Chapter 39- Sister’s Secret
Loria The Roman family kuches at midnight was a different world. Moonlight spilled through floor to ceiling windows, turning marble counter into silver lakes and casting shadows that held more truth than daylight ever revealed. I found Julia there, curled into herself on a window seat, looking nothing like the confidem eldest Romano sister I’d grown to know…
“How far along?” I kept my voice soft, gentle in a way I rarely allowed myself to be anymore,
She started slightly, then relaxed when she saw me. “Three months. Her hand curved protectively over her still–flat stomach. “I thought… I was careful. We were careful”
I led beside her, close enough to offer comfort but not so close as to crowd. The move felt natural now, after months of learning to navigate Romans family dynamics. “Does he know?”
“Marco!” A bitter laugh escaped her. “He’s gone. Some photography assignment in Paris. Hasn’t answered my calls in weeks”
Of course. The gallery assistant she’d been secretly seeing. The one her family didn’t know about. The one who had no idea what world he’d stepped
“Have you told Dame?”
Real fear flickered across her face. “God, no With the election so close… this kind of scandal…
I understood her terror. In our world appearances were everything. An unmarried pregnancy? The sister of the would–be mayor! The press luve a field day.
“He needs to know,” I kept my voice steady, reasonable. Better from you than ”
“Better from no one. Julia’s voice cracked slightly. “Maybe could handle it quietly. There are doctors who
“No.” The word came out sharper than intended. I softened it with a touch to her hand. “That’s not the answer.”
“Then what is?” She finally looked at me fally, moonlight catching the tears she was soo proud so les fall. “Help me, Lucia. Please. You’re the only one who might understand.”
Understanding hit like a physical blow. She wasn’t just asking for help–she was trusting me. Me, the court bride, the supposed political arrangement. Somewhere in these months of pretense, To become real family to her.
“We’ll handle it” The words came without thought, but I meant them “Together”
Dante’s voice from the doorway made us both jump. He filled the space with that lethal grace that still made my pulse skip, even after all these month. But there was something different in has stance as he took in the scene – his sister’s obvious distress, my protective position beside her.
“Dante.……” juha started, fear making her voice young
I moved before conscious thought, placing myself slightly between them. “Your sister needs you to be a brother right now.” I sed quietly. “Not the Romano heir. Not the mayoral candidate. Just ber brother,”
Something flickered in his dark eyes–surprise, respect, maybe something deeper wasn’s ready to analyze He moved into the kitchen with deliberate care, like approaching wounded animals.
“Julia” All that dangerous power softened as he crouched before his ster. “Tell me.”
She broke then, spilling out the whole story between subs, Marco’s disappearance. The pregnancy. Her fears about scandal and family shame. Through it all, Danie stayed perfectly still, only the tension in his jaw betraying his emational response.
When she finished silence filed the kitchen. I held my breath, watching the man I’d marned calcabic responses, weigh options, consider angles.. “Do you want this baby” His question cut through all polities, all complications
Julia’s hand curved over her stomach again. “Yes,” she whispered. “God help me, but yes”
“Then it’s simple ” Dante stood, authority settling over him like a cloak. “You’re a Romano, This child is a Romano. Everything else is just details.” “But the campaign=”
“Will handle it.” He pulled out his phone. “We announce your wedding to that photographer first thing tomorrow. Quiet ceremony, very romantir. dare carefully backdated.”
“He’s gone,” Julia reminded him, voice small
Dante’s smile held shadows and promises. “He’ll be back. Marcu’s team is already tracking his location.” His fingers flew over the phone. “He’ll either do the right thing, or.” The smile turned dangerous “We’ll help him understand his responsibilities.”
I should have been appalled at the casual display of power and control. Instead, I found myself admiring the efficiency with which he protected his family. The way he made it all seem simple, manageable
“The press” Jula asked.
“Wall love the romance. I moved to Dante’s side, our thoughts aligning naturally now. “Young love, secret wedding, baby on the way. We span it right..
thumanizes the whole family.”
Dante’s hand settled on my lower back, a gesture that felt normal now. “My wife thinks in strategies,” he said ride evident in his voice. “We’ll handle
RAD
Chapter 20 Sister’s Secret
the mecha rollout together”
Julia looked between us, something like wonder crossing her tearstained face, “How do you do that? Work together so perfectly?”
Because somewhere between the contract and the chaos, we’d become true partners. Because his family had become my family. Because…..
“Practice,” Tuid instead of examining those dangerous thoughts. “Now come on. You need sleep, and we need to plan,”
Later, as we walked to our wing of the house, Darse caught my ann. “Thank you,” he said quietly. “For being there for her.”
“She’s my sister too now. The words shipped out before I could analyze them.
Something softened in his dark eyes. His hand came up to cup my face, thumb tracing my cheekbone with surprising gentleness. For a moment. I thought he might..
“Goodnight,cara” He stepped back, walls sliding back into place. But his eyes held something that made my heart race. “Tomorrow we have a big
plan.
