Page 3 of Mafia Boss's Baby Surprise

“Where were you? Why in such a rush? If you want to run, you do it in the gym.”

We have a whole room filled with exercise equipment, and my mother spends a lot of time there.

“Um, I’m not in a rush. I just went to the kitchen to grab a snack.”

“A snack?” Her gaze travels up and down my body, and she scrunches her nose. “You can’t possibly be hungry! We ate not even two hours ago.”

“I know, but I wanted something sweet and—”

“Sweet? You’re no longer a child. You need to be careful of what you eat.”

“Right. Yeah, I know. It was only a small snack.”

“Look at you. You should spend some more time in the gym.”

“I will.” I pull my lips into a small smile I don’t feel.

Anything to get my mother to let me go.

“Have you finished your reading?” she asks.

“I’m almost done with it.”

“Good.”

“Actually, that’s why I wanted to get back to my room as quickly as possible.”

I don’t go to college, but that hasn’t stopped my mother from remaining in charge of my education. Before, I had a teacher who came to my house every day, but ever since I got my high school diploma—my father arranged for me to take all the exams at home—my mother has taken over the teacher’s job.

I guess it’s all because she and my father want to keep me occupied and not because they want me to actually learn something that I’m going to need one day. If they have any plans for my future, they’re not very forthcoming about them. I’m just supposed to do what I’m told and not think about anything or have a mind of my own.

My mother purses her lips, takes another look at me, and then turns away from me. I breathe out a sigh of relief.

Maybe one day, my life will be different.

* * *

I stareat my reflection in the mirror. My stomach is a knot of anxiety and excitement. Just as Julia predicted, my mom has already gone off to sleep. Everything’s ready for the night I’m never going to forget, no matter what happens.

I glance at the alarm clock on my nightstand. It’s almost time. If I want to get out of the house without getting caught, I can’t be late. The guards follow a tight schedule, and every second counts.

I arrange the pillows on my bed and cover them with a blanket so, if someone comes to check, they’ll think I’m fast asleep. My pulse speeds up as I turn off the lights and pad over to the door.

My mother’s room is just across the hallway, so I have to be super quiet. Aside from the master bedroom they share, my parents have their separate rooms too. My mother likes to sleep in her room when my father is away, which isn’t good at the moment because it’s too close.

Taking a deep breath, I slowly crack the door open. The silence in the hallway is so loud that my every step feels like a wave violently crashing against the cliffs. I barely breathe as I descend the stairs.

My heart pounds as I race past the kitchen to the back door. I slip outside into the darkness, and my breath gets stuck in my chest when I spot a shadow near one of the walls.

Julia steps forward and grins at me, catching my hand. “We have to hurry,” she whispers.

I nod.

Her eyes travel up and down my body, and her brow furrows. “You’re wearingthat?”

“Um, yeah.” I give her a puzzled look because I have no clue as to what could possibly be wrong with my light blue shirt and my black skirt.

She’s wearing a tight, glittery, silver dress that barely reaches her thighs and that accentuates her every curve. I don’t have anything as sexy as that in my closet, and my mother would never let me buy a dress that doesn’t at least cover my knees.

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