Gemma’s POV
I was laughing at one of Vincenzo’s ridiculous impressions of his uncle Xavier when Dominic approached our poolside lounge, his expression unreadable in that way that always made my blood run cold. In the mafia world, unreadable ant dangerous.
"Ti for more sunscreen, handso," I said playfully, extending my hand toward him. Instead of the bottle I expected, Dominic placed sothing rectangular and lightweight in my palm.
My heart stopped when I recognized the pregnancy test package. The sa one I had hidden in our bedroom safe yesterday, behind the ergency cash and fake passports. Heat flooded my face as I shot upright, my mouth suddenly dry as desert sand.
"You found them," I whispered, barely able to form the words.
"I did," Dominic replied, his tone carrying that deadly calm that preceded either execution orders or life-changing decisions. "Want to explain this to ?"
"Dominic, I..." My throat constricted as fear coursed through my veins like ice water.
His green eyes locked onto mine with laser precision. "I need to know right now, Gemma. Whose are these?"
"Mine," I admitted, eting his stare even as tears threatened to spill. In our world, showing weakness could be fatal, but hiding truth from your capo was worse.
"Yours?" Sothing shifted in his expression, a crack in that stone facade. "Does that an..."
"I swear I was careful with the pill," I rushed to explain, words tumbling over each other. "Sothing went wrong, and I—"
"Gemma," he cut off with the authority he used in family etings. "Focus. Tell what this ans."
My shoulders sagged as I stared at the concrete beneath my feet. "I’m pregnant. I bought those tests yesterday when we went to the ice cream parlor as cover..."
Before I could finish the confession, Dominic crushed against his chest so hard I could barely breathe, his arms forming a protective cage around .
"I’m going to be a father!" he shouted, his voice echoing across our secured compound. "I’m going to be a father!"
His reaction left stunned. This was not the cold calculation or strategic thinking I had expected. Dominic pulled back to kiss fiercely, then turned toward the children lounging by the pool, his face transford by a grin I had never seen before.
"Kids! You’re getting a cousin!" he announced with the sa pride he used when announcing successful territory expansions.
Vincenzo and Carn exploded into celebration, their shouts mixing with the excited barking of our trained guard dogs who sensed the jubilant energy.
Dominic imdiately pulled out his encrypted phone, speed-dialing Xavier. "Brother, spread the word through the family channels—I’m going to be a father!" His voice vibrated with pure elation while I sat there overwheld, tears streaming down my face.
"Uncle Dominic, can I tell everyone in the family?" Vincenzo was practically bouncing, his excitent infectious even to our usually stoic security detail.
Dominic turned to , those deadly green eyes now dancing with joy. "What do you say, my goddess? Should we make it official through family channels, or let our little ssenger here handle the announcents?"
Through my tears, I managed a smile. "Let him be our family herald!"
Vincenzo wasted no ti, initiating a secure video call on the family communication network he had helped establish during our last gathering at the compound. He delivered the news with all the dramatic flair of a seasoned consigliere, panning between Dominic and , zooming in on the test package, and providing live comntary on everyone’s reactions. It was impossible to determine who showed more excitent—Vincenzo or Dominic.
"Stop crying, my goddess," Dominic whispered, holding against his chest. "You should be celebrating. We’re about to bring the next generation of our family into this world." He pressed his lips to my forehead. "Why didn’t you co to imdiately when you suspected?"
"Because I thought you would see it as a liability," I confessed, my voice muffled against his shoulder. "I didn’t know how to break the news. Everyone in the organization knows you never wanted the responsibility of an heir."
"That was before you changed everything for , my goddess! With you, I want more heirs than Don Caleb himself!" His grin turned wicked.
"Don’t even joke about that, Dominic. They have multiple children. We are absolutely not having that many children," I protested, which only made him laugh harder.
"I was thinking more along the lines of a whole army," he teased, causing to choke while everyone around us erupted in laughter.
Soon our secure phones were ringing constantly with congratulations from family associates, and before long, our compound was filled with celebration as word spread through the organization. Only after the last guest departed and we retreated to the safety of our bedroom could Dominic and I finally talk privately.
He settled against the reinforced headboard and pulled onto his lap, his hand constantly caressing my still-flat stomach, a permanent smile transforming his usually intimidating features.
"You have no idea the depth of my happiness right now," he said, repeating the sentint he had expressed throughout the evening.
"I was terrified about your reaction," I admitted, resting my head against his shoulder.
"I actually discussed this possibility with Xavier yesterday at the underground club," Dominic said, catching completely off guard.
"What do you an?"
"I told him I was feeling ready to establish a true dynasty with you. I watched a made man playing with his son in the pool, and I started envisioning myself in that role."
"Really? And here I was, convinced you would see and our baby as targets that compromised your position."
"Never, my love. You transford my entire worldview, Gemma. First you made want you despite the danger, then you made want you in my territory permanently, and now you have made want you as the mother of my legacy."
"Dominic, when you say legacy..." I raised an eyebrow suspiciously.
"My goddess, in our world, there are no limits on expanding power! It is about building an empire. We have started the bloodline, now let us build the dynasty."
I could not help but laugh at his audacity. Dominic truly had no boundaries when he set his mind on sothing. And if I was not careful, he might actually convince that a whole army of little heirs was a reasonable family planning strategy.
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