Chapter 571: You’re Getting Bigger

He moved closer and placed his hand on her stomach. The curve was still small, but no longer imagined. Their baby was beginning to announce itself to the world, gently for now, beneath her skin. "You’re getting bigger," he murmured.

Vee smiled. "Yes, that is what pregnant women do."

"It just feels miraculous. I’m guessing we will know the gender tomorrow?" he asked.

"I think so." Vee tilted her head. "What are you hoping for?"

"Both," he said immediately.

"Both?"

He lowered himself slightly and placed a kiss on her stomach. "Twins?"

"Do you want to die?" she demanded.

Luca looked up at her, still crouched before her belly, far too handsome for his own safety. "A boy and a girl."

"I swear to God, Luca, if I am carrying twins, I’ll kill you."

He nodded solemnly. "Wouldn’t expect anything less. I will die honoured."

"You will die painfully."

He kissed her stomach once more before standing. "Come on. Let’s get you in the shower."

Vee stepped back and pointed at him. "Oh... no.... You, mister, are staying right here and thinking about what you just said."

Luca’s mouth dropped open. "What? Why? You asked! I was being honest. Bambola, come on!" He looked genuinely betrayed now. "Fine. I’d like a girl. No. A boy."

"Too late."

"Wait."

Vee swept past him into the shower.

Luca groaned. "You’re a terrible witch!" he yelled after her.

But he was already taking off his clothes. Nothing could keep him from his wife.

*****

Marco stared at his board distantly. For all the names, dates, place pinned across it, he could not see a damn thing.

The board should have helped. That was the point of boards. He had questioned every man who knew about the Marino raid.

One by one. He had checked their phones. Their call logs. Their GPS records. He had gone through routes.

Nothing.

Luca would have done it differently. Luca would have had them dragged into the investigation room. And then pain would have filled in the silence. It was effective. which meant it solved problems quickly.

But that was not Marco’s way. And strangely, Luca’s way was the very reason Marco believed the men were telling the truth.

None of them had a death wish. Not a single man working under Luca Genovese would willingly feed information unless he had either lost his mind, grown tired of breathing, or found religion.

Marco leaned back in his chair and rubbed a hand over his face. He walked himself back to Mr Kane’s visit.

Again.

Winn Kane had come with a warning. Luca had asked Marco the right questions.

Nothing connected.

The more he looked, the more the pieces refused to behave. Maybe Donna was seeing things that were not there.

Maybe Vito had gone to Voss himself. Maybe the old bastard had decided to weasel his way back into his daughters’ lives. It would fit him. Vito Scalese had always possessed the moral spine of wet bread.

Marco stood and crossed to the bar. He poured himself a glass of whiskey. His phone chimed. He glanced down.

It was Val. His face softened. He picked up the phone and opened the message. The picture loaded. Every thought in his head died.

Valentina stood before their bedroom mirror in a sexy nightdress. Silk skimmed over her body in all the places God clearly intended to cause problems. Her hair fell over one shoulder. Her lips were slightly parted. Her eyes held that wicked softness she used when she wanted him stupid.

The text beneath it read,

’You coming home tonight?’

He downed the whiskey in one go, hissed as it burned down his throat, and typed back.

’Lose the dress before I get there.’

Quickly, Marco stuffed his phone into his pocket. He looked at the board once more.

"Fuck it," he muttered. "Shit can wait."

Shit had been waiting for years in their lives, piling itself into corners. Marco Montgomery understood priorities.

He marched to the door and reached for the handle.

Then stopped.

His body went still before his mind fully understood why. His eyes shifted back to the board.

Winn Kane.

Ivy Kane.

His hand slipped slowly from the door handle.

No.

There was only one link between the Kanes and Vito.

Valentina.

Valentina had stayed with the Kanes when Luca tried to keep her away from the Bastiones. She had known the Kanes owed Luca a favour but wasn’t told the details of it.

Marco moved closer to the board.

No.

He could see it. God help him, he could see it.

No.

Marco’s jaw clenched. Val would not do such a thing.

betrayal?

What motive would she have? His phone pinged again. Marco pulled it out. Another message from Val.

’It stays off for only thirty minutes.’

He smiled. The smile felt like relief and denial at the same time.

No.

It could not be.

Not Val.

Not his wife.

The board could go to hell. His suspicions could go with it. He turned around, switched off the lights, and headed home.

He entered the house quietly. First, he checked on Matteo. His son slept on his back, one little fist curled near his cheek, his mouth slightly open.

The sight of Matteo always quieted the noise. Softened the violence. Reminded him that at the end of every day, there was this.

"Sleep good, little man," he whispered.

Then he straightened, closed the door halfway, and headed straight to his bedroom. Valentina was there.

And the dress was gone. Val lay across their bed, propped on one elbow. Her skin glowed in the low light. Her eyes lifted to him, and the small smile on her lips was enough to drag every thought out of his head and shoot it in the hallway.

"Welcome home, big guy," she said sultrily.

Marco was already pulling his T-shirt over his head. Archaeologists could find it later. His hands went to his belt.

"I’ve been waiting for you all wet and dripping," she continued.

His buckle came loose with a snap.

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