Page 58 of A Bride for the Mafia King

“I’ve got you,” I whisper against her hair.

Her reply is barely audible. “I know.”

I feel her breath even out, the tension in her muscles slowly easing as she nestles closer, her hand now splayed over my heart like she’s grounding herself there. And I wonder if the added warmth helps to ease her aching muscles.

The silence stretches between us, not awkward, not heavy—just right. Then, her voice again. Barely above a whisper.

“I thought I was going to die,” she says.

I close my eyes, pressing my lips against her temple. “But you didn’t. You’re here. And you’re safe.”

“For now,” she murmurs. “But it could’ve ended there, in that warehouse. And I wouldn’t have gotten to say it.”

“Say what?” I ask, pulling back just slightly enough to see her face. Her expression is heavy with exhaustion but clear, searching for words.

Her lips curve faintly, trembling just a little. “That I love you.”

My breath catches.

The air leaves my lungs like a punch, but I don’t move. Don’t speak. I can’t find words and only stare at her, stunned by the weight of her admission.

She continues, her fingers brushing softly over my jaw. “I didn’t expect it. Didn’t plan on it. But I’m in love with you, Tolya. Even when I shouldn’t have been. Even when I tried not to be.”

Then, I lean down, gently brushing my lips over hers. It’s not rough. Not desperate. When I pull back, her eyes glisten. And mine—hell, mine probably do too.

“I love you too, Eva,” I say. “More than I can possibly say.”

She exhales shakily, as if she’d been holding her breath waiting for me to admonish her.

“I didn’t expect it either,” I murmur, tracing the backs of my fingers along her cheek. “Didn’t even know I was capable of love in the first place. But then you happened. You healed whatever it was that was broken in me after my parents died. You showed me what it is to love and be loved again.”

Her smile is soft, fragile as she gazes up at me with a slight smile. I press another kiss to her lips—slower this time. Cherishing the moment. She responds with a gentle sigh, her hand curling behind my neck to hold me there a moment longer.

“I’m not going anywhere,” I whisper. “You and this baby—you’re my whole world now. And I swear to you, Eva, I’ll protect you both with the last breath I take.”

“I believe you,” she says again, voice barely audible. And this time, it sounds like forever.

A soft knock breaks the moment. It’s tentative, careful, and instinctively I know it’s Nico. I look toward the door, but it’s Eva who speaks first, her voice still soft but steadier now.

“Come in.”

The door slides open slowly, and Nico steps in, shoulders stiff, his dark eyes scanning the room before landing on her. His gaze flicks to me briefly and he hesitates on the threshold gauging the emotions in the room.

“I didn’t mean to interrupt,” he says, his voice quieter than usual, a soft smile present. “I just wanted to check on my little sister before I go.”

Eva lights up in a way that steals my breath. There’s no trace of the pain or exhaustion she’d worn just moments ago. Only relief. She rolls carefully, gingerly, onto her other side, away from me, and reaches for him.

“Nico,” she breathes. “Come here.”

He approaches cautiously, moving to the opposite side of the bed, deliberately keeping space between us. I don’t blame him.

Eva reaches out and tugs him into a one-armed hug, her fingers curling around the front of his shirt as she leans her head to his shoulder.

“You’re going to be the best uncle ever,” she says, her voice thick with emotion. “You know that, don't you.”

He freezes. I watch his jaw twitch, the weight of that statement settling into his bones. Then he exhales and rests his cheek briefly against the top of her head.

“You really think I’m uncle material?” he mutters, a hint of that signature Italian sarcasm slipping in.