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

"He did what?" River had to control her voice as she reacted to what her best friend told her.

"He called the Director and made him give him one of the VIP rooms because he didn't want to go home or let the kids out of his sight." Jacqueline repeated. "Your husband is crazy!"

Though she said that, she would be lying if she said she wasn't a bit jealous of her best friend – River had indeed found an amazing and devoted man who cared so much about her and their kids.

"He really is." River rubbed her temple. "He is going to get it from me. This is a fucking hospital for god's sake."

Jacqueline wanted to point out that River did not correct her when she called Mateo her husband, and that they were basically a married couple with two kids and so River should just accept Mateo's proposal and live happily ever after with him, but she knew that this was not the right time for it and even if it was, River would eat her ear off if she said it.

"I tried telling him that.. But anyway, I talked to Natasha and she said we will shift you there in an hour and then you can spend some quality time with your husband and kids."

River let out a sigh, feeling a dull pain in her abdomen when she did. She guessed it was time for another dose of painkillers.

She looked up at Jacqueline and said in an even tone, "Don't think I haven't noticed how you are calling Mateo my husband."

Busted! Jacqueline gave her a cheeky grin. "I mean-" She started.

"I won't deny it, I like hearing the word husband for him." River admitted, much to Jacqueline's surprise. This is not the aromantic friend she used to know – the River from college was so against relationship and would barf at the thought of romance.

"You have changed." Jacqueline smiled. "For the better, if I say so myself."

.

.

.

River let out a sigh of exasperation while Mateo smiled sheepishly at her. He had Kiara sleeping on top of him while Adam took Lucas out because he was getting antsy. Mateo was not very keen about him leaving his sight but Adam had taken offense, asserting that the Mafia man was more than capable of protecting his nephew and that nothing would happen to the little boy as long as Adam Smith was alive and breathing.

The truth was that Mateo was as scared for Adam's life as much he was about the rest. Because even though the two fought like an old married couple, to Mateo, Adam was as much a brother as Leonardo and anything happening to any of them was terrifying to him.

But will the pig-headed Capo ever admit it to the world? That would be a big fat no.

River stared at him a bit more before a smirk appeared on her face.

"Hmm... I remember some people not believing Dmitri and I when we said someone was trying to pit the two mafias against one another. But now I hear they have finally digested it after two of us got shot." River said, thinking about what condition the Russian man child must be in.

"Hey, I would have believed it if you had come to that conclusion. But it was Dmitri who came up with it and you believe him way too blindly if you ask me."

River rolled her eyes, her eyes going straight to the peaceful sleeping face of her beautiful daughter. Oh, what she would do to maintain the peace and calm of the moment.

There was nothing in this world that River wanted more than the safety and happiness of her two little midgets.

"Your jealousy is something else." She commented.

Mateo narrowed his eyes at her, and then gave her an extra sweet smile.

"I love you." He said effortlessly.

River just raised a brow at him.

Mateo was surprised. He was used to River getting flustered or shocked every time he said. Did he say it so often that it lost the effect it used to have on her? Has it been that long since he first said it? Had she already gotten bored of it?

"Can you lay my kid down here?" She scooted to the side, suppressing the laugh that made its way up her throat at the bewildered look the man gave to her lack of reaction to his confession.

"Our." He emphasized, laying Kiara down on the bed. He was still bummed about the lack of reaction.

River smiled as she watched him sit back down on the chair.

"Don't you have anywhere else to be?" She asked. She knew that though it was all peace and quiet inside these four walls, the Sicilian and Russian Mafia must be going crazy outside trying to figure out the person trying to gaslight them into attacking one another.

"I don't." Mateo rolled his eyes. "There is no place more important for me to be in than this room at this moment." He said, taking out his phone and dialling Adam's number.

Adam, Leonardo, Ricardo and Michelia were meeting up with a New York based American Mafia family, because even though the Italians had a base in New York, the place was also the turf of the Americans. While Italians kept to their own business, the Americans were like hawks, watching over everything and anything happening in the city.

They were the Sicilian Mafia's allies. That helped.

The Sicilian Mafia had Mateo's grandmother, Abrianna Costello, to thank for the friendship between the two mega gangs. It was her friendship with the boss of the American Mafia, Jackson Blake and his wife Sarabeth Blake that made everything possible.

Though the family that they were meeting up with were a sub-clan in the American Mafia – The Kings. They were hella powerful too. Four brothers headed by their powerful grandmother, Rubina King.

Mateo was supposed to be there. After all, he was the Capo of the New York Unit of the Sicilian Mafia and the Kings were in charge of New York, but they didn't mind – they understood the importance of family more than anyone else.

"You have become hella cheesy these days." River chuckled, ruffling her baby girl's hair. The scars from her surgery were still visible under her hair. She wondered when she was going to be able to get even with whoever had the audacity to hurt her little girl.