Page 15 of Mafia Heir's Broken Vows

Back at the safe house,Alessandro stands in front of me, arms crossed.

"You're coming with me. Pack some things." There's nothing here to pack. My life at my home and my shop—my business has become what I live for. I haven't been here in a long time, I never intended to come back. I hid here after my brother was killed—after Alessandro killed him and started a fucking war.

I stare at him. "Excuse me?"

"To my estate. It's secure. Safer than this place. And safer than your office." I wouldn't call him or his home safe.

I shake my head, defiance rising. "No. I can't just uproot Leo. His life—" There are bigger things in my life than what Alessandro wants. I can't make decisions on a whim, I have a son, and he comes first.

"His life is already in danger. Or did you miss the part where Marco nearly killed you?" Me—he nearly killed me, not my son. So far, they've left Leo out of it, I just had to do as I was told. Which I thought I had.

His words are harsh, but they're true. My hands shake as I stare at the box still sitting on the table.

"Leo won't understand." He's just a kid. I am his entire world. Moving to a strange place, and uprooting his life, isn't fair.

Alessandro softens slightly. "He doesn't have to. Not yet. But if Marco gets any closer, there won't be anything left to explain." I don't want to fuck him up and make him like all of them—a monster.

Leo's footstepsbang on the wood floors as he races down the hall, and I turn to see him clutching his favorite stuffed lion, blinking sleepily. Even half-awake, he moves at lightning speed.

"Mommy?" My heart warms at the sight of him, and guilt washes over me. I miss him even if I wasn't gone for long—I hate leaving him.

I kneel down, brushing his hair back. "Hey, sweetheart. We're going on a little trip, like a vacation, okay?"

His brow furrows. "But why? Where are we going?"

Alessandro watches quietly from the doorway, his posture tense but unmoving. I glance back at him before forcing a smile for Leo.

"It's just for a little while. Somewhere fun. You'll like it." I don't know if it'll be fun—but I don't want to scare him.

Leo nods slowly, childish confusion in his eyes. "Cool. Can I take my toys?"

"Some of them. We won't be gone for long."

Before I can finish packing, Laura appears in the hallway, her face pale and drawn with worry. She stops just short of where Alessandro stands, her eyes darting between the two of us. Her voice is low and controlled, but the edge in it is impossible to miss.

"Sera, what's going on? You didn't come home, and I didn't hear from you all night. I was worried something happened."

I straighten, my chest tightening. "I'm fine, Laura. We're fine."

Her eyes flick to Alessandro, narrowing slightly. "And he just happened to be there?"

"He was," I say quickly, not wanting to get into this now. "And I don't have time to explain."

Laura crosses her arms, her gaze hardening. "I just want to make sure you know what you're doing. That you're not—" She glances at Leo, who is now zipping up his dragon-shaped suitcase, oblivious to the tension in the room. Lowering her voice further, she continues, "—putting him in more danger."

I swallow hard, the weight of her words settling heavily on my shoulders. "I know what I'm doing."

She doesn't look convinced, but she doesn't press further. Instead, she kneels in front of Leo, her expression softening. "Hey, buddy. Going on an adventure?"

Leo grins, holding up his lion. "Yep! Mommy says it's like a vacation."

"Well, you take good care of her, okay?" She ruffles his hair, her smile strained but warm. "And your lion too."

"I will!" Leo beams before zipping up his suitcase with a triumphant flourish.

Laura stands, her worry bleeding through as she looks at me one last time. "Call me. Please."

"I will," I promise, my voice barely above a whisper.

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