Page 89 of Mafia Pregnancy

Later, as we get ready for bed, Danielle examines her engagement ring in the bathroom mirror with an expression of wonder and joy that makes my chest tight with happiness. “Do you think we’re crazy for doing this so fast?” she asks, catching my eyes in the reflection.

“I think we’re smart for not wasting any more time once we figured out what we wanted.” I move behind her and wrap my arms around her waist, resting my hands on her stomach. “I’ve been looking for this my entire life without knowing what it was.”

“What is it?”

“Home.” I meet her eyes in the mirror. “You and Leo and our baby girl are home.”

She turns in my arms and kisses me with the sweetness of someone who’s finally found her place in the world. “Home.” She kisses me again, and nothing has ever felt better or been more perfect than this moment.

29

Danielle

Istand beside Radmir in his office, one hand resting on my enormously round belly while he signs the final documents that will transfer control of his organization to Andrei. The papers spread across his desk represent months of careful negotiations and strategic planning, but the actual moment feels surprisingly quiet and anticlimactic.

“That’s it?” I watch him set down the pen and lean back in his chair with an expression I can’t quite read. “Five months of work, and it ends with a signature?”

“The best endings usually do.” He gathers the documents and hands them to Andrei, who’s been standing silently by the window throughout the brief ceremony. “No drama or bloodshed. This is just a clean transfer of responsibility.”

The relief in his voice is unmistakable, though I catch the hint of something else underneath. Not regret exactly, but perhaps the natural melancholy that comes with closing a chapter of your life that defined you for fifteen years.

Andrei accepts the papers with formal dignity. “You’re certain about this? There’s no timeline for changing your mind once I assume full control.”

“I’m certain.” Radmir stands and extends his hand for a shake that carries the weight of their long partnership. “The organization will be safer and more profitable with you leading it. You don’t have the emotional vulnerabilities that made me a target.”

“Those vulnerabilities gave you something worth protecting.” Andrei glances at me with something that might be approval. “That’s not a weakness.”

“No, but it’s not compatible with the kind of leadership a syndicate requires.” Radmir moves to stand beside me, his hand finding the small of my back with automatic protectiveness. “I’d rather be a good father and husband than a mediocre crime boss with my attention split between family and business.”

Carmen enters the office carrying a tea service, no longer wearing the uniform that marked her as household staff. Over the past five months, she’s transitioned from being my coworker to being my closest friend and the person I trust most to help navigate the complexities of this new life.

“How did it go?” She sets the tray on the side table and pours tea for everyone, including herself. “Is it official?”

“It’s official.” I accept the cup she offers and breathe in the familiar scent of the raspberry leaf tea that’s supposed to help with labor preparation. “Radmir is now a legitimate businessman with no criminal enterprises to worry about.”

“I’m now the head of an organization that employs half of North County.” Andrei’s tone is dry but not displeased. “The transition should be seamless for everyone involved.”

We sit together in comfortable silence, sipping tea and processing the magnitude of what just happened. The estate around us remains the same, but everything about our lives has fundamentally changed. Radmir is free to focus entirely on our family and his legitimate businesses, and I no longer have to worry about raising children in the shadow of constant danger.

“The legitimate investments alone will keep us comfortable for several lifetimes.” Radmir’s voice carries satisfaction and peace.

“What if you get bored with retirement?” Carmen’s question makes him laugh.

“I don’t think there’s much chance of boredom with an almost four-year-old who asks seventeen questions about dinosaurs every morning and a newborn who’s going to need round-the-clock attention.” He looks at my belly with the wonder that still surprises me every time I catch it. “Plus a wife who’s probably going to want to redecorate half the house when she’s fully mobile again.”

“Only half?” I shift in my chair, trying to find a position that doesn’t make my back ache. “I was thinking more like eighty percent after she’s born.”

“Whatever makes you happy.” His response is immediate and sincere. “This place should feel like your home, not just somewhere you happen to live.”

The casual way he hands over control of decorating decisions reflects the larger changes in how he approaches everythingnow. The man who once guarded every detail of his environment now trusts me to remake our shared space however I see fit.

A sharp pain across my lower abdomen makes me set down my teacup and press both hands to my belly. The sensation is different from the Braxton Hicks contractions I’ve been experiencing for weeks. It’s more intense and purposeful…and familiar. I had the same contractions when Leo was born.

“You okay?” Radmir’s attention shifts to me immediately, his voice carrying the hypervigilance that’s characterized his approach to my pregnancy.

“I think so. Just—” Another pain cuts off my words, stronger than the first and accompanied by pressure that makes me catch my breath. This is happening faster than it did with Leo. “Actually, maybe we should call Dr. Martinez.”

Carmen moves to my side quickly. She’s been preparing for this moment for weeks. “How far apart are the contractions?”

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