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

"Oops." Mateo grinned sheepishly while she narrowed her eyes before letting out a chuckle.

"And you?" He asked.

"Of course, I am staying with you dumbass. Who else is going to take care of you?" She said matter-of-factly.

"You sure about that? We will have to share the bed. Unless you moved another one in." Mateo moved his face close to her ear and whispered huskily, a smirk on his face as he waited for her reaction.

But River being River just rolled her eyes at him. "We have slept together. Twice. I don't think you need to worry about my discomforts."

"Nothing can get you to blush huh?" He sighed, giving up for the time being.

"You want me to blush? Really?" She quirked an eyebrow as she pushed open the door to the room they were temporarily staying in.

"Yeah, why not?"

"How old are you again?"

"What does age have to do with anything?"

"Touché." She nodded while he grinned again.

She helped him lay down on his bed and sat down next to him.

"Thanks River." Mateo said sincerely. "Thanks for telling them."

"Well, they had every right to know." She smiled, playing with the hem of her shirt. "What now?"

"We have to deal with an obsessed Russian woman and then maybe things could get a bit better, I guess." He said.

She nodded and then looked up, smiling again. "How's Michelia and Enzo doing?"

"You met them?"

She nodded again, her smile getting wider as she hopefully forgot about her worries for these fleeting moments.

"They went back to Chicago." Mateo said. "Leo said they will visit next month or so after he dealt with the work that piled up while he was away."

"Hmmm.." She breathed out. "You too must have a lot of work piled up right?"

"Yeah.. About that, can I do office work doc?" Mateo asked her, flashing a goofy grin.

She returned his grin only for it to turn to a glare the next second. "So much for promises. But sure, go ahead. As long as you don't move from the bed."

He nodded.

She got up from her seat and fixed the duvet for him. "I am going to tuck the kids in now. It's way past their bed time. Then I will bring you your dinner and medicines."

Mateo nodded again, a smile plastered on to his face.

She made her way out. She turned around to close the door and he said again, "Thanks River."

"Shut up." She groaned and closed the door making him let out a chuckle.

Mateo rubbed his face with his palms, running his fingers through his hair.

He desperately needed a hair-cut. It had grown way too much over the last month and long hair DID NOT suit him, AT ALL.

But then he sighed, a soft smile forming on his face.

Mateo looked back at the closed door, reminded of what he felt the first time he had met her.

He wanted her to be the mother of his children. And there she was, the mother of his children.

Alessia was right. He needed to wife her.

And for that he needed to finish off everything with Mona so that River and their children were not affected in any way.

As far as the Mafia was concerned, they never play dirty so the family of the made men were always safe but Mona was a psychopath with a personal vendetta and her target wasn't him or the children, it was River and he had to keep her safe at all cost.

Mateo played with his phone for a few minutes when it lit up, a message from Ricardo popping up.

Matthew Morris' body was found at the West docks.

What?

Mateo quickly called him and he picked up at the first ring.

"What's going on?"

"There is a message carved onto his chest. 'Friend or not, you pay with your life if you try to take away what's mine.'"

"You mean-"

"Mona killed him because he shot you." Ricardo breathed. "Seems like this happened the same day you were shot from the condition of the body."

"Hmm.." Mateo hummed and hung up without saying anything.

That woman was crazy. And he was not going to take any chance.

He texted Alessia and Adam to come to his room.

They were with him in no time, sensing something bad though they didn't know what it was.

"Where are they?" Mateo asked, sitting up, letting out a grunt as he did.

"The kids are asleep. River's getting dinner for you." Alessia said as she sat down on the couch.

"What's going on?" Adam asked as he fiddled with the zipper on his hoodie.

"Matthew Morris is dead."

"Good." Adam smiled.

"Mona killed him."

"What?" Alessia stood up. "Isn't he like her right-hand man or something?"

"Yes."

"This woman is crazy." Adam said, the smile had been wiped off from his face, replaced by worry. "Mateo, I am worried."

"I am too." He scratched his brow. "We need the place combed and cleared of all the rats."

Alessia nodded and walked out.

"I will keep an eye on the kids." Adam said. "Keep doc close."

Mateo nodded, his forehead wrinkled with worry. "She can protect herself. But I am going to keep her close to me anyway."