Chapter Ten
Mia was pregnant.
Giovanni had seen it play out on camera. His wife was going to have his baby, and he was fucking thrilled. This was one of the many things he had been hoping for—a reason to make her stay. Not that she would have a choice to leave.
“Have we ever considered this could be an inside job?” Diego asked.
Giovanni was at a country club, enjoying a glass of scotch and some good food.
They were in a private business suite, attempting to figure out where the problem was coming from.
They had not been able to locate the girls.
The black web site had gone down, but the promise of more shows was coming soon. He didn’t like it.
There were no immediate enemies with the skills to do this. They had removed one of the threats last year, and this didn’t have any connection to them. The drugs were not the same.
None of this made any sense.
“What do you mean?” Giovanni asked.
“We’re all assuming these are enemies of ours. MCs we’ve pissed off. Bratva. The Irish. Rival mafia groups. But what if, this time, it is not far afield?” Diego said.
“You thinking within the Colombo Mafia?” Emilio asked.
Diego held his hands out in surrender. “It’s a possibility.”
Giovanni ran a hand down his face. “That would make sense,” Lorenzo said. “It would explain the detailed list, and perhaps, if it is someone on the inside, they know who they’re going to hit.”
“Why go to Julio?” Giovanni asked.
He looked to his friends. “To ward us off the scent?” Diego asked. “Let’s face it, we’ve been so focused on it being outsiders. What if it’s inside?”
“Do you think someone is trying to take over the Colombo Mafia?” Emilio asked.
“Someone is always trying to take over the Colombo Mafia, but they get sloppy,” Giovanni said.
He didn’t like this, but he also didn’t like that at this very moment, he was distracted with thoughts of his wife. She was home and had just learned she was pregnant.
“Who could it be?” Giovanni asked. “Because we all know the list is endless.”
“Is it?” Diego asked. “It’s pretty simple, we look at the people within the last year who have gotten a raw deal. Someone with a reason to be pissed off, hoping to undermine everything. Taking out the women is a coward’s game.”
“So, we’re now looking for cowards?” Emilio asked. “That doesn’t lighten the list of people that could be pissed off.”
“It doesn’t have to be cowards,” Giovanni said. “It could be anyone that wants to throw us off our game. Let’s face it, they’re going after women. We’re used to being ready, but our women are a weakness.”
“And they’re going after virginal women, coming to bride’s age,” Lorenzo said. “Do any of you know if there was some kind of offer, or if one of the men wanted one or more of these women?”
Giovanni sat back and rubbed a finger along his lips. “That doesn’t make sense. If it’s some star-crossed lovers’ thing, they wouldn’t be taking more than the women they want. Wouldn’t they also be running away with them?”
“Unless they’re just doing it because they can and to piss people off,” Diego said. “I know I am fucking pissed off.”
“Has anyone tried anything with your wives?” Giovanni asked.
“Nothing,” they all said in unison.
Yet there were clear descriptions of all four of their women, and not a single move has been made against them. Giovanni frowned. He felt like he was on the verge of figuring it out, but he couldn’t quite reach it.
Then, all four of their cell phones went off.
“Liana’s driving home.”
“That’s my cue to leave, because Clarissa is on her way home.”
Giovanni glanced down at his cell phone, and the call was from Mia, saying she needed to talk. He couldn’t help but check the cameras in his home, and sure enough, he found her pacing within his office. She did not look happy.
Giovanni already knew she was pregnant, but he had a feeling this was going to be the time she told him.
He finished his scotch, said goodbye to his friends, and they agreed to talk later.
They were going to think about who could have a vendetta against the Colombo Mafia.
The saddest truth of all was, there were a lot of people who would be more than happy to see them fall.
When it came to an internal threat, he honestly didn’t know who it could be.
Sure, there were always people pissed off by a certain ruling, or punishment.
Giovanni rubbed his eyes and made his way home.
All he could think about was Mia. He sat in the back seat of his car, as his guards drove him home, and he watched Mia on the camera.
She was still pacing the length of his office, and she hadn’t stopped.
She might have slowed down a bit but that was it.
He stroked a finger lightly across his screen. Mia had no idea what he felt about her. He fucking loved her, and it wasn’t because of the pregnancy. It was Mia. All Mia. He loved her more than anything in the world.
She lightened his whole life, and nearly losing her made him realize he loved her. He hated to see the pain in her eyes, the hurt, especially knowing he had caused that.
Giovanni missed Mia’s laughter. Even now, as he looked at her, he couldn’t help but think back to her smile as she organized that autumnal party.
It had been so freaking lame, but she had been so excited and had insisted he wear a tie with just a hint of orange, but not too bright, as it was not Halloween.
They were still not quite there yet, but he hoped she was learning to trust him again.
Arriving at his home, he didn’t even pretend to go looking for her, he stepped right into his office. Mia turned to look at him. She looked a little pale, but he was pretty sure she was glowing.
“We need to talk,” she said.
Giovanni didn’t know if he should let her fight through her worry, or just let it out.
“I know,” he said. He was not going to put stress on her for even a second.
“What?”
“You’re pregnant. We’re going to have a baby.”
Mia’s mouth fell. “How did you know?” She frowned. “Of course, the cameras. Don’t you think you should leave some elements to surprise?” she asked.
He shook his head and closed the distance between them. “Do you think that would make you feel better?” he asked. “And think about it for a second. From the moment you sent that text, you’ve been pacing my office.”
Mia sighed. “You’re right. I just didn’t know how to tell you, and I was kind of freaking out, and we’re going to have a baby, and I don’t know if I’m ready.”
She looked so freaking sexy in that moment. He tilted her head back and took possession of her lips. He just couldn’t help himself. Pulling away, he looked into her closed eyes, and her lips were nicely swollen.
She licked her lips and then looked at him. “What was that for?”
“You need to stop panicking. I’m sure you and I are feeling the exact same thing most new parents feel.” He stroked her cheek. “But we’ve got each other, and we’ve got some amazing friends, and I know with their help, we’ve got this.”
“Do we?”
“Stop panicking.”
“I hate my parents,” Mia said. “I hate them so much and I don’t want to be like them.”
He cupped her face and forced her to look at him. “I won’t let you. You’re you, Mia, and I don’t think anyone or anything is going to change that. Tell me, even though you were being stubborn at that Halloween party, did you want to change it?”
She nodded her head. “So badly. I also loved what you had done with it. I mean, there were a few things I would have done differently.”
He gave her a look and she rolled her eyes. “Fine, there are a ton of things I would have done differently. So differently, but it doesn’t matter, because we’re here now, and it was a pretty good party, and next year I can show you how to do a real one.”
He laughed. “See, we’ve got this.”
“You’re not freaking out?”
“Hell, no, I’ve got nothing to freak out about.”
Mia laughed. “Thank you.”
And she rested her head against his chest. Giovanni just held her, because in that moment, that was all he needed to do.
****
Less than a week later, Mia had already been told by her parents what she should and shouldn’t do. Her mother was constantly on the phone, telling her that her diet should be strict as no man was going to like an overweight woman. Mia knew that was a jibe at her current body.
So, she turned off all the phones, and instead of staying in the house and feeling like a constant failure, Mia made her way out toward the pool.
She stayed wrapped in a towel, until she got into the room.
Her guards stayed outside, and Mia dipped her toe into the pool and gave herself a second to enjoy the feel of the water.
Once she was satisfied, she removed her robe, then slowly lowered herself into the water.
Giovanni was working late again. She knew he still didn’t know where those girls were located, and it was starting to drive him crazy. Mia had asked if there was any way she could help, and he kept telling her he wanted her to be safe.
She hated seeing him like this. There was nothing she could do, and that made her feel even more helpless.
Mia started in the shallow end and slowly swam from one end to another.
She wasn’t attempting to break any world record, she just wanted the irritation at her mother’s sudden interest to leave her mind.
She didn’t want her calling every five minutes, telling her not to give in to her cravings and eat too much.
She kept talking about a strict diet, and from time to time, she would complain about her brothers.
Mia wasn’t interested in hearing any of that.
She just wanted to enjoy the process of being pregnant.
Her family was nothing like Liana’s, who always had her friend’s back. Liana had a father and brother, who no matter what, were always there for her. They were strong and they supported her.
“I don’t think you could sigh any louder if you tried?”