{"id":255483,"date":"2026-07-13T04:22:41","date_gmt":"2026-07-13T01:22:41","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/1kitap1.com\/en\/caught-offsides-gina-azzi\/"},"modified":"2026-07-13T04:22:41","modified_gmt":"2026-07-13T01:22:41","slug":"caught-offsides-gina-azzi","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/1kitap1.com\/en\/caught-offsides-gina-azzi\/","title":{"rendered":"Caught Offsides – Gina Azzi"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Carla offers as I grab a sweater and drape it over my shoulders. \u201cNo.\u201d I shake my head. \u201cI mean, thank you. But I need to do this on my own.\u201d I don\u2019t miss the way Luca\u2019s jaw tightens. I give him a soft smile. \u201cI\u2019m really okay, Luca.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI looked this kid up\u2014\u201d my brother starts. \u201cHe\u2019s not a kid,\u201d Carla murmurs. Luca narrows his eyes at her. \u201cHe\u2019s twenty-five. He\u2019s starting his first season playing in Europe, and he just found out he\u2019s going to be a father,\u201d Luca scoffs. \u201cAnd you think he\u2019s going to stick around?\u201d Carla winces and I sigh. \u201cHe\u2019s here, Luca,\u201d I remind my brother. \u201cAfter I pretty much ghosted him. He got on the first flight the second I told him the news.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019d say he\u2019s handling things pretty well,\u201d Carla adds. I nod. As much as I hate to admit it, Niko is taking this news a lot better than I expected. Much better than Christian did. Hell, even better than I handled it, which I\u2019m trying not to hold against him. Luca swears and drags a hand through his hair. \u201cInvite him over for dinner.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat?\u201d I gasp. My brother gives me a look. \u201cI want to meet him. Invite him for dinner. Tomorrow night.\u201d He glances at Carla and she nods, indicating that their schedules are free to host my baby\u2019s daddy for dinner. Fuck. I pinch the bridge of my nose. \u201cI don\u2019t know how much time he has or\u2060\u2014\u201d \u201cHe\u2019ll come.\u201d<\/p>\n

Luca cuts me off. \u201cIf he\u2019s serious about this, about you and the baby, he\u2019ll figure out a way to come. Tell him.\u201d \u201cFine.\u201d \u201cGood.\u201d My brother moves toward the door and yanks it open. \u201cBe honest with him, B. But he better fucking step up.\u201d I sigh and move to walk through the door, but at the last moment, Luca reaches out and tugs on my ponytail.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou can do this,\u201d he murmurs the encouragement. I drop my head so I don\u2019t fucking cry. Nodding, I say, \u201cI hope so. See you later.\u201d Then, I leave the apartment and take the elevator to the ground floor. When I push out of the apartment building, I suck in a cool, crisp breath. Moving through Mercat Colon, I slow my pace and enjoy the airy breeze, the chatter spilling from the restaurants and caf\u00e9s, and the moment of solitude.<\/p>\n

The arches of the market are high, leading to intricate mosaics and gorgeous stained glass. I study the images of a harvest and take comfort in the depiction. There is simplicity and abundance, perseverance and community, all in one overarching theme. And I realize that impending motherhood, and all the conflicting feelings it brings, isn\u2019t new. It\u2019s something that women have endured for centuries.<\/p>\n

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Copyright \u00a9 2026 by Gina Azzi No part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any form or by any means, including photocopying, recording, or other electronic or mechanical methods, without the prior written permission of the publisher, except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical reviews and certain other noncommercial uses permitted by copyright law. This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, businesses, places, events, locales, and incidents are either the products of the author\u2019s imagination or used in a fictitious manner.<\/p>\n

Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, or actual events is purely coincidental. 1kitap1.com\/en contents Social Media Post 1. Niko 2. Bianca 3. Niko 4. Bianca Social Media Post 5. Niko 6. Bianca 7. Niko 8. Bianca 9. Niko Social Media Post 10. Bianca 11. Niko Club Stuttgart Official Correspondence 12. Bianca 13. Niko 14. Bianca 15. Niko Social Media Post 16. Bianca 17. Niko 18. Bianca 19.<\/p>\n

Niko 20. Bianca 21. Niko 22. Bianca Social Media Post 23. Niko 24. Bianca 25. Niko Social Media Post 26. Bianca For Immediate Release Social Media Post 27. Niko 28. Bianca 29. Niko Epilogue Social Media Post Player Spotlight: Niko Karas Also by Gina Azzi About the Author 1kitap1.com\/en social media post @NikoKarasSoccer Fire shoot today before the big move!<\/p>\n

Pumped to be repping URBN Move before heading overseas to join @ClubStuttgart. I\u2019ve got 48 hours in NYC\u2014recommendations? #nextchapter #urbnmove #streetstyle #dreambig @SweetPea3 I love URBN Move! So happy you\u2019re their new brand ambassador @NikoKarasSoccer @SoccerGurl I can be in NYC in 2 hours. Where should we meet? @SoccerSux33 Stick to playing the game. Do you really need to add modeling to your social media description? @DimiDoesChi Get some pizza. Bring some back for me. @URBNMoveOfficial @KelseyCrushesGoals The Greek God of Goals does modeling too?!<\/p>\n

@ChiTownSports Yas! Love to see this @NikoKarasSoccer. The city is going to miss you big. @BiancaDiBlancoStreetStyle You\u2019re late @NikoKarasSoccer. 1kitap1.com\/en 1 niko \u201cYOU\u2019RE LATE,\u201d the hot brunette mutters as I stroll into the location of the photoshoot, an industrial warehouse turned creative studio. Several areas of the large space are prearranged with furniture\u2014a wingback armchair, a leather couch, barstools of varying heights\u2014and set with props.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

This is a short excerpt from the opening of “” by Unknown, quoted for review and introduction purposes. All rights belong to the copyright holders.<\/em><\/p>\n

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