REINA

Paolo stood right there in the middle of my living room, arms spreading open slowly like he had been holding himself back for weeks and could not do it anymore.

His eyes looked tired, red around the edges from travel and too little sleep. There were faint shadows beneath them, and the lines around his mouth looked deeper than I remembered. But the second his gaze landed on me, something soft broke through all that exhaustion.

That familiar smile touched his lips.

The one with the faint dimple in his left cheek that used to make my stomach flutter back when life felt simpler and lighter.

"Baby..." he whispered.

His voice cracked on the word, rough and full of emotion.

"I’m back, baby. Would you mind giving me a hug?"

Before I could move, Elisa squealed beside him.

"Oh my God, it’s you, Reina!"

She bounced once on the balls of her feet, practically vibrating with excitement.

"I only saw you briefly that day at your reception. You are even prettier in real life than in all the pictures Paolo keeps showing me. Look at you. That sweater is adorable. The color makes your eyes pop so much. Can I hug you, hmm? Please? I’ve been dying to meet you properly, sister."

I barely had time to blink before she rushed forward and threw her arms around me.

The hug was tight and enthusiastic, all warmth and sincerity. She smelled like vanilla and clean laundry. She held me like we had known each other forever instead of barely meeting more than once.

For one brief second, the crushing weight inside my chest eased.

Paolo laughed softly behind her.

"Easy, Elisa. Let her breathe."

She pulled back quickly, hands still on my shoulders as she grinned up at me.

"Sorry. I’m just so happy right now. I’ve been talking Paolo’s ears off this whole trip about finally seeing you."

"That part is true," Paolo muttered.

Elisa ignored him completely.

"He talks about you all the time, by the way. Constantly. It’s honestly disgusting how whipped he is."

Paolo’s cheeks flushed pink.

"She exaggerates."

"I do not," she said, spinning toward him. "Yesterday you literally said coming home to Reina was the only thing keeping you sane."

I looked at him before I could stop myself.

He rubbed the back of his neck, embarrassed.

"Well... yeah."

My heart squeezed painfully.

Then Paolo stepped toward me again, slower this time. Careful. Gentle.

He opened his arms once more and let me choose.

I stepped into them.

His embrace closed around me like something precious being gathered back into safe hands. Tight enough to mean something. Gentle enough not to hurt. Soft enough to make my heart skipped a beat for everything I had done when he was away.

He buried his face in my hair and inhaled shakily.

"I missed you," he whispered near my ear. "God, I missed you so much, baby."

My arms wrapped around his waist automatically.

He felt solid and familiar.

Safe.

The guilt twisted deeper inside me.

"I missed you too," I whispered back.

And I had.

Not just the idea of him. Him.

His steadiness. His warmth. The softness he always gave me even when I did not deserve it.

He pulled back just enough to look at my face, eyes moving over me carefully like he needed to confirm I was real.

Then he kissed me.

His mouth brushed mine like he was afraid I might disappear if he pressed too hard. A slow, trembling touch that lingered just long enough to make my chest ache.

Heat spread through me when he leaned in again, surer this time. His lips moved with quiet patience, tracing every missed moment between us, every silence, every empty day. No rush. No force. Just the soft pull of someone who had wanted this for far too long.

My fingers twisted into the front of his shirt, holding on before I could think better of it.

When he drew back, the space between us was barely there at all. His breath fanned across my mouth, uneven and warm, mingling with mine as neither of us moved.

He rested his forehead against mine and kept his arms around me.

We stood there in the middle of the room, holding each other like the rest of the world could wait.

"How are you doing, baby?" he asked quietly. "Tell me the truth. Are you hurt anywhere?"

I shook my head.

"I’m fine, Gianpaolo. Really. No injuries."

His shoulders loosened with visible relief.

"Thank God."

A throat cleared behind us.

Calestino still stood near the doorway, silent as ever, watching everything with that sharp protective gaze.

Paolo turned and gave him a nod.

"Good to see you back, boss." Calestino said with a sigh. "But why are you back so soon? I already promised you I would not leave Reina. You said I should protect her in your stead which is what I’ve been doing. So why are you back so soon?"

Paolo kept one arm around my waist as he answered.

"Don’t worry about that. I already rounded things up on my end."

His hand tightened slightly against me.

"I’m back now to take care of my wife and protect her myself. I wasn’t comfortable being away while she’s here and possibly in danger. That’s my job."

Heat rushed into my cheeks.

The words should have comforted me.

Instead they made guilt press harder against my ribs.

He sounded so certain. So ready to be the husband I kept failing.

While they spoke, my mind slipped elsewhere.

The pregnancy test kit was still buried in my bag.

I needed to get rid of it before Paolo saw it.

I could not let him find it.

Not now.

Not ever.

Calestino gave a small nod, apparently satisfied, then stepped back toward the door to give us space.

Paolo looked down at me and smiled again.

"Come sit with me."