up to make sure they were focused on the task at hand. When we were finally admitted to our private room, I bent over Aria and kissed her forehead then her lips. “You are incredible, principessa.”
She gave me a tired smile. “Will you stay the night?”
“Of course. I won’t leave your side.”
Cradling Amo in my arms, I watched over Aria as she fell asleep. I wouldn’t close my eyes until we were back home. They would be safe; nothing else mattered.
Because of the C-section Aria wasn’t allowed to leave the next day, but Gianna and Matteo took care of Marcella, probably stuffing her face with chocolate and letting her watch TV until her little brain was completely frazzled. We decided not to have any visitors to give Aria time to heal and agreed to meet in our penthouse.
I carried Amo on my arm and Aria’s bag in my other hand as we stepped into the elevator.
“I hate that I can’t carry him because of the C-section,” she said, looking longingly at our son.
“It’s only a couple of weeks. Your sisters will be around to help you, and Matteo will take care of business as much as he can so I can stay home.”
Gianna, Liliana, Romero, and Matteo were already in our penthouse when we stepped inside. Someone, I assumed Liliana, had decorated everything with balloons and baked a cake with blue frosting.
Aria’s eyes widened in surprise. She moved carefully into our home, trying to hide that she was still in pain, but I caught the occasional wince.
Gianna and Liliana, who carried Marcella in her arms, hurried over to Aria and hugged her while Matteo and Romero joined me. Romero touched my shoulder, regarding Amo with a smile. “He looks like you.”
Before I could say anything, Matteo spoke up.
“He looks like a fat little Buddha with black hair.” He lifted one of Amo’s stubby arms.
Aria sent Matteo an incredulous look and I would have hit him over the head if I hadn’t been carrying Amo.
Matteo flashed the girls a grin. “Come on, it’s the truth. It’s not like he’s an ugly baby but he’s a little Michelin man with all those fat rolls.”
“If he gets as tall as Luca, he’ll grow quickly, then he needs the additional weight,” Romero said diplomatically.
“Let’s hope so. On the other hand, maybe we can torture our enemies by letting your little sumo wrestler sit on them.”
“How about you shut up?” I muttered.
Gianna stalked over to us and pinched Matteo, who flinched, then rubbed the spot. “Look at him and tell me he doesn’t look like a baby Buddha.”
Gianna rolled her eyes then gave me an exasperated look. “Congrats. I hope you don’t drop your kid on the head like someone must have done with Matteo when he was a baby.”
“I’ll do my best,” I said then peered down at Amo who was deep asleep, oblivious to Matteo’s comments.
Liliana came over with Marcella in her arms. “Look, that’s your little brother.”
I gave Marcella a smile, lifting Amo so she could get a better look. She watched her brother with her head tilted to the side as if he was a new toy she was trying to figure out. “Why isn’t he doing anything?”
“Because he’s a baby. They sleep, poop, and eat,” Gianna said.
Aria sighed, but I could tell she was fighting a grin.
“That’s boring,” Marcella said, looking disappointed. Then she glanced over at Aria and stretched out her arms. “Mommy, arm.”
Aria’s expression fell.
“Mommy isn’t allowed to carry anything at the moment,” I said. Marcella’s lower lip began to tremble. Fuck. I couldn’t stand it when she cried.
Gianna sighed and came over to me. “Come on, give me your little poo machine. I’ll carry your future sumo wrestler while you snuggle with Marci.”
I handed Amo to her and her widened eyes flitted over to my wife. “How did he ever fit inside of you?”
Aria laughed. “I don’t know.”
“Good thing you didn’t have to squeeze him out of your vajayjay.”
“Hey,” I said in warning as I took Marcella from Liliana who went over to Gianna to hold Amo’s tiny hand.
“What’s a vajayjay?” Marcella asked immediately. I sent Gianna a death glare.
“Nothing you have to worry about.”
Gianna and Aria burst out laughing, and Marcella peered up at me with a small frown.
Matteo winked. “Missing your bachelor days, huh?”
“Never,” I said as I kissed Marcella’s frown, causing her to giggle then looked at Amo who’d woken and was staring up at Gianna with huge eyes. Aria was smiling as if