Page 78 of Triplets for the Mafia Prince

“Yes.” He levers up, his lips capturing mine again as his hands fondle my breasts. I’m in sensation overload and I love it. I rock over him, then start to ride.

“Oh, fuck… Bella…” He lies back, his face an expression of bliss. It makes me feel powerful in my femininity, my sexuality, that I can do that to him.

I let go, let my body do what it wants, riding him, fast, faster, until pleasure bursts through. The minute it does, he yells out, and warmth fills me. Together, we move like in a dance until I collapse over him.

I rest my cheek on his chest, feeling his heartbeat. "Are you really happy about the baby?"

His hands wrap around me, holding me closer than I’ve ever been held before. "The thought of you carrying my child… I can’t explain it.”

"What if I'm not actually pregnant?" After all, it really could be stress or something else.

He puts his finger under my chin and lifts my gaze to his. "The baby just gave me the courage to admit what I already knew. I want you, pregnant or not."

I smile. I know I’ve never been as happy as I am now.

He gives me a cheeky grin. “Besides, you just fucked my brains out without a condom. If you’re not already pregnant, you could be now.”

Heat floods my face as I realize he’s right. “I wasn’t thinking?—”

“Good. It shows how badly you wanted me.” He waggles his brows. I’ve missed this version of him. Playful. Sexy.

“And if not this time, well, we just need to keep practicing.” He rolls me over and proceeds to practice baby making.

29

NIC

Who knew life could be filled with so much joy? That’s the only word I can find to explain it. I’ve been content. Sometimes excited. But never have I felt infused with delight, wonder, elation.

The same day I suspected Bella might be pregnant, I got us a test, and I’ll never forget the emotion that overwhelmed me when I learned she was carrying our child. I’ve never cried in my life… well, not since I was a kid, but tears filled my eyes to see that stick confirm a life growing inside Bella.

Since then, every moment of every day has been brighter, shinier. It’s fucking fantastic. Even our small, intimate Thanksgiving dinner was the most festive I’d ever had.

The only cloud in our lives is my father. But today, that changes. Only blue skies. In a few hours, I'll meet my father in Buffalo. I will end his life at the place he’s destroyed so many other lives—the docks where he traffics women.

The plan to kill my father is solid. My most trusted men are already in position around the warehouse where my father plans to meet Don Caruso. My father suspects nothing. Years of resentment, of watching him destroy lives, have led to thismoment. I should feel more conflicted about killing my own father, but his attempt on my life, his threats to Gia and her children, and the monster I know he'd be to Bella and our baby make this necessary.

As I make the five-hour drive from New Jersey to Buffalo, New York, I reflect on all the pain my father has caused. Failing to prolong my mother’s cancer treatment, opting to let her die sooner. I was only twelve.

The way he drove Gia's mother todisappear, likely killing her. To this day, I carry guilt that I didn’t stop it, nor have I been able to find out what really happened.

Then there are the countless women my father has broken and discarded. Sold and traded. The weight of his sins settles on my shoulders. For too long, I've played the dutiful son while plotting behind his back. Building alliances. Gathering intel. Waiting for the right moment to strike. But until Bella, I hadn’t had the courage to take action. But that ends today.

I’ll terminate my father’s reign of terror and take over his business. I’ll build it into something stronger, more resilient, more enduring for my child, should he or she decide to follow in my footsteps.

I laugh at the idea of a daughter heading the family. Traditionally, it’s not done. At least not outwardly. But there were plenty of women in the past who ruled, often mercilessly, from behind the façade of a man.

When the time comes, the business will be modernized and operating in the gray areas, the fringe to avoid the eyes of the law. And of course, no more trafficking. No more treating women and children as disposable commodities.

As I get closer to my destination, I picture the future stretching before us—Bella pursuing her dreams while helping me run legitimate businesses. Our child growing up knowingonly love and security. Gia and her twins finally safe from threats and manipulation.

A surge of determination flows through me. I am ready to take my rightful place as head of this family. Ready to build something better from the ashes of my father's dead body.

I get a text from Max, confirming all is in place and that he’s keeping Gia and the twins even closer today. If everything goes tits up and I die, he’s also prepared to take care of Bella, getting her to safety with a new name in a new location. God, I hope I survive. I really want to see her grow large with our child, watch our child grow.

My hand twitches to call Bella, wanting to hear her voice one last time before everything goes down. But I can't risk it. My father has eyes and ears everywhere, and one intercepted call could blow everything.

I reach Buffalo in the early afternoon and use a fake ID to check into the hotel. The meeting takes place tomorrow morning, so I have tonight to rest and psych myself up.

---