The Mafia's Babies by Kaycee Romano (howl and other poems txt) 📗

"But Papa.."

"Moving on." No amount of puppy eyes or sad pouts were going to change his mind.

River chuckled as she walked beside them as they went through the kennels.

"What are you laughing at?" Mateo scowled. "It's all because they take after you."

River raised a brow. "What do you mean by 'it's all because they take after you'? What do I have to do with this?"

"They are fearless to a fault. And impulsive. Like their mother." He threw an arm around her shoulder.

River looked up at him, giving a flat look. "Fearless yes, I agree that they take it after me, but impulsiveness? Bro, you only have yourself to blame for that certain trait?"

Victor snorted, Davis elbowing him in the side because he didn't want the three of them to have to face Mateo's deadly scowl. He believed that his life span shortened every time he saw it.

Meanwhile, this certain argument that River had thrown at him did not register in Mateo's brain, because like the typical man that he was, his brain stopped at the point when the love of his life called him 'bro'.

"What did you just call me?" He was thoroughly annoyed, and the change in shades of his face seemed pretty entertaining to River, who had to bite her inner lip to stop herself from laughing at his immaturity. The bodyguards at the back was also controlling themselves.

"Impulsive." She feigned innocence as she pulled away from him, taking two steps forward so that now she was in front of the kennel where the kids were watching chihuahua pups play around.

Both of them looked up at her.

River took in a breath – Chihuahuas were spawns of Satan if the internet was to be believed. She did not want them getting one of those.

"Mommy, they are so small." Kiara pouted. "I want something I can hug." She hugged the air to emphasize her point.

"You have your Mommy, Papa and Lukey to hug." Mateo was at River's side, this time securing his hand on her waist.

"I think we should get a golden retriever." River had not made any suggestion on the breed of dog yet but she had come to realize that it would be a disaster if she left it to her boyfriend and children.

"They are child-friendly." She gestured to Mateo who was paranoid about the safety of the children "AND they are huge, compared to you two at least."

"Great!" Mateo was happy with what River came up with. He waved one of the saleslady over. "Do you have any golden retriever puppies?"

"Yes sir, this way." She said, leading the way.

"What would you three do without me?" River sighed dramatically, placing her hand over Mateo's hand on her waist.

"Starve, stink,-" Mateo started dramatically.

"Shut up." River chuckled, elbowing him on his side.

"Ouch woman!"

"Don't tell me the Capo can't take a small blow to the side." She raised a brow. This time, it was George who couldn't control his chuckle. Mateo gave him a look, "Go stay with the kids." He shooed them away.

He turned back to her, letting out a deep sigh and pursed his lips, eyeing hers. "I like it when you call me Capo. And I hated it when you call me that."

The kids squealed with excitement when they saw the three puppies huddled up in a corner and fast asleep. "Go see who you wanna take home." Mateo said.

"What? Impulsive?" River mocked him.

Mateo let out an exasperated breath while she laughed. "You know what!" He said.

"Papa, Mommy!" Kiara's voice was so loud that the couple was immediately alerted, all the romance fleeing out through the window while their hands went to the guns hidden under their clothes.

But the kids were completely safe, and seated on the floor with the three puppies playing about, while George and Davis sat crouched next to them and Victor facing the other way, keeping guard.

"Ki, don't scare us like that." River was rubbing her chest because bile had rose up her throat in that brief moment of fear that something had happened to their babies.

"Sorry.." She pouted but then said, "Can we bring all of them home?"

"Here we go again!" Mateo sighed while River looked over at him helplessly. "What? They take after you!"

River gave him a flat look. They were forever at this, weren't they? Putting the responsibility of every single one of their kids' characters on one another. At least no one could ever say that the kids weren't theirs. It took one look at the darling twins and their Mommy and Papa to realize that 'yep, they are one crazy family, alright!'.

"Baby, don't you think that is a bit too much?" River bent down in front of her kids. "I mean, how will you two take care of all three of them?"

"But they are brothers and sister." Lucas pouted. "They will be separated."

Mateo looked over at River, knowing very well that that was all it took for the hardcore surgeon to melt.

River joined the kids and crouched down next to the puppies, patting their tiny heads.

"I mean, it isn't thaat hard take care of them because George and Davis will be there to help you guys out." As expected, she shrugged and turned to Mateo, biting the bottom of her lips in anticipation. "Right boys?"

"Of course Mrs. Adesso."

Mateo let out a chuckle. How the hell was he supposed to say no to the three most important people of his life? And he just loved how right 'Mrs. Adesso' felt, and that she had stopped correcting people. Though he doubted she would ever officially change her name. She was too independent and self-sufficient. And she wasn't old school to go by tradition. In fact, the children were still Lucas and Kiara Johnson. They hadn't changed the names even when the birth certificates were remade with his name added to it and Mateo thought that if River wasn't changing hers after the wedding, then theirs would remain the same as well.