Grace

Chapter 26

"Yes," I blandly said. I tried again to leave the bathroom but he wouldn't move. "Stop with the excitement because I'm not going to give into it. When I found out I didn't have you there to share it with! No way to contact you or anything! Do you know how bad it was for me when you just up and left?! Without a warning? I was hurting, Alessandro," He didn't want to look me in my eyes now.

"Every single night, I couldn't sleep. My mind was too worried about you and your safety. Up wondering if all you did for me was just a game for you to get over losing-"

"Stop!" He raised his voice at me. By now tears are freely flowing down my face and I feel like there's a lump in my throat. "You don't think that I genuinely love you?"

"I don't know," I shrugged. "If you love someone you don't just up and leave,"

"I left because I love you and Rico so much, if anything happened to you guys," He didn't finish saying what he was saying. "I had to take care of something before I could come back,"

"Did you?" I asked with an attitude.

"No. I couldn't keep myself away from you, I love you Grace. Whether you want to believe it or not," Now he's directly in front of me and his cologne is drawing me into him. His body energy the same it's always been. Warm.

"Prove it to me first," I told him then tried to leave once again. "Can I please go?"

"After this," He said. His big hands gently touched my stomach. I'm guessing he can feel my little bump because he chuckled. "Do you know the sex?"

"I find out tomorrow," I said.

"But then we couldn't have a fun revealing party like this," He smiled.

"Alessandro, there's no we," I scoffed. "Hasn't been for almost five months. It's going to take more than just a smile and a rub of my belly to win back my trust and my respect,"

The smile is no longer on his face. It's replaced by a sad frown, as if I just told him that his dog died. He nodded then pulled me into him. "Can I come with you?"

"No need to ask, it's your kid too. Either way, invited or uninvited, you'd show up," I mumbled into him. In heels I'm always at his chest, this man is tall as hell. I hope this baby doesn't get his tall genes at birth, and kill me.

"You still love me though right?" He asked and I nodded. "Thank you," He kissed my temple then let me go. He went in the direction of the party, leaving me in the bathroom alone.

"Jesus," I sighed. I headed back to the party too, so we can open gifts.

*

*

*

"Boss," The doctor said. "Nice to have you back,". This is why Dro doesn't know I'm pregnant. I haven't gone to an outside doctor, I've only been to the mobs doctor because I trust him the most. Dro nodded but focused on the screen.

"He's never heard the beat," I smiled at Dr. Velez. He turned up the sound of the baby's heartbeat and Dro's face turned red.

"That's the baby's?" He asked in awe. Watching his reaction warmed my heart. I can't help the gigantic smile on my face.

"What do you want it to be?" I asked him and he chuckled.

"I actually want a girl," A lot of men wish for sons, but I guess not him. "What do you want?"

"A girl. I already have my boy," I smiled at him.

"Looks like you both got what you wanted," Dr. Velez said and analyzed the screen. "Definitely a baby girl,"

There's names to be picked, clothes to buy, decorate her room. I'm ready for all that. With Rico, I didn't get to do that 100% because I didn't have the money I'm making now. But I'm making up for lost times with him. Now, I'm going to have a mini me around. Personally, I don't think that I'm ready but at the same time I think that I am. Rico wasn't a hand full for me because he was always so calm.

When he was born, he never cried or nothing. Even now, he's a calm child who doesn't act out. The only time I stressed with Rico is when Andre became abusive and when he left to Jamaica. Those were the hardest times.

"Congratulations," Dr. Velez smiled at us. Dro held my hand and I wanted to snatch it back but I didn't because it felt good. It felt like five months ago when we were riding in the car to pick up Rico up from school and it was just peace and serenity.

"I know I'm not forgiven," Dro said and the doctor excused himself. "But I just want us to go back to normal,"

I snatched my hand from his. "Why'd you leave?"

"I guess I owe it to you," He made a face then sighed. "You know how this goes, with this whole "mob". Death comes with,"

I stayed silent. "Someone wanted our territory and tried to kill my grandfather for it but failed. In response, I killed him. That day when the car caught on fire? It was my fault that you got stuck in that burning car, that's why I avoided you after that. His wife tried to kill me but again, failed. Instead I killed her,"

He looked at me then continued. "Now their little orphan of a child is trying to avenge their death. Five months ago he had surveillance of your house then threatened you and Rico's life. He really did scare me with that. Deena was enough for me, I couldn't deal with the possibility that both of you guys would be gone too. So I left. I didn't want to tell you because he had everything tapped,"

"So you just left us with no protection? We could've died! Why do you think leaving would make him not want to come after us?" I asked him with a 'wtf' look on my face.

"Trust me, you're more protected than the Queen of England," He rubbed his temple. "I'm here because I couldn't stay away from you any longer and I miss you,"

I ignored his sentimental bullshit. "He probably knows you're back by now,"

"I give him another 48 hours of air. Trust me, he's being handled. Everyone in that pathetic "mob" he has are being-"

"I don't want to hear. As long as we're safe," I sighed.  He should've just stayed wherever the fuck he was because now I'm even more stressed about my son and unborn daughters safety, even more than I was.