“Four, three, two, one,” we finished together, grinning.

We clinked glasses and toasted the New Year. I took a sip, loving the way the New York sky bloomed with fireworks. Luca pulled me in for a kiss and I relaxed against him, relishing in this moment. I had so much to be grateful for, not just Luca and Marcella, but also my sisters and their husbands. We’d all found love and happiness in a world that rarely granted either. Matteo grabbed Gianna, cupped her head, and kissed her passionately. At first she tried to push him back but then she returned the kiss with the same fervor. Those two… I shook my head with a laugh.

“Get a room,” Luca muttered.

They finally pulled apart, neither of them embarrassed. They were a match made in hell, is what Luca always said.

Gianna shrugged and pulled me into a hug before she moved on to Lily. Celebrating with them was the most wonderful gift I could imagine, even as my chest squeezed tightly when I thought of Fabiano. I hoped he’d find happiness too.

We watched the fireworks in silence, Luca’s arms creating a warm cocoon around me.

“I can’t believe the kid doesn’t wake with all the fireworks,” Matteo said, shaking his head.

“Marcella sleeps like a rock,” I said.

“Speaking of the devil.” Gianna nodded toward the living room. Marcella stood behind the window with her little palms pressed against the glass, staring up at the sky with big eyes.

Luca chuckled and went over to the terrace door, sliding it open before he scooped up our daughter. With her being two-and-a-half years old, she had no trouble climbing out of her bed and down the stairs. She wrapped her tiny arms around Luca’s neck and peered up at the fireworks in wonder. My heart squeezed with happiness seeing her and Luca. When I’d found out about my pregnancy, I’d harbored so many worries but luckily none of them had proven true. Luca was the best father for Marcella I could hope for, and he’d be a wonderful father to more kids, even a boy.

Lily immediately headed over to Luca and Marcella, tugging at my daughter’s tiny toes and smiling. The way Romero watched her, I knew kids would definitely be part of their future.

Marcella giggled as she pointed up at the sky then she looked at me with a wide grin. “Mom, look!”

I nodded and peered back up to the sky and the colorful explosions.

Gianna leaned beside me against the railing. “Planning on getting knocked up again?”

Taking another sip from my champagne, I gave a small shrug. In the last few weeks, I’d thought about a second child more and more, and now that Marcella wasn’t as dependent on me anymore, I felt like I could have another baby.

“Your expression says yes,” Gianna whispered. “I never thought Luca was a family man, but now I think the two of you will end up with five kids and still do fine.”

I laughed. “Definitely not five. I’m really not too excited about being pregnant that often, and even less about giving birth.”

Gianna considered that with a wrinkled nose. “Yeah. Squeezing a baby out of you that often… I can’t imagine doing it once.”

I regarded her, then Matteo who’d joined Luca and the others, doting on Marcella. “You don’t have to if you both don’t want kids.”

“We don’t. And if Matteo and I feel like spoiling a kid, we’ve got Marcella and soon more. You and Lily are going to pop out more babies soon enough.”

“Don’t spoil her too much. Luca’s already having a hard enough time trying not to spoil her rotten. She’s got him wrapped around her tiny finger.”

Luca handed Marcella to Romero who lifted her up over his head to her obvious delight before Matteo took over. Marcella was beaming like the little princess that she was.

After everyone had left and Marcella was asleep in her bed, Luca and I decided to take a long shower together. He went ahead into the bathroom while I headed for the nightstand where I kept my contraceptives. I fumbled with the pill package then glanced at the open bathroom door before I put it back down and followed Luca. He was already naked and turning the shower on.

I joined him in the shower, pressing up against his muscled body and peering up at him as the warm water streamed down on us and he ran his hand down my spine. His brows drew together when he scanned my face.

“What’s wrong?”

He knew me too well. It was a curse and blessing. I wasn’t sure if Luca was up for another baby yet. The Famiglia kept him busy—war with the Outfit, the Bratva and the MCs was taking its toll, but when would there ever be peace?

“I don’t want to take the pill anymore.”

Luca paused. “Okay.”

“I’d like to have a second baby,” I added quickly, feeling the need to justify myself. “Marcella will be three this year. I think it would be good for her to have siblings. She’ll have someone to play with and she’ll learn to share our attention, which will be good for her as well.”

Luca stroked my cheek, then brushed a kiss across my lips. “If you want a baby, you’ll get one. How about we start working on it right away?”

Surprise filled me. I’d expected more resistance from him for some reason. “I thought I’d have to talk you into it.”

“I love Marcella and I love building a family with you, a family like it’s meant to be. I want Marcella to have siblings like we do.”

I smiled, relieved and excited. Life without my siblings would have been bleak, and even though Luca and I loved Marcella with all our hearts, we couldn’t replace a sister or brother. Standing on my tiptoes, I kissed Luca, tugging at his neck, wanting him closer. His tongue in my mouth, his strong hands on my back and ass, they banished any trace of tiredness. I drew back and knelt down in front of Luca so his erection bobbed in front of me. I curled a hand around it then took him slowly into my mouth and began sucking, casting my gaze up to watch Luca as I did. He leaned back against the wall, lips parted, muscled chest heaving. I loved giving him head like that because I could admire the entire length of his incredible body that way. Working him deeper into my mouth, I cupped his balls with one hand while my other pumped the base of his cock.

Luca stroked my hair away from my face. “Fuck, as much as I love this, it won’t help our baby mission if you suck me dry.”

I pulled back. “You’re always up for a second round.”

Luca’s eyes darkened with hunger. “With you looking at me like that, I’ll probably manage a third and fourth round as well.”

I laughed then closed my mouth around his tip once more, but Luca gripped me under my arms and hoisted me to my feet.

“Enough. I want to be inside of you.”

Luca slipped his hand down my belly, between my legs before he dipped two fingers into me, finding me already wet. With a growl, he lifted me off the ground, so I wrapped my legs around his waist before he pushed me up against the wall and entered me. I dug my nails into his shoulders, my head lolling back from the sensation. This position always allowed him to go so much deeper.

Luca held me up with his arms as he began slamming into me, long, hard strokes that sent shockwaves through my body. I pressed my lips together, trying to keep my moans in, not wanting to wake Marcella, but after another deep thrust I cried out, my toes curling. Luca silenced me with his mouth, his tongue plunging in, stroking mine, stirring up the fire in my belly.