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92. Learning to Breathe Again

Author: Ophelia Corrigan
last update Petsa ng paglalathala: 2026-04-10 20:55:39

DIANA

Domenico drove in silence through the narrow city streets. The sound of the engine was the only thing filling the space between us. I felt distant—like I was living in a dream, lost in my own head. Under different circumstances, I'd be excited to be looking at an apartment, planning a future. But now? I couldn't feel that happiness. It was like something inside me was broken—blocking me from feeling any kind of joy.

Domenico broke the silence suddenly. His voice low. Hesitant.

"How's he d
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  • PROTECTED BY THE DEVIL   105. The Bride

    DIANAThe sun hadn't even fully risen yet when I looked at myself in the beach house mirror.The dress was simple. Thin straps, white fabric flowing light to my feet, nothing too tight, nothing too fitted. My seven-month belly made the fabric pull a little across the front, and I loved that. Didn't want to hide it. Wanted to show it. This baby was part of our story, and he deserved to be there, that day, like that.Maria walked in without knocking, her eyes glossy with a smile."You look beautiful, girl." She pressed a hand to her chest like she might cry. "Rocco's a lucky man to have a bride this gorgeous.""I agree!" I said, and she grinned.I walked down the wooden stairs barefoot, feeling the fine sand between my toes. The sky was painted pink and orange—one of those Hawaiian sunrises that look like they came straight out of a dream. The air smelled like salt, like flowers, like a beginning.Luca was right by the entrance, fixing his light blue tie with this goofy concentrated loo

  • PROTECTED BY THE DEVIL   104. Plans

    DIANADinner was weird.Luca sat at the far end of the table, as far from us as humanly possible, eating his pasta in silence. Rocco was next to me, his hand on my thigh under the table like he couldn't go five minutes without touching me."You two gonna stare at each other all night?" Luca asked, not even looking up from his plate."We're not staring," I said."Yeah, you are. Like two pigeons in heat."Rocco laughed with his mouth full."Pigeons in heat? Where the hell did you get that?"We finished eating in silence. Luca stood up, took his plate to the sink, and came back with his arms crossed."I meant what I said. About going back to Italy."My heart squeezed."Luca—""No, Diana. Let me finish." He took a breath. "I came here because Rocco asked me to. Because he needed to surprise you. But now you two are… together. It doesn't make sense for me to stick around like some intruder, living your lives.""You're not an intruder," Rocco said, his voice serious now. "You're family.""R

  • PROTECTED BY THE DEVIL   103. The Best Mess in the World

    ROCCOWe got home as the sun was setting.Diana went straight to the shower, complaining that the car seat had stuck to her thigh. I went to the kitchen, grabbed a beer and a lemonade for her, and put them on the coffee table.The front door opened before I could even sit down.Luca walked in carrying a giant backpack on his shoulders. He looked at me. Looked at Diana, who was coming down the stairs in a robe. Looked at me again.The silence lasted three seconds.Diana came down the last few steps carefully, one hand on the railing. Her hair was still wet, the robe tied at her waist, feet bare. Beautiful. Fucking devastating.“Sit down, kid,” I said, pointing at the couch. “We need to talk.”“Are you okay?” she asked.“I’m okay,” Luca said, kind of hunched in on himself. “Just… weird.”“Weird how?”“Weird seeing you two together again. And now what?” he asked. “What are you gonna do?”“Live,” I said. “Away from the mafia. Away from Italy. Away from everything.”“Here?”“Maybe. We have

  • PROTECTED BY THE DEVIL   102. The Back Seat

    DIANA“Liar.”He grabbed more fries, put them in his mouth, chewed slow.“I didn’t see anything, Diana.”“You’re blushing.”“It’s the sun.”“The sun? We’re under a tree, Rocco.”He didn’t answer. His jaw clenched.“I only looked because you looked,” he finally said.“I didn’t look.”“Your mouth was open.”“I was shocked. That’s different.”“Same fucking thing.”I rolled my eyes.“You’re a liar, Rocco Moretti.”“And you’re a hypocrite.”“Hypocrite?”“Yeah. If that was some hot guy with a giant ass, you’d look too. Doesn’t mean anything.”“I wouldn’t.”“You would.”“No.”“Would.”“No!”He leaned in and kissed me. Out of nowhere. His mouth found mine, and he kissed me with tongue, right there in the parking lot, with fries in my lap and people all around.His tongue pushed into my mouth with an urgency that stole my breath. I tasted salt, soda, him. His hand slid up my dress, fingers skating up my thigh, higher, higher…“Rocco,” I murmured against his lips.“Yeah?”“Not here.”“Why not?”

  • PROTECTED BY THE DEVIL   101. I Didn't See Anything

    DIANARocco swung the car into a spot in the packed McDonald’s lot and killed the engine with a grunt.“We’re here. You talked about burgers so much, I’m gonna fucking dream about Ronald McDonald.”I laughed, popping my seatbelt off.“Dramatic much?”“I swear to God.”He got out first, walked around, and opened my door before I could even reach for it. A gentleman, even at a fast-food joint. He took my hand, laced his fingers through mine, and pulled me out with this over-the-top carefulness.“Rocco, you don’t have to do all that.”“I’m not letting you slip on this greasy-ass asphalt. Come on.”We walked in together. The smell of grease and salt hit my nose, and my stomach growled so loud a kid in line actually spun around like he was scared.“Easy there, little guy,” I murmured, rubbing my belly.Rocco cut me a sideways look, that crooked smile that fucking melted me every time.“You’re already talking to him?”“He’s hungry. Got that from you.”“Got my patience too, apparently.”In l

  • PROTECTED BY THE DEVIL   100. Kibbeh

    DIANAThe routine came back slow. And we decided to stay—at least for now."This has zero nutritional value," Rocco said, ripping the frozen pizza out of my hand like I was about to commit a felony."It's food, Rocco. Food has nutrition.""Real food." He tossed the box in the trash with a dry snap. "Not that microwave crap."I breathed in deep. Counted to three. Didn't do a damn thing."I want a cheeseburger.""You're eating the organic salad I bought.""Organic salad?" My voice went up half an octave. "Rocco, there's a human being growing inside me. You think that human being asked for salad?"He opened the fridge with an expression so serious he looked like he was defusing a bomb. Pulled out a green container. Held it up like a trophy."It has quinoa. Or kibbeh. Something like that."I froze."Kibbeh?""Yeah.""You want me to eat KIBBEH?""It's nutritious.""Rocco, I don't even know what kibbeh is! Is that food or horse medicine?"Our first fight after I came back was over food. And

  • PROTECTED BY THE DEVIL   64. The Price of Freedom

    DIANAThe plane was small, loud, and hit every pocket of turbulence like a speed bump. But after everything we'd been through, it almost felt comfortable.Rocco sat across from me, jaw tight, eyes fixed on the horizon outside. Luca was in the back, still on his laptop—I had no idea how he could typ

  • PROTECTED BY THE DEVIL   63. Escape

    ROCCOThe bag was packed in five minutes.Not that we had much to take—clothes, cash hidden in the false bottom, the fake IDs Luca had put together before we left Italy. Everything else stayed. Diana's clothes in the closet. Paint pots scattered across the porch. The flamingo float bobbing alone in

  • PROTECTED BY THE DEVIL   9. FIRE

    DIANAThe kiss started fierce—almost brutal—but then it shifted. Deeper. Slower. His lips were hot and demanding, his mint-flavored tongue exploring my mouth with a skill that left me dizzy. His body temperature ran high, almost feverish, and I could feel every tense muscle while he practically de

  • PROTECTED BY THE DEVIL   8. This Is a Mistake

    DIANANow I got it. Why Alessandro sent Rocco to bring me home.This man is worth ten men.The way he handled four armed guys in seconds—like it was nothing? Scared me? Yeah. But it also impressed me in a way I didn't know was possible.I'll admit it—when the shooting started, I was terrified.

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