Unwanted Marriage with the Mafia Boss (Mob Boss’s Unexpected Twins Duet #1)

30. Chiara

CHAPTER 30

Chiara

“Honey, I don’t understand.” My dad gives me a bewildered look.

My mom grabs my hands. “We can leave,” she whispers. “They won’t even realize we’re gone. We’ll disappear.”

She squeezes hard, her eyes pleading with me.

“It’s all my fault,” my dad says. “I shouldn’t have started anything against Gaviani. It was a stupid, stupid move. I tend to get overly sentimental, but know this: our home is where we are. All this... This house means nothing. The only thing that matters is that we’re alive and together. Everything else... It’s meaningless.”

“No, I... It’s not about our home.” Even though I’d like to keep my home, now it’s more than that.

Adriano is the father of my children, and I want to give him a chance. For as long as we’re here, I want to see if maybe there’s hope. Hope that under all his darkness, there’s a good man.

He’s done some terrible things, but he also saved my life and almost got himself killed doing it. From the moment we left the clinic, I could see how annoyed he was that he needed to be wheeled out of there.

He hates being helpless, and yet, he put himself at risk for me. A selfish, evil person would never have done that. A true monster would’ve saved himself and let me die without even blinking.

Hell, he’d be annoyed that my blood splattered his shoes. He wouldn’t have killed my ex just like that, without benefiting from it in any way. My dad still has all his fingers, despite what Adriano told me. Maybe becoming a father will change his worldview completely, but I can’t let myself blindly trust him either.

The fear I felt when I thought I was going to lose him... It was real. Somehow, I have feelings for him, and I can’t deny that. It started with this burning attraction between us, and then, I got to know him a little better. If it had been under better circumstances, something even stronger could’ve already developed between us.

But for my sake and the sake of my children, I have to be careful. I can’t let my feelings lead me into another trap. There won’t be another Filippo. If I’m going to tell Adriano the truth, I need to be sure he’s going to be a good father.

“Then what is it about?” My mom frowns.

“We’ll talk about that later.” I can’t risk anyone overhearing me.

Adriano’s most trusted men are in the house with us.

“But—” my dad starts.

“Please. Just trust me, okay?”

“How can we leave you with that...” My mom glances at the door before lowering her voice. “Monster.”

“You can. I’ll be fine. Adriano and I have a deal.”

“He’s a mafia boss,” my dad hisses. “You can’t trust him.”

“We’ll see. But don’t worry about me. I’ll be fine. I promise.”

“Honey, I’m going to be honest with you. I don’t like this,” my dad says. “People are congratulating me on your marriage with that... It’s better I don’t say what I really think about him out loud. Your face is all over the news. I don’t know much about the mafia, but from what I’ve heard, they don’t let their wives go. Ever. It’s dangerous for you to stay here with him. Has he threatened you? Did he tell you he’d kill us all if you left?”

“No, Dad. It’s really not like that. I wish I could tell you more, but...” I throw a quick glance at the door over my shoulder. “I know it sounds crazy, but I know what I’m doing. Nothing will happen to me.”

“You can’t be sure of that.” My mom shakes her head.

I sigh. They’re not going to leave me with Adriano, are they? And I get that. If I were them, I wouldn’t want to leave my child alone with a mafia boss and his men. The same mafia boss who held us all captive and terrorized us.

“I have something that will protect me.” I place a hand over my stomach and lift my finger over my lips. “You can’t tell anyone anything about this.”

My mom gasps in shock, her eyes glistening with tears. My dad just looks confused.

“Oh honey.” My mom wraps her arms tightly around me. “I’ll strangle that monster with my bare hands for doing this to you. I...”

“Mom, it’s okay. He didn’t hurt me. We kind of, um, met before all this happened.”

“What?” She gapes at me. “Where? How?”

“At a club.”

“Oh. And you didn’t know who he was?”

“No. I thought he was just a normal guy.”

“Someone tell me what’s happening.” My dad looks from my mom to me. “Are we talking about the restaurant? You think he’ll like our food?”

“No! She’s—” my mom says.

“Mom!” I shush her.

“Well, then we absolutely can’t leave you here with him. You need to think about your... you know. He’s not... He’s not the one who should be with you. People like him trap their wives and steal their... What I’m trying to say is that you need to get out of here while you still can.”

“I just want to give him a chance. I want him to see that there’s more out there than just mafia nonsense. I don’t think he’s a bad guy. He’s just... been hanging around all the wrong people. I think I can get through to him.” I try to keep my voice as low as possible.

“Honey, men like him don’t change.” My mom sighs. “Do you want to be a mafia wife? Do you want...” She points at my stomach. “...to be in the mafia? Did you ask your husband how many people he’s killed? How many lives he’s destroyed? Have you already forgotten everything he’s done to us? What his plans are?”

“I’d never forgive myself if I was wrong, and if I robbed my children of their father out of fear.” My voice is barely a whisper. “And running could be dangerous because of who he is.”

My first instinct may be to ignore any feelings I might have for Adriano and just leave to protect my babies. They’re what matters the most. But if I run and change my name, it doesn’t mean I’ll be safe. Adriano has powerful enemies and everyone thinks he’s my husband. They could come for me anyway, especially if they see I have children.

Staying with Adriano might be a better and safer choice for all of us, but I don’t know how he’ll react. He might not even want to have children or he simply doesn’t care, so I just need some time to figure it all out.

Now that my mom and dad are fine, and we’re all free, it’ll be easier to think and focus on the important things. Adriano can’t really go anywhere and there won’t be much for him to do, so I’ll have him all to myself. He won’t be a threat to me, because I’m sure that even I can handle him in this condition.

“Wait, what do you mean children ?” My mom pulls away and blinks at me.

“Twins,” I whisper into her ear.

She once again gasps in surprise, her eyes widening, and then she tugs me to her. “I know this is a difficult situation, but it’s the mafia we’re talking about. You said you knew him from before, and he still kidnapped you and he—”

“I get it, but it’s my choice. I’ll make a decision soon, okay?” I could list all the pros and cons of telling Adriano about the babies, but it’s not all about that.

For so long, I’ve lived in fear. Even when I didn’t want to admit it to myself, I was always sticking to the safest options and tried to avoid anything risky. Until Amore Bruciante. Until meeting Adriano.

But after everything that’s happened and with the twins growing inside me, I’m ready to face whatever is coming. I’m connected to the mafia forever now, and there’s no changing that.

“What if it’s too late then?” my mom asks.

“It won’t be.”

“How are you so sure he won’t hurt you?”

Because he killed for me, but I can’t tell my mom that without explaining everything I’ve been hiding about Filippo, and I really don’t want to talk about that right now. Maybe one day.

“He threw himself in front of me to protect me, and he knew full well he could die. I’ll be fine. I promise.” I hope she can understand.

She closes her eyes for a moment and sighs. “All right. But please think things through very carefully and take care of yourself. If you need anything, call us. We can use a code word and come here to get you. We can talk to the cops and—”

“Okay. But don’t tell anyone anything.”

She bobs her head and hugs me again. “Oh, honey. I don’t know how I’m going to survive this.”

“It’ll be fine, Mom.” I hope I’m not wrong about that.

Once my parents are gone, I head for the master bedroom. It was easier to put everything there than in any other room. Adriano has everything he needs there.

A grunt coming from the room makes me frown, and I burst through the door. Adriano holds his arm over his chest as he sits on the edge of the bed.

“What do you need?” I ask. “You shouldn’t be trying to get up on your own.”

“I’m fine.” He grits his teeth, which means that he’s lying.

“Adriano, just lie back down. I’ll get whatever you need.” I place my hand on his shoulder.

His brow furrows as his gaze meets mine. “Why? We agreed I’d stay here, not that you have to do anything else for me.”

“Maybe I just don’t want you to fall and bleed all over the carpet.” I cross my arms. “If you need help to get to the bathroom, I’ll call Rocco. He’s somewhere in the living room.”

“No. I only need a new water bottle. Mine’s empty.” He glances at the nightstand and the empty bottle.

“Okay. I’ll get it for you.” I look over my shoulder. A pack of new bottles is on the desk, so I go grab one.

“Thanks,” he says when I hand it to him, but he’s still staring at me with suspicion.

“What? You’re not used to being helpless, is that it?”

“Yeah. But no one’s help comes for free. What else do you want?” His eyes narrow at me.

“Doesn’t Rocco help you all the time? I thought he was your friend.” Or at least I noticed Adriano trusts him more than anyone else.

He nods. “But he’s getting paid for it. All of it. He’ll get a nice bonus for this too.”

“And you think no one would be willing to help you without expecting something in return?”

He opens the bottle. “Exactly. So stop pretending and tell me what it is, because if you don’t, I won’t give it to you. If we’re going to strike another deal, I need to know the terms. You’re already getting this house, the restaurant, and your freedom. That leaves only one thing I can think of.” He takes a few sips. “Money. How much do you want?”

I just stare at him because I don’t know what to say. He sees something as simple as passing him a water bottle as a billable transaction.

“Can your help include some extras?” He grins. “How much for a hand job?”

I scowl. “You know what? Fuck this shit. I’m going to pretend it’s the meds talking, and I’ll come back later. Try not to tear your stitches. And I don’t want your money.”

His eyebrows shoot up in surprise. I’ve surprised myself a bit too by saying those words, but I’m not his prisoner and I’m just done.

“Are you okay?” he asks as I storm to the door.

I stop, taking a deep breath, and turn around to face him.

“A lot has happened,” he says.

“Yeah,” I say softly. “But it’s fine.”

“It’s okay not to be okay.”

“Same goes for you.”

“Your world is different from mine.”

I tilt my head. “Not all that different.”

I walk out of the room.

Maybe staying here with me will help him see that. All I need is a good plan to push him in the right direction. If he can only see himself in the mafia world and doesn’t want anything else, then my babies and I will have to leave and go on without him.

I don’t know why, but it feels like a new chapter has begun for all of us.