can’t resist a magnet like you. You made me obsessed with you. I don’t even know how you even do that when obviously you did nothing but be yourself. I just feel that you’re the one for me. That’s why I wanted this to work. Amore, you’re the one. You’re the one for me.” My eyebrows scrunched at the thought, wondering how my hands went around hers and grasped it tightly as it could.

“Two months ago, I asked Stefano to help me with the club I’ve been wanting to open here. I realized at that point that I saw myself staying here for good.” I chuckled. “Even Avery noticed the sudden decision, when I hardly came to New York. I always tried to avoid coming here, you know. I try so much not to break my promise. When you’re in the mafia, you put everyone in danger and I didn’t want that to happen. It’s the reason why I had no second thoughts of dropping everything.”

“So the woman… was someone you hired for the club?” She asked. Her cheeks reddened in embarrassment. Her head slightly bowed.

I nodded. “Yes. Though I have to leave the management to her temporarily. I’m kinda busy with a pregnant woman right now.” I joked. She scoffed with a laugh and tried to smack my arm but I managed to evade.

“It was supposed to be a surprise for you, amore. You ruined it. I planned to bring you at the opening and boast to you what I’ve built for our future. I even told her to make a VIP room just for me and my wife.”

“I’m sorry, Dante.” She cried, both of her hands covering her face. “God, I’m so sorry. I should’ve asked you instead of insulting you or making stupid conclusions.”

My arms went around her and hugged her. Her head instantly laid on my shoulders. I kissed the top of her head to comfort her and reassure her that she didn’t need to apologize. I understand her feelings, more so when her moods right now are all over the place. Partly, I am to blame since I did plant my seeds inside her.

“Sshh. It’s okay. It’s not your fault to react this way.”

“Of course not. Everything is your fault. It’s your fault why I’m like this. It’s your fault that I’m feeling shit right now and probably until I pop these twins out.”

I laugh. “Yes, it is.”

“I’m sorry. I haven’t been myself lately." She sniffled. "I’m just… I’m just not really well.”

I withdrew from our hug and held her at arm's length. “The doctor did warn me about it.” I said with amusement.

Hailynn suddenly gave me a scowl. “I hope you didn’t plan to impregnate from the start.”

I awkwardly cleared my throat. My hands fell down to my side languidly. “Well… at first… I forgot to wear a condom.”

“Well, duh?!” She shrieked.

I winced. “But I did wear the rest of the rounds.” I shrugged.

She then smacked my arm. “Ow!” I winced again. Smack. Wince. Smack.

“You probably did that intentionally.”

“Of course not.” I defended as she kept on smacking my arm. “I just forgot, okay. Promise. Cross my heart. My heart that’s owned by you.” Thankfully, she stopped hitting me.

“Ha ha. You think it’s funny, don’t you? You not only made me pregnant, but you literally let me carry two Dantes inside me.” She exclaimed.

My ears perked at the mention of my name in plural form. “Dantes? You think they’re boys?” I grinned with excitement.

She shrugged. “Maybe. There's always this certain feeling you know which reminds me of you. Probably the annoying part I guess. If there were girls, they would give off a really beautiful aura, like me." Her face was straight as she explained.

Hailynn suddenly laughs when she notices my unhappy face. “Relax. You obviously know it’s a joke.”

“I don’t want them to be like me.” I peered.

“We’ll see.” Displaying a knowing smirk.

If only she knew that I prayed so hard that they wouldn't be like me. Not when their father used to kill people, sold drugs, guns and other illegal things. If I could have control of this situation, I would be making the twins exactly like their mother.

Beautiful, talented and the center of my universe.