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

I Can't Believe You, Adam Smith

"Oh my god, you have gotten so good at acting that I almost believed you when you said we were not going to worry about it." Adam said as he placed his legs on top of the desk, going through some of the CCTV footages of a street in Milan where a source had apparently sighted Alessia.

"I don't want River to worry." Mateo spoke, staring out at his girlfriend and children on the lawn, playing with the three puppies. "Thankfully, Sergey didn't scare her. Otherwise, I don't know what I would have done to him. But no matter how harmless this kidnapping was, the fact remains that Sergey is out for blood and he had River in his custody for three whole days. Anything could have happened to her."

The more he thought about it, the more scared and frustrated he became.

"We can't keep running." Adam said. "We have moved them four times since the day you found out they were your kids. What's the point of running? They always catch up to us, and it's not like we don't have what it takes to fight them."

Mateo sighed, letting those words sink into his head. His stupid best friend was right, and he knew that it was exactly what his River was also thinking. She let him move the kids the last on the condition that he wouldn't keep this up. There was no use in doing it. There were going to be attacked if they hid and waited to be attacked. "I feel like I lost all my courage." He admitted. "I feel like a scaredy cat."

Adam rolled his eyes. He got up from his seat and walked over to his brother, turning him to face him. "You are not a scaredy cat. You are a new father. Leo had nine months to prepare, and he was preparing for it way before that. You had no plans nor preparation when you suddenly found out you had kids. And they were in the hands of the enemies. And then the accident happened. And now, River was kidnapped. It is completely okay to be scared, Mateo. In fact, I would think there was something wrong with you if you weren't scared."

Mateo smiled at his friend. This brat could be annoying but he was also very understanding at times like these.

"I feel like I am interrupting something special." The duo looked over at the surgeon, who was leaning against the door with her arms crossed.

Mateo looked out the window to see that the kids were now with their bodyguards – George, Davis, Steve and Robin. And then he looked back at his girlfriend. "How the hell did you get here so fast?"

"Hm... You guys are keeping something from me." She perked her lips, narrowing her eyes at the two men.

"Have fun." Adam patted Mateo on his back and walked around the desk, throwing his hands up in surrender as he walked past River, leaving the room only after placing a kiss on her temple and chuckling at the immediate change of expression on Mateo's face.

River rolled her eyes at the childishness of the thirty-something man child and walked over to Mateo.

"You have changed." She said, adding a bit of the irresistible pout of the twins and hers to her expression. "For the worse."

"What do you mean?" Mateo was panicking at once. He was panicking a lot lately and that was just not like him. Or maybe it was because people evolved with time. But going from fearless to scared was a bit of a retrogressive evolution.

River stood in front of him, cupping his face and then flicked his forehead.

"Ow.."

"It means.." She dropped her act. "You are hiding things from me. In the beginning, you were always like "River can take it all. Imma tell her everything." And now you try to act alright in front of me when you clearly aren't."

Mateo stood there, knowing he was guilty of what she was accusing him of. And feeling even dumber that he had thought for even a moment that the surgeon wouldn't catch up with him.

"It's not like that." He said nevertheless, sighing. "I just don't want you to worry. You are still that strong amazing woman to me that you were to me when I fell for you an year ago."

River felt her heart skip a beat. She had not confessed her feelings for him yet – her being the skeptic she was. And Mateo did not say the three words all the time either. But when he did hint at it, that made her feel things that she had never felt before.

"Same thing." She rolled her eyes. "Do you really think I am going to stop worrying just because you hide stuff from me? The lesser information I have, the more worried I get because I have no idea what is going on and I can't help myself but to make up the worst case scenarios in my head."

Mateo sighed again. "I know."

River mirrored him and sighed and hugged him, resting her head against his broad chest, listening to his heart beating erratically. "We can't change what is happening Mateo. But I expect you to tell me what's going on because I personally believe that the only people from whom all the problems should be hidden from should be the kids."

"I know."

"Leo is always keeping Lia in the dark." River added. "Don't think she and I don't do that."

Mateo let out a chuckle. The cousins found themselves two extremely intelligent and sharp women.

River pulled away with a smile on her face.

"Mommy, Aunt Jackie is here!" Kiara's voice reached them before she knocked on the door.

"Oh... Victor not throwing a fit about it." Mateo rolled his eyes.

"Cut the boy some slack." River narrowed her eyes at her boyfriend. "I should have called him before going for my shift. I am as much to blame."

"He knew when your shift was-"

"We are not going to start an argument..." River sang as she opened the door and dipped down to pick up a squealing Kiara and keep her on the hip, not surprised to see that Rubble and Skye had followed her.

"Where's Chase?" River placed a kiss on the side of Kiara's head.

"Playing chase. With Lukey." She giggled.

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