Page 42 of Surprise Twins for the Mafia Heir

“My love!” I say as I kiss her.

She smiles. “We’re parents, officially.”

“They’re perfect.”

Rosa chuckles. “They need names.”

I kiss her forehead. “We can worry about that once you’re better.” Rosa nods and closes her eyes again, a drop of tear slides down her face.

Rosa’s recovery is immediate. She has around-the-clock care for her healing, and the boys are under mine and Marisol’s supervision. Every night Marisol has Rosa soak in a special bath to help heal her C-section scar, and then we can feed the boys on schedule. After three days, we settle on naming the boys after my two great-grandfathers — Luis and Fernando. The names are fitting since we plan on keeping the boys in Mexico until further notice at least until trouble finds us.

The week began calmly — a gentle breeze every evening with full three-course meals from Marisol. But when my grandfatherand I head to the market to get more tortillas, we spot a familiar face. Joseph Toretto. A hulking, bald guy with a memorable scar running from his eyebrow to his upper lip. We both freeze at the sight of him.

“That’s him,” my grandfather mutters. “He was at the market the last time.”

My heart is pounding. “Joseph Toretto?”

“One of your dad’s boys. I knew his uncle,” he adds.

Suddenly, the safety of Jalisco is snatched away. “Rosa! What about the boys?”

My grandfather tugs on my sleeve and we disappear behind a mango stand. “You aren’t safe. If he’s here that soon after I last saw him, it means they’re out searching. It’s only a matter of time before they find you.”

I start thinking of all the innocent lives that might be lost if they see me, granddad, Marisol and their people who choose to protect us over their own safety. My escape to Mexico now feels extremely selfish.

“What do I do?” I ask.

My grandfather is quiet for a few moments. “You will have to leave Mexico.”

“And go where? Back to the States — where everyone wants to kill us?” I snap.

“I’m talking about you, Vinny,” he continues. “This time it’s for Rosa and the boys’ sake.” It hits me. I may not survive my father after all.

“Who’s gonna take care of Rosa?” I press.

“She has support here. I have connections. But this mess relates back to you. You have to close it out once and for all,” he says. “We’ll make a better plan once we’re back in the village.”

However, the walk from the market to the village is short-lived. Huge, black escalades speed through the village and wehear gunshots. We drop everything and run for the house. It's empty.

“God! They took them!” I cry.

My grandfather runs towards the woods behind the house to a small water well. He unlatches a wooden door where steps lead underground.

“Go,” he orders me. I rush down the steps, and to my relief, I find Marisol, Rosa, the babies, and a heap of the village.

“We heard the trucks coming and I led them here,” Marisol says. Rosa is holding Luis, and Marisol has Fernando.

“What’s going on, Vinny?” Rosa asks in a shaky voice.

“My dad,” I answer. “He’s found us.”

Rosa has a horrified look in her eyes. “What do we do? What about the boys?”

My grandfather closes the trap door and climbs down. “Everyone will walk down the path here. It leads to two neighboring villages. They won’t need to go that far because they think Vinny was in the house they just burned.”

Marisol gasps. “They burned it? Those animals!”

My grandfather sighs. “You will all be safe.” He eyes me, letting me know I’m the one who isn’t.

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