Page 43 of Pregnant By the Mafia Boss

I hate when he’s right, and about to tell him so when my cell phone buzzes in my pocket. I dig it out.

“It’s Christian,” I say, looking at the screen. “Do I answer?”

Dante nods. “Might be looking to negotiate.”

I press the phone to my ear.

“Salvatore,” the voice at the other end says. “So good to see you back in Rome. Didn’t have enough fun last time? Came back for more, is that it? And brought your brothers this time. How sweet.”

I put my hand over the phone. “He can see us,” I hiss before returning to the call. “You took my wife,” I tell him down the line. “You’ll die for that, youpezzo di merda.”

“I doubt that. Here’s what’s going to happen now. Snipers are ready to take out the three of you. If you’d like to avoid that, you’ll walk into the house, and we’ll have a civilized conversation about all this like civilized human beings.

“Otherwise, your pretty little wife might have a few problems of her own. Oh, and please leave your weapons in the car, or this whole thing will get more than a little tedious.”

The line goes dead.

“Well?” Dante asks. “What did he say?”

“He’s got snipers on us now, and if we don’t walk into the house to talk, Keira’s dead.”

“Bullshit.”

“For fuck’s sake, Dante,” I snap. “Even if itisbullshit, do you think I’m willing to play chicken when he has my fucking wife captive?”

There’s a loud crack, and a piece of wall flies off behind me. I look for the shooter but see nothing.

Luca leans toward me and whispers, “House over the road, in the attic. I can probably take him from here.”

“Don’t. That was a warning shot. He won’t be the only one.” I shove the guns into the trunk, cursing out loud. “I’m still going to kill him,” I say as my brothers do the same.

Unarmed, we walk toward the house, and I get a strange feeling in the pit of my stomach.

The last time I was here, I was tortured for weeks on end.

I pray the same thing isn’t happening to Keira.

“I have a plan,” I say as they walk beside me. “Follow my lead.”

“I sincerely hope you’re not about to get us all killed,” Dante says softly. “Because that kind of thing can really put a dampener on a guy’s day.”

“You want to live forever?”

“I’d settle for seeing out this day alive.”

“Then shut up and do what I say.”

We reach the open gate. Two guards stand either side of it, their guns poorly concealed beneath their jackets.

“Keep moving,” the one nearest me says.

“I’m gonna kill you,” I reply. “Bothof you.”

He laughs. “Sure you are, Salvatore. Or maybe I’ll piss on your unmarked grave.”

“If it’s unmarked, how will you find it to piss on it, genius?” Dante asks.

“Get fucking moving,” the guard snaps.

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