Page 74 of Mafia Don's Secret Baby

I’d scheduled the earliest flight, hoping to avoid talking to Matteo again. He’d done a great job at avoiding the conversation for the last couple of days, so I didn’t expect him to come to stop us. As each hour passed and I didn’t see any sign of him, I wondered if he would try to stop us.

Maybe letting us go would be easier for him.

“Boarding is open to flight 203. Active-duty military and families with young children are asked to board first.”

I stood, heaving the backpack over my shoulder before gathering Callum into my arms. He exhaled deeply as he nestled into my shoulder, and I made my way to the line.

I was grateful that it was moving quickly. It only took a matter of minutes before I stood two people from the TSA agent. A hand fell on the crook of my arm, and I stiffened, looking over my shoulder.

I half expected to see Vlad standing there, ready to kill me.

Instead, a pair of nearly black eyes pierced into mine, shoulder-length curly hair hanging down to his shoulders in an untamed style that I rarely saw. He always wore his hair in a tight bun when out of the house.

“Get out of the fucking line,” he snarled down to me.

I steeled myself. “No.”

“You’re getting out of line and coming home with me right now, Lilianna.”

Barely tempered frustration ran through his tone, but I ignored it.

“You don’t need to pretend to care, Matteo. I lied and deceived, and I’m not going to force you to stay around me when you clearly have no interest in my doing so. I understand why you hate me, I do, and I don’t want to make this more difficult than it has to be.”

Hurt flashed in his eyes so fast that I assumed I imagined it.

“You’re stepping out of line right now, or I will carry you out of line.”

“You wouldn’t...”

But his expression told me he would dare. Matteo wouldn’t hesitate to reach forward and lug me over a shoulder, all consequences be damned. He wasn’t used to being told no, and this was striking a nerve. But as I glanced around and found several people staring at us, I decided not to cause more of a scene than we already had.

He deserved a conversation, at least.

I stepped out of line and carried Callum to the side of the line with me. We strode away from the gates and toward a small offshoot hallway that led to a set of restrooms.

“What are you thinking?” he finally bellowed.

It surprised me when Callum didn’t so much as flinch.

“I’m thinking that you’ve refused to talk to me for days. You’ve been gallivanting around and doing the job that we were meant to do together. I’m not needed nor wanted here, Matteo. You made that very clear. I’m going to take my son home where his family makes it clear every day that he’s wanted. He’ll be safe while you take care of this shit with the Russians. If you decide you want to include me in your plans, I’ll be happy to come back. But for now, I’m not staying where I’m not wanted.”

“I thought we were taking care of it. Together.”

“So did I,” I admitted. “Until you started stonewalling all our conversations and doing it without me. If I’m not going to be useful, and if you seem like you’re not interested in providing the same protection as before—”

“I’ve had the same guards protecting the penthouse for weeks. There was never a moment I didn’t ensure you and Callum had proper protection.”

“Having guards didn’t stop them the first time.”

“I fucking love you, Lilianna!” he shouted, his voice echoing through the hallway as he took a small step forward. Callum stirred in my arms, and I rocked him lightly back to sleep. Matteo’s voice dropped as he noticed the sleeping boy for what seemed like the first time. “Come home, and we can talk more there.”

I recognized his words and gaped at him. He’d told me that he hated me for what I’d done to him. Love was an entirely different realm, and I couldn’t believe it. I didn’t think he could say anything to convince me to turn back around. But hearing those words…that changed things.

I couldn’t leave that stone unturned.

“Fine,” I conceded.

***

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