Chapter 72- Perfect Imperfection.
Dante Control had always been my sanctuary. My shield. My answer to every problem life presented.
Bus watching the woman I loved bent over our marble bathroom sink 3 AM, retching violently while batting away my attempts to help. I’d never felt more useless in my life.
“Lucia please,” I hovered helplessly, my mal perfect composure shattered by concern. “Let me call Dr. Rossi. She said she’s available any.
“Dame Romano,” my wife managed between heaves, “if you call our doctor at live in the in
morning for normal morning sickness again, I sur The rest of her threat was lost to another wave of nausea
time
1 pulled her hair back anyay, ignoring her weak attempts to shon me away. Her skin felt clammy under my fingers, and dark circles shadowed her eyes. Seven weeks of this, and I still couldn’t fix it.
The pregnancy books say ginger helps.” I offered, already reaching for my phone. “I can have Taylor get some fresh-
11
you wake up Taylor at this ungodly hour for ginger, I’m moving back to Oslo,” But she leaned into my touch slightly, betraying her appreciation despite her words. Im fine. This is normal.”
“Normal” I practically spot the word. Nothing about watching the woman I loved suffer felt normal. “At least let me make you some tea. The organic blend your doctor recommended-”
The one you had specially imported from some monastery in Tibet? A weak lough escaped her. “My overprotective, ridiculous husband.
“Guilty.” I pressed a kiss to her temple, tasting salt. Thit you love me anyway.”
“God help me, I do.” She straightened finally, color slowly returning to her checks. “Now go away and let me get ready for work
“Work?” I frowned, calculations already running through my head. “Cara, you’ve been sick for an hour. Maybe you should-
“Don’t.” She pointed a warning finger at me. “Don’t even start with the overprotective routine. I have three client meetings today and the communsy
enter plans to review,”
“The meetings can be rescheduled. The plans can wait.”
“Dante.” She turned to face me fully, and despite the pallor of moming sickness, her eyes blazed with that fire I’d fallen in love with. “I love you. But if you don’t stop trying to wrap me in cotton wool, I’m going to lose my mind.”
Tjust want
To protect me. I know.” Her expression softened slightly. “But I’m pregnant, not invalid. Women have been doing this for millennia without their husbands hovering like anxious talim mother hem,”
“Mother hens?” I tried for offense, but relief at seeing her smile made it impossible. I prefer concemed executive.”
“More like obsessive mitrumuruger.” She stretched up to kiss my jaw. “Now, unless you plan to join me in the shower…”
The invitation in her voice made my blood heat despite my concerns. The doctor said
“The doctor said everything is perfectly normal. Her fingers played with the buttons of my shirt. “Including certain appetites during the first
trirnester.
“Lucia
“But if you’re too worried. She stepped back with exaggerated innocence. “I completely understand til just shower alone and-
I caught her wrist, pulling her back against me. “Minx”
Her laugh–bright and real despite the morning’s difficulties–filled the space between us. “Caught on, have you?”
“You’re trying to distract me
“Is it working!”
Instead of answering. I kissed her. She tasted of toothpaste now, and her body felt warm and alive against mine. Perfect in its imperfection. Later, watching her dress for work with precise movements that reminded me of myself, I had to bite back another dozen protective urges. The urge to call her office and clear her schedule. To have Taylor drive her instead of letting her take her own car. To wrap her in the softest cashmere and never let her leave our bed.
“I can hear you thinking from here,” she said without turning from her closet. “Stop it.”
I didn’t say anything
“You’re radiating protective concem so strongly it’s probably visible from spare.” She emerged in a navy dress that sanchoir made her look even more beautifull “I’m fine. The baby’s fine. Everything is fine.”
The steps at the community center site.
“Are perfectly standard and up to code.” She slipped on her heels – lower than her usual ones, I noticed with approval. “And before you say it, yes, I’ll be careful. No, I won’t skip lunch. Yes, I’ll call if I feel even slightly unwell ”
“I was just going to say you look beautiful”
Her expression softened. “Liar,”
Chapter 29 Perfect Imperfection
“Also that.” I moved to help her with her necklace – her mother’s pearls, worn smooth with years of love. But mainly the beautiful part
“Smooth talker.” But she leaned back against me slightly. The wedding planner’s coming at
at four.
“I know.” Of course I knew. I’d memorized every detail of the next month, leading up to our real wedding. The one that would celebrate love instead of business arrangements
“Try not to terrorize her with your exact specifications for flower petal placement?”
“I would never.” But we both knew I absolutely would. Some habits died hard,
She turned in my arms, studying my face with those clever eyes that saw through every careful mask. “Ti doesn’t have to be perfect, you know. Just
real-
“You deserve perfect. My hand found the slight curve of her stomach, still barely noticeable but the most precious thing in my world. “Both of you
do
“We have that already.” She covered my hand with hers. “Even if you do drive me crazy with your
Speaking of protection-”
“No.
“You haven’t heard what I was going to say
your protective streak”
“You were going to suggest hung Marco’s team sweep the ceremony site for security risks. Again.” She patted my cheek condescendingly. “Aren’t I right”
I said nothing, which was answere
©enough.
“Dante ” She sighed my name with fond exasperation. “It’s a wedding, not a military operation. Our families are at peace now. The city is thriving. Everything is fine.”
“Shh” She pressed a finger to my lips. “One of a man’s charms is knowing when to be silent, remember!”
1 kissed her finger instead of arguing. “As my ande commands”
“If only that were tror.” She gathered her bag, cheeks lier reflection one last time. “Try not to send Taylor to spy on nor today?”
“I would never.” But we both knew I absolutely would
“Liar. liar!” She stretched up to kiss me goodbye. “Ti amo, you impossible man
cara I caught her hand before she could leave. “That maybe take it easy on the stairs at the consination site?““”
Her laugh echoed through our bedroom as she left, taking my heart with her as always,
I waited exactly three minnes before calling Marco
“Boss
“The usual protocol.” I said, already pulling up the day’s security feeds on my tablet. “But discreet. She’s getting suspicious.”
Marco’s chickle carried years of understanding “Isn’t she always?”
“And Marcol“:
“Make sure the wedding security team’s background checks go back at least ten years. Including unmediate family members and known associates.
“Already done, boss,” Of course it was I paid him well for a reason. “Anything else
I looked at the tablet, where Lucia had just reached her car. Beauiful. Strong Carrying our future inside her.
“Yes,” I said softly. “Keep them safe.”
“Always, boss” He paused, then added with rare familiarity, “She’s going to kill you when she finds ou about the serurity detail”
“Probably.” I watched her pall away from the garage, three unmarked cars following a discrete distances. “But she’ll have to catch me firs
