Page 12 of Surprise Twins for the Mafia Heir

“You have a period, right?” he says as he finishes up the garlic bread. My blood goes cold. It’s been over one month and no period.

“I do have a period,” I answer as my mind works overtime. Vinny and I have still been hooking up, too. Not all the time. But enough for me to be worried.

“I should probably get some stuff,” I say.

“No worries. I know where it is,” he responds.

“Please, it's embarrassing enough,” I groan. Vinny points behind me where there’s a small convenience store.

“I’ll get myself a six-pack while you buy what you need,” he says. Vinny pays for the food and we make our way to the store. My heart is clamoring in my chest so loudly, I wonder if Vinnycan hear. He slips off to get his beer and I rush down the aisles praying to find what I need.

The pregnancy tests are wedged between brightly colored tampons with smiling women on billboards. I grit my teeth as their hopeful faces watch my every move. I snatch a cheap one which is not protected and make a dodge for the stairwell towards the back of the store. I’ve done this plenty of times; the stealing of things, that is. I don’t stop running until I make it into the bathroom. I rip open the test and immediately let out the pee I’ve been holding in. I stare in disbelief as I wrap the test in tissue and stuff it in my bag.

Dear God, I hope this is just stress from being kidnapped.

Thirty minutes seems like a thousand years when you’re trying to figure out if you’re pregnant. I act fine and hand a box of tampons to the cash register clerk. Vinny slides his pack of beer and sunglasses onto the counter.

“Ready to hit the road?” he asks.

I nod as the cashier hands us a bag. “Yeah. Sure, am.”

The ride back is nauseating. I know the thirty minutes is up once we’re halfway back but I daren’t take a sneaky look at the test. Vinny talks my ear off telling me about favorite places he visited as a kid and all the beautiful memories he had with his brothers.

“You alright?” he asks me. I notice the car has stopped and we’re back in familiar territory. Somehow, I missed the entire ride back.

“Just tired,” I lie.

“You aren’t alone. Can’t wait to catch some z’s,” Vinny chirps. We finally make it inside and I make a fuss about taking a shower. Once I’m safe inside the room, I take a deep breath and take out the test.

Tears well in my eyes.

Positive.

My worst fear has come true and there’s no way I can ever tell him.

CHAPTER 8

Vinny

Idon’t dare ask but I sense Rosa is feeling differently towards me. I agonize over sneaking away to the Hamptons. Maybe her seeing the real me scared her off. Or, maybe she’s only being nice to stay on my good side.

You idiot. Of course, she’d wanna stay on your good side. How does she know what’s coming?

The only way to get back to our fun times of making love after breakfast is by making her feel at ease. Extra pancakes and sausages don’t get me anywhere. Rosa’s eyes are glazed over and her skin seems dull. I nearly ask if she’s alright again when I remember the tampons she set on the counter the other day.

God dammit. How am I such an idiot?

“You gotta tell me your cravings,” I say. We’ve been sitting in silence for ten minutes and it breaks Rosa’s focus. She jolts up like I woke her out of a dream.

“Excuse me?” she asks.

I snicker. “A woman’s period can be a real bloodbath. No pun intended. I just wanna make you feel comfortable.”

Rosa laughs nervously. “Trust me, there’s not much you can do.”

“Sure, there is. Food? Clothes? Maybe a heating pad?” I list. “Whatever you need, I can get it.”

Rosa smiles again but I can tell it's forced. “I think I just need more rest.”

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