Something dark flashed across Matteo’s face. “I’m good. Adrenaline.”
“You shouldn’t risk your life now that we’ve got Isabella,” I muttered. Recently, the conflicts with the Bratva and the MCs who worked with them had escalated. At least, the Outfit lay low. There was enough money to be made for all crime families so I’d never understood why they insisted on fighting each other, except for pride and testosterone.
“I didn’t, Gianna. Luca and I dealt with a few Russians that got caught.”
My nose wrinkled because I knew what that meant. Matteo regarded me as he rocked Isabella gently. I gave him a tired smile then kissed him again. I didn’t like what he did but I loved him. “Thanks.”
Matteo nodded and peered down at Isabella, then gently nudged her lips with the bottle. She latched on to it and began drinking.
Relieved, I moved toward the bed and crept under the covers. Despite the lights, I fell asleep almost instantly.
* * *
The weeks dragged on, night and day blurring into each other. I got a better handle on Isa’s feeding and sleeping schedule, and even managed to squeeze in a shower almost every day.
I really started feeling more like myself when I was cleared for working out by my doctor six weeks after giving birth. The first time I stepped into my gym, I really felt like past-Gianna, as if there was room for me besides being a mom. Cara waved at me from behind the reception desk. She had taken over a few classes and also the reception duties since she’d been working out in my gym from the very start. She managed to be a mom and to keep doing what she enjoyed. Her two boys spent time with their grandma whenever Cara worked.
I went over to her and hugged her. “How are things going over here?”
“Good,” she said with a confident smile. “What about you? How are you doing? I remember the first few weeks of being a first-time mom in a sleep-deprived haze.”
“That sums it up. But it’s been getting better. Isa only wakes twice per night now. That’s a huge improvement.”
“Good!”
The bell rang and the wife and daughter of a soldier stepped in. They congratulated me before they headed into the changing rooms. Of course, nobody could enter the building without passing a security check downstairs. Matteo and Luca had insisted on it.
“I’m going to do Pilates by myself for an hour. Just going to get changed.”
“Will you return to teaching classes soon?”
“Yes,” I said without hesitation. Matteo and I hadn’t discussed when I’d start working again. It wasn’t as if I was earning any money with it. The gym and classes were complimentary for all the women in our world, but I still felt like I was doing something useful.
Cara nodded. “Your customers will be happy to hear that.”
“They enjoyed your aerobic classes as well.”
“They do but they definitely miss yoga.”
I couldn’t deny how good Cara’s words made me feel.
After I’d changed into my workout clothes for the first time in almost three months, I headed into the Pilates room. Giving birth to Isa had left its marks. I definitely didn’t look as fit anymore and my belly wasn’t as flat as it used to be. But worse than the obvious changes were the invisible ones. I felt as if I was doing Pilates for the very first time. My balance was off and my stamina as well. Still I couldn’t stop grinning stupidly once I was done with my workout. I felt reborn as the old Gianna.
“I’ll be back tomorrow,” I told Cara before I left.
I got into my car, a cute Smart, much to Matteo’s chagrin, and pulled out of the underground garage. The car with my bodyguards followed close by. It had taken a while for me to win this piece of freedom. I didn’t want those baboons in a car with me, much less did I want them to drive me around like chauffeurs. Alone in my car with the music turned up all the way, I felt like a normal woman, not a mob wife.
I pulled up in front of Aria and Luca’s mansion, then waited for one of my bodyguards to check the perimeter. Once he gave a nod, I got out of my car and headed toward the massive wooden door with a metal lion claw as a doorknob.
Before I could knock, Aria opened the door with a grin, cradling Isa in her arms. “And?” she asked.
“Everything aches and I’ll have sore muscles tomorrow, but I feel better than I have in a long time.”
Isa gave me a goofy smile and my heart beat faster. I took her from Aria, gave her chubby baby cheek a fat kiss and pressed her against my chest. Now that she was back in my arms, I realized I’d missed her, but working out had given my mind and body a necessary kickstart. “Thank you for watching her. You seem to have had fun.”
Aria could hardly take her eyes off Isa. “Marcella and Amo are already so grown up in comparison. I really miss the baby stage.”
I shook my head. “I can’t wait for the baby phase to be over so Isa and I can do fun things together. Right now, she can only poo and scream.”
Aria laughed. “Do you want to come in for a coffee and some cake?”
“Coffee, yes. Cake, no.”
Aria rolled her eyes. “Back to being fit Gianna?”
“You bet. These additional baby pounds won’t disappear on their own.”
“They did for me.”
I gave her a death glare. “Not everyone is graced with your supermodel genes.”
“We share the same genes.”
I followed her into their ginormous living room with a splendid view into their yard. I still wasn’t convinced Luca hadn’t helped with the sudden death of the previous owner to get his hands on such a rare property in New York.
A tray with coffee was already set up on the table. I sank down on the beige leather sofa and put Isa down between my leg and the armrest, tickling her belly.
“I fed her about thirty minutes ago but she didn’t want to fall asleep.”
“She’ll do it soon enough,” I said. And less than five minutes later, Isa slept fast.
Aria regarded me. “You look happy. I’m glad Pilates is giving you so much joy. Once you start teaching Pilates classes again, I’ll be your first customer.”
“But you enjoyed the aerobic classes, right?”
Aria laughed. “Yes, I told you before. You really can’t give up control. Cara really did a good job, so don’t worry.”
“The gym feels like my baby too. I worked so hard to convince Matteo to let me do it and then to build it up.”
“And you did a great job. The gym is always bursting with customers.”
“I really want to get back to teaching Pilates and yoga classes soon,” I said hesitantly. In the past, I’d never had trouble saying my opinion straight out, but for some reason, mom guilt managed to wedge itself into my brain.
Aria shrugged. “Why don’t you just turn your own workout sessions into classes?”
“I’m not as fit as I used to be and if I work out, I can’t give as much attention to my customers. Many of them need guidance to perform the correct moves.”
“Then explain that your current classes are less guided. I’m sure many people would still enjoy working out with you. I’m one of them.”
I squeezed her thigh. “Thanks.”
That evening during dinner I told Matteo about my plan to get back to teaching yoga and Pilates classes.