Chapter Thirty
“I’LL EXPLAIN EVERYTHING later,” Mama whispered, pulling me into another tight hug, relief in her voice. “I just need to reassure myself that you’re okay.”
I gently moved her aside, fury boiling in my veins, and turned on Vittorio with a snarl. “Did you threaten her? Bring her here to intimidate me? Use her as some kind of pawn?”
“Don’t test my patience,” he growled, his eyes flashing with anger. “You’re getting more than I ever intended. You’re too much like your father for my liking, so tread lightly.”
“My father? What do you know about my daddy?” I spat, every word dripping with suspicion.
“Enough, Kaven,” Mama interjected sharply, stepping between us. “I said I would explain later when all my sons are together.” She turned to Haddie, pulling her into a tight embrace. “I’m happy you’re safe. I worried for you and the baby.”
“We’re both okay,” Haddie assured her, though her voice wavered slightly.
Vittorio cleared his throat. “I’ve called a doctor who will be here shortly to check you over. Being this far along without medical care is reckless.”
“It’s not like I had a choice,” Haddie retorted, just as the door burst open. A woman dressed to the nines stormed in, her eyes wild and frantic as they locked onto Haddie.
“Hadleigh!” she cried, rushing forward to envelop Haddie in her arms. She pulled back, scanning her daughter’s face with a desperate intensity. “Thank God you’re safe. They told me you were unharmed.”
“Yes, Mother, I’m fine. It was terrifying, but I’m okay,” Haddie replied, glancing nervously at Vittorio.
Her mother’s gaze swept the room, landing on me and Mama with thinly veiled disdain. “What’s going on here? Who are these people?”
“This is Kaven and his mother,” Haddie said, moving to stand beside me, her hand gripping mine tightly. “Kaven is the man from South Carolina.”
Her eyes widened in shock, then narrowed in suspicion. “Why are they here?”
“Because Jenny, Hadleigh is almost four months pregnant,” Vittorio snapped, his tone cold and accusatory. “Apparently, you didn’t step in soon enough.”
Jenny’s face blanched, her eyes snapping back to Haddie in horror. “Hadleigh, how could you be so careless?” Her gaze turned icy as it moved over me and Mama. “This is unacceptable.”
Haddie’s eyes flashed with defiance. “Let’s talk about this in private,” she said, taking her mother by the arm and leading her to the door. “Now.”
The door clicked shut behind them, leaving a suffocating silence in their wake. I turned to Mama, my mind racing with unanswered questions. “I want to know what you being here is about.”
Before she could respond, Vittorio’s phone buzzed. He glanced at the screen, his expression darkening. “I was informed all of your sons have arrived and are ready to start a war. If you’ll follow me, I’ll take you to them, and you can explain everything, Mona,” he said, opening the door and signaling us through. As they exchanged a knowing look, I noticed a softness in Vittorio’s eyes when he looked at her—a softness I hadn’t seen from him before.
“Mona?” I questioned, my eyebrows shooting up. “Why are you calling my mama by her given name?”
“I’ll explain, Kaven. Now hush and come on,” Mama scolded, her voice stern but trembling slightly. The tension was palpable as I followed them down the hall, my mind churning with confusion about how they knew each other.
“MAMA,” MY brOTHERS shouted as we walked into the room, Vittorio closing the door behind us. The air was thick with unspoken tension. “What’s going on here?” Ry demanded, his voice edged with suspicion.
Mama sighed heavily, the weight of her words pulling at her shoulders. “Sit and listen.”
We all sat, the room buzzing with curiosity and apprehension. She began, “When I was nineteen, I came to this city with my friend Rosa to work at a high-end restaurant. There was no work in our town and times were hard. While I was there, I met Vito Amato. He would come in often, and before long, we were in a relationship.”
“What are you saying?” Cam interrupted, disbelief stark in his voice. “Surely you didn’t fall for a man in the mafia?”
“Don’t interrupt me,” she snapped, her eyes flashing. “In those days, we didn’t have the internet to google everything. I had no idea he was in the mafia. I thought he was a well-off businessman.” She looked away, her gaze distant and haunted. “Before long, he confessed his love, and moved me into his apartment. I thought I was on top of the world.”
She paused, her face contorted with pain. “Until one day, I was out running errands and ran smack into Vito... and his wife and child.” A single tear slipped down her cheek, the room heavy with silence. “I had no idea he was married. I remember running back to the apartment, gathering my things to leave. But I never made it out the door. Vito had sent his men to make sure I couldn’t leave.”
“He held you prisoner?” Ry growled, his fists clenching, eyes blazing with fury.
Mama took a deep breath, her voice trembling. “Yes, though Vito saw it differently. He thought I’d get over it and accept being the other woman. Vito wasn’t willing to let me go, so he assigned a guard to me named Cameron.”
“Daddy?” I asked, my voice barely a whisper, heart pounding in my chest.
“Yes,” she nodded. “Vito left on an overseas trip for a few months. Cameron and I spent all our time together. We were both Roma, shared the same background. Vito thought that would comfort me. It did, but not how he imagined. Cameron and I fell in love, and he convinced me to run away with him. I didn’t hesitate, even though I knew it was dangerous. The rest, you already know—we came back to my hometown, got married, and had all of you.”
“And Vito didn’t retaliate?” Fenix asked, eyes wide with shock. “That doesn’t sound right.”
“He knew where we went,” she said, a bittersweet smile forming. “But since I was pregnant and married, he let it go because he loved me.”
“I’m not...” Ry stammered, horror dawning on his face, the weight of his question heavy in the air since he was the oldest.
Mama reached over and smacked him lightly across the head. “Of course not! You all belong to Cameron!”
“So, what does he want from you?” I asked, fearing what he was making her do. “I know he demanded something to let me have Haddie.”
“One dinner a month to get to know each other again,” she replied, her voice barely audible.
“No fucking way,” we all shouted, standing up in unison, outrage coursing through us. “You know he’s a criminal—the damn mafia!” Grey spat, his eyes blazing.
“Don’t you dare talk to your mama like that,” she shouted back, standing tall, eyes fiery. “You think I’m blind? I can take care of myself. It’s one dinner a month, not marriage. Watch yourselves, because no matter how old you get, I can still take a switch to you.”
“You don’t have to do this,” I said, grabbing her hand, my voice urgent, desperate.
“No, I do,” she replied, smiling sadly, determination in her eyes. “Vito is strong-willed and overbearing. He will interfere with what you and Hadleigh try to build. But with me helping control Vito, things will go smoother for you two. I want to see you happy.”
I hugged her tightly, gratitude and love swelling in my chest. “Let’s find Haddie and get out of here,” I whispered. I feared Vittorio would change his mind, and I wanted us far away from this place.
“HADLEIGH, HOW COULD you do this?” My mother’s voice sliced through the silence like a knife as I closed the door behind me. I walked to the window, staring out at the sprawling estate, trying to steady my racing heart. The weight of the conversation ahead bore down on me.
“It happened, and nothing can change it,” I said, turning to face her. “We are getting married, and I’m moving to West Virginia.”
“I don’t think so, young lady!” she snapped, her eyes blazing with a fury I hadn’t seen in years. “Your grandfather will take care of this. There won’t be a wedding to that man.”
“He’s already agreed,” I replied, watching her expression shift from fury to disbelief. The color drained from her face. “We’ve already negotiated the terms.”
“You’re lying!” she spat, her voice trembling. “Vittorio would never agree to let you marry outside of our inner circle, and his contract with Samuel Flavio is still intact.”
“Mother, listen to me,” I said, struggling to keep my voice calm despite the storm brewing inside me. “Kaven and I are getting married, and nothing will change that. Grandfather has agreed, so stop being difficult. His family are good people.”
“Why do you have to move? You and your baby should be here, with us,” she said, her tone softening with a hint of sadness. The sight of her breaking heart pierced through my resolve. I was her only child, and I was leaving.
“Mother, it’s not that far away. We’ll still see each other regularly, but if I stay here, grandfather will try to control every move we make, and I refuse to live like that.”
She sank slowly onto the sofa, her tear-filled eyes searching mine. “You’re right, but I hate the thought of you leaving. I always thought you’d be close enough to see every day. I’m surprised Vittorio agreed.”
I laughed, feeling relief at her acceptance. “One condition was that he has access to me and my child, so he plans on being around quite a bit.”
She smiled, her eyes brightening despite the tears. “And I will be too. A grandchild... I can’t wait.”
“Just don’t be rude to Kaven and his mother,” I warned, feeling the protective edge in my voice. “They don’t deserve it. Money doesn’t make the person, and you should know that by now.”
“Fine, but my grandchild will still have the best of everything. On that, I won’t back down,” she insisted, standing and straightening her dress with an air of finality. “Now, I suppose I should go meet this Kaven and his mother.”
As we walked down the hall, my mind raced with a hundred thoughts and fears. One thing was for sure: life with Kaven and our families would never be dull. They were going to keep us on our toes, and I could only hope we were ready for the challenge.