Page 78 of From Rome, With Hate
She giggles. “Oh, I’m real.”
My eyes drop to her mouth. “Is it safe to kiss you, or is that bad luck, too?”
“You can kiss me,” she answers, her cheeks blushing. “This lipstick is practically bulletproof. But you also have to promise we’ll stop at the one kiss. I really need to talk to you.”
“It’ll be difficult.” I can’t stop fucking grinning. “But I promise.”
I pull her in for a kiss, planting my mouth softly to hers. I know she said I won’t ruin her makeup, but I still want to be safe.
When I pull away, Julianna keeps her eyes closed and breathes out a heavy sigh. She’s still running her hand along her stomach before moving it to her right hip.
“Are you okay?” I ask, concern replacing my desire. “Is your tattoo irritating you?”
“No.” She sighs, looking down at her hand. “It isn’t bothering me.”
Two days ago, Julianna and I got matching rose tattoos. Hers is small, over her lower abdomen, close to her right hip. Mine stretches across my ribs, nearly ten times the size of hers. But we wanted something to signify our love and us getting married. Something to serve as a constant reminder of our love.
But I didn’t stop at the rose. I also got a large lark tattooed across my neck, its wings stretched across it, wrapping around my throat. The tattoo is still fresh, and I opted to not wear a tie today, leaving my black button-down shirt open at the top.
Julianna’s bottom lip trembles, and I can’t help noticing how she’s vibrating with nerves.
“Lark.” I rub my knuckles against her soft cheek and glance at her phone sitting on the nightstand. “Did your dad call again?”
She shakes her head. “No. He bought my lie about meeting with my student advisor at Yale to discuss potentially meeting with other well-established interior designers in the field.”
“Okay.” I swallow, a tiny sliver of relief edging its way in. “That’s good.”
Fucking Kingsten Capuleti. Sometimes I think he keeps tabs on Julianna more than he should. Especially now that she’s eighteen and heading off to college at the end of next month.
She scoffs, following it up with a small chuckle. “I mean, it isn’t a complete lie. I’m only off by two weeks.”
“I’m so proud of you for sticking to your dreams and making them happen. Makes me happy knowing I didn’t derail your plans after all.”
She winces, her beautiful mouth twitching as she looks up. Her cat eye-lined eyes narrow slightly. “I mean, you kind of have.”
“By marrying me, yes.” I playfully roll my eyes. “But I told you that marrying me wouldn’t change that. You deserve everything you’ve ever wanted, Lark. I’ll be there to support you no matter what.”
“No matter what?”
“Yes.” I laugh, but there isn’t much humor behind it. I’m still nervous as fuck. “Why do I have a feeling this isn’t what you wanted to talk to me about?”
“Because it isn’t,” she whispers, her voice turning somber. “But you deserve to know what I’m about to tell you before agreeing to marry me.”
My heart is beating so hard, I’m convinced it drops into my stomach. I feel sick, already dreading what she’s going to say without even knowing whether it’s good or bad.
“Deserve to know what?”
She grabs my hands and holds them between us, staring at them and squeezing my fingers, wringing them tighter until our knuckles turn white. Then she’s looking up at me as a shaky breath passes her full red lips.
Her glassy, tear-lined eyes meet mine. “I’m pregnant, Rome.”
The room somehow spins while Julianna and I remain still.
It takes precisely ten full breaths before I’m able to speak. “You’re pregnant?”
My voice sounds faraway, as if it’s no longer in the room with me.
“Yes.” She quivers. “I took a test yesterday, and it came up positive. I wanted to be sure before telling you because I know those things can be wrong, and when I called my OB right after taking it, they were able to fit me in last minute. She confirmed it.”
