Page 16 of Surprise Baby for the Mafia Boss

I go home that night and yet again dream of Luca, just as I have each night since he awakened a feeling in me that I can’t put back to sleep.

***

When I show up to the house on the Sunday after church, I find Grazia in tears in her room.

“What’s wrong?” I ask quickly, trying to formulate a response for her in case she’s found out about my night with Luca.

“Oh, nothing, I…I just miss her so much,” she replies through her sobs. “I found an old photo album and it just set me off.”

I breathe a sigh of relief, she’s still in mourning, of course. She's not upset with me.

I go to hug her and when she’s calmed down enough, we go out into the garden. The rest of the family is there too, and we all sit in silence, soaking in the place where Ginny’s spirit seems the strongest.

I don’t stay long, feeling uncomfortable in the house all of a sudden. Luca’s attitude hasn’t changed, and he’s been on phone calls all day yet again. I feel as if it’s best for us all if I go home and return again tomorrow.

“Emelia,” Enzo says as I’m leaving the house. “I want to thank you for being here for Grazia. We should not have pushed you away when you wanted to help. I'm choosing to ignore the night you spent with Luca since I know that Grazia has felt comforted having you here this week.”

I smile at him, trying not to show just how pleased I am that he’s finally come to this realization. Plus, the fact that he does know that something happened with Luca means he’s one step closer to accepting my presence in Luca's life in the future.

“I'm her best friend, Enzo, and I grew up with you all. I want nothing more than to be a comfort to the family. And to keep Ginny’s memory alive.”

Chapter Nine

Luca

I walk into the kitchen, squinting at the sun shining through the window.

I’ve been awake for most of the night, and I need coffee. I dial Raul’s number again. He’s my best connection in the Mexican group and we bonded quickly on my first trip to Mexico.

I figure if anyone is going to give me another chance it’s him. Plus, I can see he has enough influence with the bosses to help me out. But now I’ve been trying all night to get him to reply to me. Finally, on the third ring, I hear the click of him picking up.

“Raul, you’re one hard mother fucker to get hold of, you know?” I’m trying to sound as casual as I can, but I know I fucked up.

“Baldini, it’s eight in the bloody morning, you pendejo.” He’s annoyed, but he’s talking to me, so that’s a good sign. I decide not to beat around the bush, to get right to the point and then let him get back to his day.

“I need to speak to the bosses again, Raul—and soon. I know I should have called yesterday but I was unable to.”

Raul grunts, "You vanished for a week, amigo. Our associates are getting antsy. They're questioning our judgment. We can’t risk looking stupid in this game."

"Your associates need to learn patience. I had some pressing matters to attend to at home. Family business, you understand." Actually, I doubt he does understand.

These guys don’t seem like the type to put business on hold and run home to attend their granny’s funeral. They love their family, but business comes first.

I stare out of the kitchen window, a now-cold cup of coffee in one hand and my phone in the other. The house is quiet, as it has been since I got home.

Somehow, without Nonna here, it feels as if the whole house is empty. I wonder if Enzo and Grazia feel the same way.

"We don't like surprises, especially when it involves someone with our interests. It's bad for business. Disappearing right after we hammered out the details of the deal raises questions. We need reliability, not vanishing acts."

He coughs, probably smoking a morning cigar while he speaks. Raul is a big guy, he’s built to be a scare tactic for his boss, and he stinks of cigar smoke and sweat.

"I get it, I do. But let's not forget why you reached out to us in the first place. We know how to handle business. You don't want to mess with that arrangement, trust me." Everything I’m saying is true.

This is a huge investment, and bringing their shipments to the US, if done right, means lots of money for everyone. But someone who isn’t careful, doesn’t have the right connections, or is too scared to draw blood if needed, is going to lose a lot of money.

“Trust me, family matters are sorted now. I wouldn't jeopardize this deal, not after all we've built."

“There are offers on the table, Luca. Another family's stepping up, claiming they can handle this better. You've left us in a precarious position."

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