Page 45 of Surprise Twins for the Mafia Heir

“Telling me about how much of an asshole my dad is means nothing,” I cut in. “Both he and my mom are dead to me.”

I haven’t thought about my parents for a while. Not since the wedding, at least. All I care about is the family I created and I'll be damned if Vinny’s father tries to take that away. He pushes the teacup away from him as he taps his fingers on the table.

“You know this isn’t ending without someone paying, correct?” he asks. I look over at my boys sleeping peacefully. I think about the promise Vinny made to me and the advice Marisol gave me. I am strong and I can’t give up so easily.

“Do what you want, but know that you will pay for it,” I warn.

The look on his face tells me that’s the least of his worries.

A week later

I’ve lost track of time. Everything has been taken from me and I’m on my last legs. After Toni found me, he forced me to return to New York with the babies. I felt slightly encouraged about being in the same place as Vinny until the babies were taken from me and I was chained in a basement. I have no idea how much time has gone by. The only freedom I get is feeding the boys, then I’m placed back in chains. To make things worse, I worry that Vinny’s been caught. None of my community has a way of knowing where I am or how to get me back. The thoughtof my boys growing up without me is gutting me. Once again, I’ve been kidnapped and forced to accept an unimaginable future. I barely get any food to eat and I can feel my hope dying with each passing day.

The smell of the basement makes me want to vomit. Soon, I will forget about fighting. I don’t even dream of escaping. I just wait for the small moments of feeding the boys before I’m put right back into hell.

“I guess this is how I will die after all,”I think to myself before I close my eyes. The thought lingers until one day is unlike the others. I don't get the early feeding. It makes me worry. It makes fear and dread rush through my body to the point of numbing my fingers.

A crash from upstairs sounds and then I hear two gunshots. I hold my breath as the basement door swings open and footsteps run down the stairs. I can only assume it’s someone high-jacking the kidnapping, and I might be their collateral damage. But the footsteps get closer and I finally see who made all the noise.

“Nick?” I yelp. He rushes over and unties my hands and I hug him immediately as I begin to cry.

“Thank God I found you,” Nick whispers as he hugs me tighter.

“We have to get out of here!” I plead. Nick helps me to my feet.

“He has the boys,” Nick whispers. Which means it wasn’t him who Nick killed. My heart sinks and I start to feel bad all over again. If anything happens to my babies, I don’t think I could go on.

“Rosa, we’re gonna get them back. It’s just bait, okay? He’s trying to get us all where he wants us,” Nick tells me. “Right now, I need you and Vinny to think with clear heads.”

“Wait, Vinny is…alive?” I stammer.

“He’s at the safe house. Barely made it but…I was able to locate him just like I was for you,” Nick says. “So, right now, I need you to trust me. I’m not going to let anyone hurt the babies.”

Nick helps me up the stairs and we’re in a car and back on the road. The trees whip past us quickly and all I can think about is the last time I held the babies. They were warm and cooing. They trusted me and I let them get kidnapped.

God, let my babies be okay.

CHAPTER 24

Vinny

Three weeks ago

When I land in New York I have no idea what is waiting for me. I expect my dad to find me quickly but, instead, Manhattan has something different in mind. After returning to Chinatown to hide out, I am interrupted by the last person I thought would find me. He walks into the restaurant I am at with his hands in his pockets. Something is different about him too when he sits in front of me. Nick.

His hair is buzzed and I notice the Montoya family crest necklace around his neck.

I grit my teeth. “So, you really are a rat.”

Nick doesn’t have an expression. “I did what needed to be done.”

After everything, I don’t think he can still be trusted. “Then why help me to get to Mexico? So, you could just give my dad my location?” I’m shaking with anger when another person I recognize comes through the door. Joseph Toretto.

“Well, looks like we found Mister Runaway,” he chirps. Nick gestures at the restaurant owner and he rushes to lock the door and pull down the blinds. It is finally happening.

“Listen, Vinny. We want to do things the easy way. You’re here and we want to complete our job,” Joseph continues. Nick stares at me with cold eyes. I’ve never hated him more.

“You almost got my wife and kids killed,” I say.

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