Evelina

(xxv)

Antonio

I watched as Eve stood by Enzo's bed, nervously fiddling with her fingers, her expression a mix of determination and guilt. My parents had arrived and were standing near Enzo, silently taking in the sight of him resting, bruised but safe.

"Well, it looks like you had quite the 'sleepover,'" Mama remarked, her voice light yet filled with underlying concern.

Eve looked up, her face resolute. "Go ahead—yell, scold, punish me, whatever you need to do. But know this: even if I had to do it all over again to save Enzo, I would. Without a second thought."

Papà's expression softened, though his gaze remained intense. "Mia cara figlia, why didn't you tell us?" (My dear daughter.)

"Because if I had, you wouldn't have let me go. And we couldn't afford any interference," she replied firmly, a flash of defiance in her eyes. "It was best that only the squad went."

"What's that supposed to mean?" Mateo piped up, faking an air of insult.

Eve turned to him, raising an eyebrow. "Exactly what it sounds like, Mateo. You're not trained for these operations, and if you'd been part of the rescue, we'd be rescuing *you* along with Enzo. We couldn't risk letting the American Mafia know; there are too many moles in their ranks, so their help was out of the question. It had to be a covert mission, and only those who could handle the heat went in."

Papà nodded, processing her words, and Eve continued, a small, confident smile appearing. "Let's not forget—Aiden may know all your tactics, but he has no clue how the squad operates, especially with Lexi in charge. Her plans don't follow patterns; she's unpredictable, and that's exactly what we needed. If you'd gone in, it would've doubled the risk, doubling the people we'd need to save."

Mama exchanged a quick look with Papà, their concern now mixed with reluctant admiration. Eve met their eyes, unyielding. "It was simpler, faster, and safer for us to bring Enzo back on our terms. And we did."

Papà let out a weary sigh. "Still, Eve, you can't be doing this alone, especially now. You're pregnant."

Eve looked up at him, her composed façade finally cracking as tears began to fall. "I... I promised him, Papà. I swore I'd never let anything happen to him, and I broke that promise. The least I could do was get him out safely, even if it meant keeping you all in the dark."

Papà softened, pulling her into a tight embrace. "But what would I have done if my princess was taken from me by Aiden, never to return? Or if Antonio lost his queen? You can't do this alone, and you can't keep us in the dark. Imagine if they had taken you, mia cara. We would have thought you were safe here with us, and it would've been too long before we realized you were gone—long enough for them to do unimaginable harm." (My dear.)

"Sorry, Papà," Eve murmured, her voice thick with emotion. "Next time, I'll try to tell you."

As I watched, I finally broke the tension with a sigh. "Papà, could you let me have Eve now? I suffered the brutal torture of a night without holding her close, so I think I deserve—"

Without warning, Papà smacked me upside the head, cutting off my complaint. "I don't need to know the details of your romance with my princess," he said, feigning disapproval.

I rubbed the back of my head, grumbling. Who's the actual blood-related child here, anyway?

"SÌ, Papà." I grinned as I reached for Eve, catching her soft smile as she melted into my arms. (Yes.)

I carried Eve, her tear-streaked face softened but her eyes still clouded, bridal style to our bedroom in the squad's house. "How are you feeling, Eve?" I asked, searching her expression.

"Good," she replied, her voice flat. But I could see the truth hiding behind her answer.

"Eve, you're pregnant, and you just went through a hell of a night. From experience, I know you're not fine."

She crossed her arms, turning away. "Then why even ask?"

I brought my hands to her waist, tickling her sides until her laughter filled the room, breaking through her defenses. "Tony, stop... please!" she managed between giggles.

"I'll stop if you promise to tell me what's on your mind."

She let out a resigned sigh. "Fine, fine." As she caught her breath, I gently took her hands in mine. "Now speak," I said softly, giving her my full attention.

Her gaze softened as she looked down. "I miss Italy."

I nodded, urging her to continue.

She muttered under her breath, "Argh... mi arrendo." Then, finally, "I'm worried. I don't want our child growing up in a world where they have to watch their back every second." (I give up.)

I hummed in agreement, "I don't want that for our kids, either," I said, adding a playful smirk. "How about we run away together?"

She let out a chuckle, shaking her head. "Can't. Everyone depends on us."

"Hmm... how about we cuddle each other to sleep, then?"

She sighed. "Can't do that either. I have to go back to my biological father's house."

"That completely slipped my mind." I pecked her lips, smirking.

She raised a brow. "Did it?"

"Mmhmm." I gave her another light kiss.

She rolled her eyes, laughing. "Then let's go."

I kissed her again, hoping for one more minute together. "Can't we ditch them?"

"No, Tones. My dad's actually trying, and I want to fix things with him."

"Fine," I said, surrendering. "But we're leaving for Italy tomorrow. I've already made plans."

That earned me her brightest smile, and she got up, more determined than ever, to get ready.