Dive In

Chapter 24

•Nolani•

"Are you sure I can't help." I whine into the phone.

"If I allowed you in this building before everything was done Mamma would kill me and then Giovanni would bring me back from the dead and kill me again for letting you lift a finger." Alessia replies with a laugh.

I've been trying my best to help set up the twins baby shower today but Viola says that's what they are for.

I sniffle, my hormones getting the best of me. "Alessia—."

"No ma'am, you are not allowed to do that!" She cuts me off and then starts ranting in Italian.

"It's not fair when I can't understand you." I huff in annoyance.

"I'll see you in an hour, ciao." She replies and abruptly ends the call.

I glare at my phone and toss it onto one of the many lounge chairs by the pool. My back has been killing me and relaxing in the water is the only thing that seems to help. The air is cold, the sharp sting of the wind nipping at my bare skin as I remove my thick robe but luckily the pool is heated, not too warm of course. I slip into the water and sigh as I lie back and let my body float. The relief on my aching back is immediate.

"Hello twins." Leo's says. 

I hear the glass door that leads out onto the patio close as he exits the house and I glance over. He's dressed in his swim trunks with a towel thrown over his shoulder. I shoot him a glare and he laughs, dropping his towel onto a lounge chair and then jumps in.

He emerges from the water a moment later, pushing his short hair back as he flashes me a smile. "You're way more prickly than when we first met."

"Maybe because I have two tiny humans residing in my womb, your brother thinks I'm made of glass, I hardly ever get to leave this house, I haven't seen my best friend in person in months and I'm not allowed to help decorate for my own baby shower." I retort.

Not to mention the attraction I have to your brother while being pregnant with your other brothers babies. After the moment Giovanni and I had in my bedroom yesterday he left and I haven't seen him since.

Leo's smile only grows. "Well you're in luck, I'm here to entertain you until it's time to get ready for the shower and I've brought a friend along."

He means babysit instead of entertain but before I can say that out loud Jade exits the house in a baby blue bikini and I nearly drown myself trying to get out of the pool. I finally pull myself over the edge and scramble to my feet.

"Oh my god, look at you!" She squeals, wrapping her arms around me in a hug as tight as she can manage with my belly in between us.

"I missed you." I cry. "I'm sorry my hormones only allow me to be angry or sad."

"You aren't allowed to be angry or sad today." She demands with a smile. "Did you know Giovanni has this place locked down tighter than a military base? The guard at the gate searched my car and then frisked me, like I would hurt you."

My mouth falls open although really, I shouldn't be surprised. Giovanni does take this safety issue of his way overboard. Although with the Russian guy who tried scaling the fence yesterday in mind I guess his obsession is valid.

"I'm sorry, Jade, I had no idea." I shake my head.

She shrugs. "It's okay, at least the guard was hot. I wouldn't mind getting frisked by him again, except naked this time."

I can't help but laugh. God I've missed my best friend.

I shiver against the cold wind and wrap my arms around my body. "Let's get in before we freeze."