The Mafia's Babies by Kaycee Romano (rocket ebook reader txt) 📖

It would be a lie if Michelia said she wasn't surprised. She knew that Mateo didn't kill Mona and wanted Sergey to believe it too but did not expect him to – after all, he had all the right to doubt Mateo given where they all stood in the Mafia.

"May I ask what brought about this change in mind?" She wasn't ready to fully trust him. After all, he could be lying thinking that they were hiding Alessia and she would come back if he said he didn't want revenge anymore.

"First off, the more I thought about it, the more I became convinced that Mateo is not behind Mona's death, because he is not the kind of person who would pretend not to do something that he has done. He might be an asshole but he is a man of honour, and got the biggest ego." Michelia rolled her eyes. Of course, the men and their stupid ego.

"And also, Dmitri was shot yesterday." Sergey said.

Michelia nodded. River had filled her in on that the first thing she was out of the OR.

"The man who shot him – I felt as if he wanted to show so badly that he was a man of the Italian Mafia..." Sergey said, scratching the back of his neck. "But since I have been extra careful with Dmitri, it wasn't hard for me to figure out he was a rat from the Mexicans."

Ah the Mexicans, they were a completely different breed.

"But why would he attack Dmitri?" It was not the smartest thing to do – attacking the brother of the Boss of the Russian Mafia.

"He was paid to do it." Sergey explained. "Paid to pretend to be a part of the Italian Mafia. Someone wants us to fight."

Michelia sat back in her chair. "They wanted you to think that Mateo killed Mona and shot Dmitri and us to think that you ordered the accident and the shootout."

Sergey nodded, happy that Michelia was ready to hear him out.

"I don't want a fight that would cost me Dmitri, Lia." Sergey said. He hadn't called her Lia in years but it felt right. "Mona was one crazy bitch but she still was my baby sister, and now that she is gone, I only have Dmitri and I do not want anything happening to him no matter how much of an annoying brat he is."

Michelia did not particularly like Sergey – he was an asshole, but she knew that he loved his brother and sister a lot even though he was always hard on them. Their father was an unfaithful man who ruined his family and their mother had taken her life, so Sergey had been the parent figure to his siblings, and so it was understandable how much worried he must be for Dmitri after Mona dying a month ago.

"I just hope we find the culprit soon." Michelia sighed. "This cat and mouse game is taking a toll on everyone."

"Oh, I will find whoever it is." The dangerous tone was back. "And they will pay for taking my Mona from me."

Michelia shook her head. "You will have to fight Mateo for that after what happened to Kiara in the accident, and River today."

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Kiara and Lucas broke down crying as they ran into the arms of their father. They had not really liked the fact that their father was gone for a week, but what happened to their mother scared the shit out of the little ones.

"Papa, I am so scared." It was not everyday that River and Mateo's brave little boy admitted to being scared. "Mommy is hurt."

"I know buddy." Mateo had to calm his nerves and hide his fear as soon as his eyes fell on his little ones. They needed him and they needed him to be there to tell them that their mother will be fine. "But you know what?" He pulled away and looked at the both of them, wiping their tears away. "You know your Mommy, right? She is so strong. She will be fine."

He didn't know for sure if the love of his life would be fine, but it was what he so desperately hoped for... prayed for. He didn't know what he would do with himself if something happened to River. That woman was the most important thing in his life – sometimes he felt guilty that she came before even the twins, his own flesh and blood, and sometimes he was jealous that River would always love the twins more than she would ever love him. He had planned a whole life with her and she could not leave them.

Adam had kept him informed of what was happening, and he had also told him that after having a talk with Michelia, he also believed Sergey's claim to having nothing to do with the shootout.

Though it was only normal to doubt him, it made sense that a Mafia Boss would not order a shootout at a place which had women and children in it. Sergey might be a piece of shit but he had just enough honour not to do that.

"But there was so much blood..." Kiara's voice broke as she said it. "And she was in pain..." She broke out crying again and so did Lucas. The two babies were extremely strong and brave but to see their superwoman of a mother like that was extremely traumatizing for them, more traumatizing than being kidnapped or being in an accident.

"I know I know." Mateo hugged them again. "But I promise you, she will be fine."

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"Wakey wakey sleepy head." Dr. Natasha Fick, a general surgeon and friend of River, smiled as she scribbled on the case sheet, watching River squint as the bright lights hit her face.

"Where am I?" She spoke, her voice croaky.

"Post Op, ICU." Natasha sighed and then passed the case sheet to her intern. "I just spent four hours in the OR doing a partial hepatectomy on you. I had to remove one third of your liver. I guess it's safe to say that I saved your life?"

"The kids?"

"Everyone's outside. Security will have to kick them out soon, but for now everyone's there. Your boyfriend, Mateo, he is hawt! He is the baby daddy, isn't he? Hey, that dude Adam, is he single?"

River wanted to roll her eyes but she simply groaned.

"Alright alright." Natasha laughed. "I won't annoy you. I will see you in rounds tomorrow."