Surprise Baby for the Don (Dark Daddies #2)

Chapter 2

2

Mateo

“ D on’t bother coming back until you have better news for me.”

I usher the man out and pinch the bridge of my nose in frustration. The quiet of my home office settles around me as my last appointment leaves. I relish these moments, this calm I have all to myself. They’re too few and far between these days, and I know it will inevitably end the moment Rocco knocks on my door to tell me someone else needs something from me. I wish I could say I chose this life, but that is never how it is. This life chooses you, by force.

Sure enough, there’s a knock on my door after only two minutes and Rocco enters, his steps unhurried as always. He can read my moods better than anyone, and today he’s cautious. He’s carrying a thick folder, one that’s stuffed to the brim and threatening to break open, the kind of paperwork that signals either an opportunity or a problem. Based on the look on his face, I would guess it’s the latter.

“Someone’s here to see you. Rex St. Croix.” He pauses, glancing at me, waiting for my reaction.

The name doesn’t ring a bell, though, so I just stare at him in disinterest, waiting for him to go on.

“Rex the Betting Man,” he says sarcastically, a hint of annoyance in his eyes.

A flicker of recognition stirs, and I resist the urge to roll my eyes. Rex. The man’s made a career out of losses. Every now and then he’ll have a small win that makes him think he should keep betting, keep trying. His wins don’t even remotely cover his losses, though. Hence the overstuffed folder.

“Oh for fuck sake,” I groan.

For as long as I’ve known him, he’s been a mess, a gambler who can’t hold his luck or his liquor. We’d cut him off months ago, and for good reason. He’s always teetering on the edge, always scrambling to cover a debt he swears will be paid “next week.” The twins have had to have more than a few “conversations” with him over the years, but he never seems to learn.

I glance at the ledger Rocco hands me, flipping it open to Rex’s tab. The numbers are more staggering than I expected. He’s in deep, too deep to get out without robbing a bank or selling his organs on the black market. I’d feel bad for the guy if he didn’t owe me so much fucking money.

“We cut him off.” I sigh, looking to Rocco for confirmation.

“We did. Somehow, he’s still finding credit,” Rocco replies with a nod, his voice dry. “Which, if I may say, Mateo, is part of the problem. He owes you more than most people make in a year.”

My jaw clenches. Rex’s either the bravest man alive or the stupidest. Either way, he’s about to learn that there are limits to my patience, and to my kindness.

“Fine,” I snap motioning toward the door. “Let him in.”

Rocco gives a nod and steps out. A few seconds later, Rex slinks into the room, moving like a man who knows he’s walking into the lion’s den. Yet there’s a slight spring in his step, like he thinks he’s going to fight the lion and win. There’s an excitement in his eye, an air of hope. He’s holding onto something, clutching it like a lifeline.

And that’s when I see her.

She’s waiting just outside, framed by the glass panel next to the door, her eyes cast downward, clutching her bag tightly in her hands. Her long, dark hair falls over her shoulders, framing a face that’s striking even in profile. She’s young, maybe in her mid-twenties, with a quiet beauty that’s uncommon around here. She sticks out like a sore thumb in my hallway. A girl so pretty and so clearly innocent has no place in my world. But I could easily find a place for her in my bed.

Rex closes the door behind him, and I tear my gaze away, focusing on the man in front of me.

“Rex.” I nod curtly, not offering my hand.

“Mr. Rossi,” he replies, his voice wavering just slightly. “Thank you so much for seeing me.”

He tries to discreetly wipe his palms on his pants as he sits down in the chair across from me. He’s nervous, but he wants to come off as brave. He’s at the bottom of the food chain, but he wants to act like he’s an apex predator. It’s his lack of self-awareness that’s gotten him in this mess to begin with.

“Don’t thank me yet,” I say, my tone hardening. I gesture for him to sit. “Let’s get down to business. I don’t like surprises, Rex, and you showing up at my home is one hell of a surprise.”

His Adam’s apple bobs and he gulps deeply.

“What I like even less is unpaid debts, and you’re drowning in them.”

He sinks lower in the chair, his hands now fidgeting in his lap unconsciously.

“Mr. Rossi, I know,” he says slowly, with faux humility. “And I appreciate the chance to explain. Things have been rough lately. Real rough. But I’m telling you, I’ll have the money next week.”

I raise an eyebrow, glancing at the ledger.

“You’re in for more than sixty grand, Rex,” I shoot back calmly. “Some of these debts are months old. And you’re telling me that suddenly, this week, you’re going to be good for it? Where exactly are you going to get that much money in one week?”

“I’m an honest man. I’m good for it,” he insists, and there’s a desperation in his eyes that’s almost pitiful. Almost.

“You’ve had months.” I lean forward, my voice dropping to a low decibel so he’s forced to lean in to hear me. “Months to make things right. And instead, your tab’s only grown. So either you’ve won the Illinois lottery, or you’re lying. Either way, I’m not sure I can trust that you’ll take care of this problem by next week.”

He flinches, glancing toward the glass, where the girl is still waiting. She hasn’t moved, her posture rigid, her hands clutching her bag like it’s the only thing anchoring her. My gaze follows his, and something tightens in my chest.

Rex clears his throat, his voice adopting a slick tone I don’t like. “That’s my daughter, you know. Ginny. Isn’t she something?”

I keep my expression impassive, but my mind sharpens with a sudden clarity. His daughter? The girl standing out there, looking like she’s about to bolt, is his kid? He shouldn’t have dragged her into this, the slimy piece of shit. It’s hard to ignore that she was indeed, something . While making sure to keep an intimidating glare on Rex, I couldn’t help but steal looks at his daughter outside. She was gorgeous, yeah, but her obvious anxiousness awoke something else in me. I wanted to care for her innocent soul, something that just couldn’t be done if you were within a 100-mile radius of me.

I lean back, folding my arms over my chest. “And you brought her here why, exactly?”

A slow smile creeps onto Rex’s face, a gleam in his eyes that makes my skin crawl. “She’s…” he hesitates, trying to form the words. “Well, she’s got an eye for design, you see. That’s her thing. She’s looking to get into interior design, make a career out of it, you know? And I just thought maybe you could use a little touch-up around here.”

The words hang in the air, his meaning sinking in. I glance at the ledger, at the massive debt that sits there like a brick. He’s desperate, willing to do whatever it takes. Even offer up his own daughter.

“Let me get this straight,” I say slowly, my voice dripping with disdain. “You bring your daughter here, offer for her to wallpaper my office, and expect that’s going to settle your debt? That’s like trying to wash dishes at a restaurant to cover a bill you can’t afford, Rex. But it’s even worse because you’re forcing your kid to do the washing for you.”

He shifts uncomfortably, but there’s a glint of stubbornness in his eyes. “Just give her a shot,” he pleads, the desperation in his voice reaching a fever pitch. “She’s good, Mr. Rossi. Real good. She could make this place look…” he pauses, searching for a word that won’t offend, “respectable. And I’ll be able to pay you back.”

I glance back through the glass, at the girl who’s still standing there, oblivious to the bargain being struck around her. She has no idea what her father’s selling, no idea that she’s become the pawn in his pathetic game. I wonder if she even knows how pathetic her father is, period.

“Here’s the problem, Rex,” I say, my tone icy. “I don’t make deals that aren’t worth my while. And a debt this large and this past due isn’t something I’m going to overlook because you’ve brought a pretty face into the room.”

He squirms, a flicker of panic crossing his features. “I’m begging you, Mr. Rossi,” he cries, all false bravado gone in the wake of his panic. “Please just give me one more week. It’s just seven days! I swear, I’ll have it by then. And if I don’t…” he trails off, his eyes darting to the door. “Ginny’s a hard worker. She’d be an asset. And, I’m not sure if I mentioned, she’s single.”

I give him a long, hard stare, considering his words. The Rossi family didn’t get to where it is by taking favors lightly. We deal in strength, loyalty, and fear, and I’ve worked too damn hard to let people like Rex try to squirm out of their obligations. But as much as I despise the man, the girl outside intrigues me. She doesn’t belong here, doesn’t look like she’s part of this world at all. Yet here she is, dragged into her father’s mess. I almost wanted to agree to his little deal just to get her out of his idiotic hands entirely.

Finally, I close the ledger with a snap, the sound loud in the tense silence.

“You have one week, Rex. No more, no less. After that…” I let the threat hang in the air, my gaze locking onto his. “Now go get your daughter. I want to meet her and ensure that I’m getting a fair trade here.”

Rex swallows, nodding quickly. “Thank you, Mr. Rossi. You won’t regret this.”

“You’d better hope I don’t,” I reply in a low growl. I stand, signaling that he should leave. “And next time, don’t bring your family into our business. It’s a weakness you can’t afford.”

Rex flinches but doesn’t argue. He stands, heading toward the door with a last, nervous glance in my direction. Before he leaves, he looks back at me, giving me a strained smile. “I’ll keep that in mind.”

As the door closes behind him, I lean back in my chair, watching as he talks to his daughter. She glances up at him, her expression guarded, uncertain. She’s curious, I can tell, but wary, too, and I have my answer. She knows exactly what kind of man her father is, and she doesn’t trust him either. They speak quietly for a moment, and her face is tense.

I don’t trust Rex, and I don’t believe for a second that he’ll have the money. He’s a gambler, a liar, and he’ll do whatever it takes to scrape by without paying his dues. But his daughter is something different.

“Interesting,” I mutter to myself, glancing at the now-closed ledger.

Rocco slips in, his expression unreadable as he looks at me. “So what’s he got for you? More excuses as to why he can’t settle his debts?”

“He’s offered up his daughter’s services while he takes the week to pull together the funds,” I say, a note of sarcasm creeping into my voice. “Interior design, apparently. He’s going to bring her in so we can talk logistics.”

Rocco’s eyebrow lifts slightly. “Is that so? Quite the desperate move.”

“More like pathetic,” I reply, shaking my head. “He’ll never get the money to me on time. But let’s see if he has any miracles left.”

Rocco nods, a ghost of a smile tugging at his lips. “If anyone can test a man’s limits, it’s you, Mateo.”

I smirk, nodding. “Damn right.”