************VINCENZO POV ~~~~~Nesto cast a worried look at Marco before glancing at me in the rear view mirror. “But, Don Morreti . . .”“Here,” I repeated in a sharp tone, the one my men knew was an order. I appreciated his caution, but we were well guarded and the obstetrician was just a few doors down. There was no reason I couldn’t treat my woman to gelato right now.Nesto slowed the car, guiding us to the curb, then came to a stop. Valentina peered over my shoulder. “What’s going on? Why are we stopping here?”I threw open the door and got out. The car behind us had also pulled over, and my men were hurrying onto the sidewalk to offer protection. Marco was there beside me, his keen gaze taking in the street, his body tense and ready. I could hear his phone buzz, but he ignored it.“Anything?” I asked him.“No, but let’s make this quick.”I held out my hand to Valentina and her fingers met mine. “Dai, andiamo.” I helped her out of the big car. “I want to feed you. Let’s get you

VALENTINA POV ~~~After six hours, Vincenzo came out of surgery in stable but serious condition, and was taken to the ICU. The doctors explained the bullet went in through his back and out his side, and Marco had likely saved Vincenzo’s life by packing the wound with the sponges in the car. During the operation, they repaired one of Vincenzo’s kidneys and a torn portion of his small intestines, and removed his gallbladder. They were optimistic about his recovery, but the risk of infection was high.He hadn’t woken up yet, and they were keeping him on a ventilator for now. But he was alive. Pale, but alive. We arranged for a large private room, one with a small bed for me. Guards were posted outside the room and throughout the hospital itself. Anyone coming into Vincenzo’s room had to wear special identification, including doctors and nurses. Considering Dante had escaped, we weren’t taking any chances.Zia began praying over Vincenzo’s prone form, while Dimitri and I talked quietly

VINCENZO POV ~~~I almost died. Again. This time was different, however. The other attempts on my life had been sloppy, easily avoided. Except for the car bomb, I saw them coming.The sniper caught me by surprise. I hadn’t expected a coordinated attack to facilitate Dante’s escape. I suppose I should have—he knew it was me or him, that one of us would end up dead—but I’d been shot on the street like a foot soldier. In front of my wife.What had I been thinking? I’d been careless, which was unforgivable. She was carrying my child. Nothing mattered more than the two of them, along with Dimitri. I should’ve held firm and had Valentina cancel the appointment. Instead I let her manipulate me to get her way. I would not make that mistake again.Consciousness once more tugged at me and forced me awake. My brain swam toward the sounds until my eyelids fluttered. I hoped to find the beautiful face of my wife, who stayed here at night with me, but instead Marco was there. It was the first tim

VINCENZO POV ~~~~I didn’t sleep much that night. Lost in thought, I watched Valentina on the bed in the corner, the even rise and fall of her chest as she slept. A son. I hadn’t lied when I said I preferred a daughter. Sons brought too much heartache, too much worry. I had done everything to mold Dimitri into the man to lead my family, yet I’d failed. He didn’t want it.You have to let Dimitri choose. Two weeks ago, before I was shot, I wouldn’t have cared about his feelings. He was the Morreti heir with a duty to me, to the family, and his wishes didn’t matter.But I could no longer say this was still the case. As I bled out on the sidewalk, I thought of those I was leaving behind, including Dimitri. My good boy, who’d only argued with me once, and it had been over his lover, Alex. He would do whatever I asked, even at the expense of his own happiness. But did I want that life for him?I’d hated my own father, who hadn’t once shown any regard for my thoughts or feelings. We weren’

VINCENZO POV ~~~~~Leaning on my cane, I threw open my office door and hobbled inside. Marco and my wife were there, with Valentina sitting in my desk chair, and the two of them looked up from a laptop. Alarm bloomed on her face. “Vincenzo! What are you doing out of bed?”I didn’t answer, my full concentration required to keep me from falling on my face like a small child. My side hurt like a son of a bitch and sweat already rolled down my back.Marco reached me first, grabbing my arm to steady me. “You should go back upstairs.”“I’m fine. Just help me to my chair.”It had been just over two weeks since the shooting and I was impatient to be better. I needed work to distract me.“Vin, you should be in bed. David said—”“No.” I put enough strength in that one word to prevent anyone from arguing with me.Marco exchanged a look with my wife, which caused irritation to swipe across my skin. My cousin no doubt believed she could control me, as she’d convinced me to change my mind about oth