Page 22 of Surprise Twins for the Mafia Prince
“Maybe. We’ll get a test when the kid is born,” I say curtly. “In the meantime, she’ll be treated like the mother of my child, protected from the Bratva.”
“You should get an ultrasound, find out the date of conception.”
“They can do that?”
“It’s an estimate, but that might give you a better idea of if she’s telling the truth.”
“I’ll do that. If she’s lying, I don’t want to waste men guarding her.”
“We might have extra help handling the threat soon enough. I’m working on something.”
“What are you talking about?” I ask. As next in line to rule, I’m not usually kept in the dark about anything. It itches under my skin, this casual exclusion.
“I’m working on getting an alliance with a cartel.”
I want to ask how the hell he’s doing that, but there’s something about his remote tone and closed off body language that tells me he won’t share the information until he’s ready. I know better than to push.
I’m about to leave when I remember something else I wanted to discuss with him.
“Paige, that’s my...that’s the woman that might be pregnant with my kid, she knows who we are already. And she hates us.”
“Why?”
“Her father’s name was Keith Foley.”
I can tell by the flash of anger on his face that my dad remembers the guy.
“She’s pissed that we killed him.”
Dad opens his mouth to say something, but a knock on the office door interrupts us. He opens it, and one of the soldiers assigned to guard his house is standing there.
“Sorry to interrupt, sir,” he says, his eyes flickering from my father to me and back again. “But Joey’s been arrested.”
Damn it. It looks like I won’t be going home any time soon.
11
PAIGE
I’m freshly showeredand dressed in a pair of jeans and an old band T-shirt when I leave the bedroom the next morning. It’s nearly eleven o’clock, and I’ve been awake for hours.
I lingered in my room for a long time, too nervous to interact with Dario first thing in the morning. Like a prisoner delaying the inevitable walk to the exercise yard.
I don’t know what to expect from him or what he wants from me. He doesn’t seem to be convinced that I’m carrying his kid, but he insisted that I come here, anyway. I’m worried that I made a huge mistake by agreeing, but I doubt he’ll let me leave here now. Not without a fight.
Stepping out of the bedroom, I look up and down the hallway, but it’s empty. The smell of coffee reaches me, and I hear voices. Making my way downstairs, I hear laughter and music too. Someone’s watching TV.
I expect to find Dario in the living room, but I freeze at the bottom of the stairs as I find myself looking at a stranger. Amber-colored eyes meet mine, but I don’t hold his gaze.Looking around the living room and kitchen, I don’t see anyone else. Am I alone with this man? Where’s Dario?
Not that I’d feel safer with him here. That would be insane.
But I can’t deny the way my gut clenches, and fear skitters down my spine in a way that it didn’t when I interacted with Dario yesterday. Even when he threatened me, I didn’t feel like this. I’m not sure what to make of that. All I know is that the man in front of me is an unknown threat.
He stands up from the couch with a smile that makes dimples appear in his cheeks. “You must be Paige. I’m Alessio.”
He doesn’t move closer or offer his hand as he introduces himself. I know that I don’t have much of a poker face, and he can probably tell that I’m scared.
I wish I was better at hiding my emotions, that I could play it cool and hide my weakness. Instead, I’m thinking about running back upstairs to lock myself in my room, and I hate knowing that he can see that printed on my face.
