Page 7 of Mafia Don's Secret Baby

“Breathe out before taking the shot. Don’t inhale first, or you’ll feel it all the way down,” he’d insisted.

I’d done it, and he gave me a smile and a fist bump.

I could remember the pride in his eyes.

He always had so much pride in his eyes when he looked at me. I’d never done anything wrong in his eyes. My chest caved in at the memory of the way he had loved me. He had loved me more than anyone else ever had, and my chest felt hollow as I realized I’d never experienced that love again.

I found Matteo sitting in a large kitchen with white countertops and a marble backsplash. His entire apartment had been decorated with elegance and an eye for design. I wouldn’t have expected this level of taste from him.

The moment I strode into the room, his attention fixed on me, and I froze. “Is he asleep?” he asked.

“For now.” I took a small step forward as I noticed the other men in the room. One of them looked familiar, and I recognized him as another friend of Silas’s—Anthony. The third man was entirely unfamiliar, and he didn’t bother glancing up from the computer screen at my presence. He didn’t skip a beat as his fingers moved expertly across the keyboard.

“We have a lot to discuss,” Matteo said, gesturing to a seat beside Anthony. I eased forward slowly. “This is Anthony, my second-hand man. He takes care of everything that I don’t have time for. I’m sure you’ve met him in the past. He worked closely with Silas, too.”

Silas.

I didn’t want to think about him right now. Not until I could compartmentalize everything that had happened today.

“And Marcus is my computer expert,” Matteo continued. “He takes care of any hacking or digital tracking needs.”

I nodded, looking between all of them. But my mind was everywhere else. I couldn’t bring myself to focus on anything but the memories I’d shared with Silas growing up. I couldn’t get over all the memories we should have had. All I wanted was for him to meet my son. I wouldn’t have been in New York long, but he would have at least met him. Maybe Silas would have taken trips to Italy for birthdays or holidays.

But all of those dreams had died today.

I’d left, and Silas had never even met him.

“What can I do?” I finally asked, looking between the men.

I couldn’t let them take away everything from me without repercussions. My father had hurt and maimed a lot of people in this life, but I’d still grieve him. He was my father, after all. But the weight of Silas’s death sat heavier on my heart. It consumed everything within me and left no room for another grief.

Matteo made his way across the kitchen and placed a hand on my back, leading me deeper into the room. He smelled like he’d washed the blood from his skin. The rich scent of musk and masculinity wafted up to my nostrils and sent shivers down my spine.

I recognized that scent.

It had clung to my skin all those years ago after our night together.

“There’s nothing you can do right now,” he admitted.

“What are you doing then? I need to help.”

The gel from his hair had been washed away, and he had placed it in a messy knot at the nape of his neck. As he shook his head, a small tendril fell in front of his face, and I had the immediate urge to push it away.

“We’re assessing the damage right now,” he said gruffly. “I went back to retrieve their bodies, but they weren’t there. This entire attack was thought out and planned extensively. No bodies. No shell casings. Nothing.”

My heart sank, and it took everything to hold back tears. They were gone, and I couldn’t even mourn over their bodies. How could I plan a funeral without their bodies? How could someone be so cruel?

The man in front of the computer chipped in. “I can confirm that. It looks like it was a coordinated attack. Any business endeavor or building that had the Genovese name on it was raided. It was a well-planned strike.”

I gasped. “Why?”

“We don’t know,” Matteo added.

“We do,” Anthony corrected, and Matteo shot him a glare. “Matteo, the Russians have wanted Alessio dead for years. Taking out Alessio, Silas, and all of the businesses means something, and we all know it. He wanted the territory, and this was the way to do it. Kill all the heirs, and he’d become the undisputed boss.”

Everyone in the room went silent as they looked at me. It took a long moment for me to understand the implications of that statement.

Silas was the only male heir, but I was an heir, too.

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