Surprise Baby for the Don (Dark Daddies #2)

Chapter 6

6

Mateo

I t’s been a long day, one that’s drained me of every ounce of energy I have. I loosen my tie and sink down into my well-worn leather chair in the study. Here, in the dim light, I can finally relax and let the troubles of the day melt away. I swirl the glass in my hand, watching the amber liquid catch the low lamplight before I take a long, slow sip. The whisky burns good on the way down, the alcohol quickly going to my head, dulling my senses.

A soft knock sounds on the door, and I know it’s Rocco even before he steps inside. “Evening, boss,” he murmurs quietly, assessing me in my relaxed position. “Mind if I take a minute?”

I raise a brow, gesturing for him to come in.

“As long as you’re here to drink, you can have all the minutes you need,” I joke, taking another sip from my glass. “Business is for the office; the study is for drinking.”

A smile tugs at his lips, and I catch the faintest glint of nostalgia in his eyes.

“You’re just like your father, you know,” he responds wistfully. “He used to tell me the exact same thing.”

“Where do you think I learned it?” I chuckle, leaning further back into my chair and shutting my eyes, bracing myself for whatever Rocco’s going to tell me.

Rocco’s been with us so long that it’s impossible to picture this family without him. He was the right hand to my father for forty years. My father’s long gone, but Rocco is still here, still at my side, the same steady presence in a world that’s constantly shifting. I open my eyes a fraction to look at him. He stands a few feet away, hands behind his back, his gaze steady and full of that familiar, knowing look he always carries.

“You look beat, Mateo,” he says, settling into the leather chair across from me. “I don’t blame you. You’re holding up your father’s legacy, after all. That’s no small thing.”

I nod, taking another sip of my whisky and shutting my eyes again.

“My father built this empire, brick by brick,” I say, picturing him as I talk. “He kept it running peacefully for decades, and here I am, trying to do the same. It’s not exactly simple.”

Rocco chuckles, and I imagine him shaking his head. “No, it’s not,” he agrees. “But you’ve done well. And you’ve done him proud. If he were here, he’d say the same thing.”

I feel the weight of the compliment settle on my shoulders. Coming from Rocco, a man who knew my father better than anyone, those words mean more than I can express.

“So, what’s on your mind, Rocco?” I ask, sitting up and raising my glass, my moment of relaxation on hold for now. “It’s rare that you bring business into this room.”

He sighs, and there’s something in his expression that I can’t quite read. “I wanted to talk to you about something I’ve been thinking about for a while now.” He pauses, as if choosing his words carefully. “My retirement.”

The word hangs in the air between us, and I feel a pang of something that almost feels like loss. I’ve always known that one day he’d hang up his hat, that there would come a time when Rocco wouldn’t be around but hearing him say it out loud is like a punch to the gut.

“Retirement, huh?” I manage, my tone light, though my chest feels tight. “Thought you’d stay here forever, Rocco.”

A small smile crosses his lips, though there’s a sadness in it. “If it were up to me, I would,” he says sadly, sinking down into a chair next to me with some difficulty. “But we both know I’m not getting any younger. I’m pushing seventy-five, Mateo. My body can’t keep up the way it used to.”

I nod, letting out a slow breath. “Well, when the time comes,” I breathe out, not even wanting to imagine a world where Rocco isn’t at my right side. “You know I’ll take care of you. Whatever you need, Rocco. You’re family.”

He nods, his gaze softening. “I know, Mateo. And I appreciate that. You know I’d trust you with my life.”

There’s a pause that carries weight, and I know there’s something else on his mind. He’s been around long enough to know that if he’s going to say something, he better say it straight. And if there’s one thing Rocco’s never done, it’s beat around the bush.

He leans forward, his expression serious. “There’s another matter I wanted to bring up, if you don’t mind.”

I gesture for him to go on, now that the seal’s already been broken.

“It’s about the Savinis,” he says gravely.

At the mention of that name, a flicker of annoyance stirs in my chest. The Savinis have been a thorn in my side from the beginning, their family business little more than a thinly veiled racket that’s been causing trouble in the city for as long as I can remember.

“Go on,” I instruct, curious as to why he’s bringing this up now.

“You know your father tried to make peace with them,” Rocco says, his voice quiet. “He tried for years, but it was never enough. They’re not the kind of people you can trust, Mateo. They don’t honor agreements. They don’t know the meaning of loyalty.”

I nod slowly, considering my next words carefully. “I promised my father I’d do everything I could to keep the peace,” I finally manage. “He kept things quiet for forty years, Rocco. That was his legacy. I don’t want to be the one to break it.”

Rocco sighs, shaking his head. “I understand that, Mateo,” he starts sincerely. “And I respect it. But sometimes, in this business…” He stops, for a moment, gathering his thoughts. “To put it frankly, the Savinis are snakes. And to catch a snake, you have to think like one.”

I lean back, mulling over his words, the implications of what he’s saying. The Savinis aren’t going away, and I know that better than anyone. They’ve been testing my patience, pushing boundaries, waiting for me to break. My father would want peace, but he’d also want me to protect the family at all costs. Even if that meant war.

“I’ll keep that in mind,” I say, my tone final. “And listen, don’t put in your papers just yet. We’re not done here. There’s still work to do. I still need you.”

He gives me a small, knowing smile, tipping his head in acknowledgment before he rises to his feet. He comes to stand next to me, squeezing my shoulder in a fatherly manner. “Of course, boss. I’ll let you get some rest.”

As he heads for the door, I finish the last of my whisky, feeling the warmth of it settle in my chest. The door closes softly behind him, leaving me alone once more in the dim light. He’s right, of course. That’s the thing about Rocco, he’s always right. Age may have slowed him down physically, but he’s still as sharp as a tack. I’d trust him with my life, too, because that kind of service and loyalty can’t be bought with any amount of money.

I rub a hand over my face, exhaling slowly. My father’s legacy, the peace he maintained for so long, is all on my shoulders now. It’s my job to ensure that his life’s work means something. But keeping that peace with the Savinis isn’t going to be as easy as it sounds. Not with the way they’ve been pushing me, testing me. Rocco’s right. They don’t honor agreements. And the longer I try to keep the peace, the more they try to push in, to try and get me to crack. Snakes, indeed.

I shake my head, trying to force the thoughts aside as I stand, shrugging out of my suit jacket and undoing my cuffs. My mind drifts, unbidden, to Ginny St. Croix. It still doesn’t sit right with me that a father would use his daughter as collateral, especially without her knowledge or consent. Of course, Rex is the lowest low, but he knows that she’s worth ten of him.

She’s young, smart, and most of all, she’s got that fire in her. The way she looked me in the eye, unafraid, challenging me with that glint in her eye. I can respect that. In a world where most people fawn or fear, a little defiance is almost refreshing.

I don’t know what I’m going to do with her yet. Part of me wonders if accepting the deal was the right call, if she’s actually any good at what she does. She’s clearly green, even if she does have some good ideas. Do I really want some amateur working around my house, making decisions that don’t make sense for the space?

But something tells me she’s not the type to mess around. She was dealt a terrible hand growing up, and was forced to have a serious grasp on life much earlier than needed because her father wasn’t going to teach her how to lead a good life. If she’s less than skilled, at least having a pretty, young face around here will be a refreshing change of pace. Everyone thinks mafia life is all about riches and women, but I had too many deals on the daily involving physical and mental stress to indulge in either of those.

I get up and head to the shower, feeling a little guilty as I get undressed and imagine her in the room with me, watching me with her fiery eyes. Having a pretty, young face around here could also be a terrible idea, a distraction, a temptation. I would never force her to do something she didn’t want but damn it if I haven’t already pictured her naked a hundred times since meeting her.

I shake my head as I step into the warm spray, trying to think of anything else. My thoughts drift to her incompetent father, my ire rising. Rex is done. Whether Ginny knows it or not, her father’s days of gambling, drinking, and wasting every chance he’s been given are over. If she doesn’t like that, if she has a problem with it, well that’s just her issue to deal with. Once his debt is paid, I’ll do everything to ensure that he never darkens my door again.

I relax in the shower, letting the hot water pound against my shoulders, washing away the tension of the day. But even as I try to unwind, my mind drifts back once again to Ginny. There’s something about her, maybe the innocence in her eyes, or the seductive curve of her lip. She’s sexy without trying to be, genuine and good through and through. She must have had one hell of a mother to keep her from becoming anything like the scum her father is.

She’s out of her depth, though. That much is obvious. She doesn’t know what she’s signed up for, the risks that come with working for someone like me. And yet, I can’t help but admire her for diving in headfirst, for agreeing to stay here, to work from within my walls. I can’t tell if it’s ambition or loyalty to her father. Maybe it’s a bit of both.

I step out of the shower, wrapping a towel around my waist as I head back into the bedroom. The lights of the city blink outside the window, casting a faint glow over the room. I watch the skyline for a moment, my mind drifting to the promise I made to my own father, the loyalty I still have for him even now that he’s been dead for years.

I promised him I would keep the peace. But promises can be dangerous. They can lead to complacency, to a weakness that others exploit. I want to honor my father’s memory, to keep the family out of needless conflict, but I can’t afford to let the Savinis walk all over me. They need to know that I’m not my father. That if they cross me, they’ll regret it.

As I lay my head against the cold pillow, thoughts of Ginny, my father, and the Savinis weaving together as my tired mind seeks the relief of unconsciousness.