Page 53 of Pregnant By the Mafia Boss

He’s had a proper tour of the animal rescue place and even picked out the dog he’d like us to have. He calls it a companion for Rex, but I know the truth.

He fell in love with the spaniel the moment he saw it. I’m almost jealous. Keeps bringing it treats every time he comes to see me at work.

Zoey and Antonio are in their house here out on the edge of town.

We’re thinking of buying the plot of land next to theirs and building a dream place of our own.

Salvatore has already passed the reigns of leadership to Luca.

He’s not sure what he wants to do instead.

Says he’s never given a moment’s thought to life outside of the mob.

I tell him he should come to work with me. I can picture him spending all day walking dogs and cooing at cats.

Something soft inside him appears when he deals with animals. It heals the wounds of his shitty childhood and soothes him in a way nothing else could, not even me.

He told me about the time his father beat him and his brothers when they were just playing cards together. Gave him his first knife wound.

I kissed it for him, then I kissed lower. Then we stopped talking and started doing other things.

I hand over to the evening shift and find Zoey waiting for me outside.

“How’s my bestie?” she asks. “Got time for a drink before scurrying on home to hubby?”

“Always got time for you, Zoey. Without you, I wouldn’t have him.”

“That’s not true. Fate would have brought him to you anyway.”

We walk to Jimmy’s diner at the north corner of town square, taking our usual booth. Jimmy nods my way from the counter. “Bring it over in a second,” he says.

“Look at that,” Zoey says to me. “Don’t even need to order any more.”

“We’ve been back long enough. It’s like we never left.”

“For you maybe. I’ve got Phoebe to remind me what’s changed.”

I touch my stomach. “Got one of my own coming, remember?”

“As if I could forget. How’s it going.”

“The sickness has eased, which is all I ever wanted. I had visions of nine months of throwing up.”

“Nah, it never lasts. So, tell me, did you send them an answer?”

“The commission? I turned them down.”

“Seriously?” She doesn’t sound surprised. In fact, she’s smiling.

I nod. “Why would I want to be head of the high council? I don’t know anything about that life. I don’t want to live in Rome, barking orders at people like an emperor, choosing who lives and who dies. I just want to look after animals.”

“What did they say?”

“That they understood and a new leader would be chosen promptly.”

“And what about Salvatore?”

“He said he’d support whatever I chose to do.”

---