Page 37 of Wanted Twins with the Mafia Boss

“He wasn’t a good guy.”

“I know, but I’m not a good guy either.”

“I don’t believe that. You just had to do what needed to be done. It’s the world we live in.”

Do I wish things were different? Yes.

Do I wish we were a normal couple with a normal, so-called boring life? Yes.

But it is what it is, and this whole thing gave me three biggest gifts—my twins and Adriano.

“It turned out I was right, and Gennaro was really planning to retire. He wanted to leave everything to me. He fully believed I’d sign a deal with him,” he says. “He thought I only wanted money and power, and that I was willing to do anything for it. And I guess I was until recently, so his offer shouldn’t have surprised me. I was willing to destroy your whole neighborhood, and for what? It wouldn’t have made me happy. I know that now. There was no way I was taking Gennaro’s offer, not after everything he’d done. His territory andhis money mean nothing to me. I can do without it all.”

“What about Matteo? Did he offer him the same thing?”

Adriano shrugs. “Maybe. I don’t know. Matteo’s probably furious with me right now. If I wasn’t the one who killed Gennaro, then maybe things would be different. But now he’s actually more dangerous than ever. Maybe if I waited and played along with Gennaro’s plan... but I got so mad that he was just sitting there and acting like he had everything under perfect control.”

I wind my arms around him and lean my head against his shoulder. “I don’t think anything would’ve changed. Gennaro was a threat to our family too.”

He tenses, and I look up at him. Is it because of Gennaro? Or because I said the wordsour family?

“Yeah, I know he was, and I always knew I’d have to take care of him eventually too. But I wish it had happened differently. If it wasn’t me, then maybe Matteo and I could’ve talked it out or something. Without Gennaro’s shadow looming over us. Sometimes I miss the times when he and I were... friendly with each other. We could’ve been allies, and we could’ve had it all. Both of us. But Gennaro took that away from us, and I still don’t understand why.”

“See?” I smile. “You’re a good man, andthat’s why I love you. I know you’re going to be a good dad to our twins too.”

His lips part in surprise.

Have I really just said those words out loud? Yep, but I don’t regret them. Adriano is the one for me. I tried to fight it and deny it, and delay the inevitable. But there’s no point in doing that now. I’m in love with him, and I can’t help it.

Adriano’s mouth opens and closes as if he’s unsure of what to say. Wrong timing, I suppose. He just returned after killing his adoptive father, and here I am, telling him something so big.

But it’s what he needs to hear in this moment. Even if he’s not ready to say it back. I can wait. Gennaro’s shadow probably won’t be easy to lift and chase away.

“Maybe Matteo will see things differently now too,” I say to break the tension. “With Gennaro gone, there’s no one to impress. No one who cares who won and lost.”

“He’ll want revenge. Gennaro was his father, and he’ll think it’s his duty to avenge him, especially because it was me. It’s personal. But it doesn’t matter. I already knew Matteo and I would have to face each other. The only problem is that I have no idea where he is.” Adriano’s shoulders relax.

“So he wasn’t acting alone anymore? Was Matteo kidnapping me Gennaro’s plan all along?”

“I don’t think so.” His brow creases. “Actually, the whole thing is weird now that I think about it. Gennaro acted as if he didn’t know who would show up—you or me—but he was hoping it would be me. He said he found out about the story Matteo came up with. It almost sounded as if it wasn’t Matteo who told him that, but that he somehow found out. I don’t know. I’m probably overthinking it.”

His phone buzzes, and I step away from him so he can take a look at the screen.

“What the fuck?” His eyebrows shoot up.

I give him a questioning look.

“It’s a message from Gennaro’s men. They’re... surrendering, I guess. They say it was Gennaro’s will to leave everything to me, and they’re going to respect it.”

“Huh. Do you think it’s a trap? Or would they really respect Gennaro’s wishes, no matter what? Even if Matteo asked them to side with him?” Just thinking about the Gaviani family gives me a headache because it looks like they’ll never do what I expect. “If Gennaro didn’t seem to care about Matteo, then maybe they don’t either? They just need a new boss.”

“The ones who were with Gennaro at the restaurant also agreed to work for me instead, but Ineed some time to decide what to do with them. But I’m surprised Matteo isn’t with the others and trying to take control of the situation.”

“Or he is, and it’s a trap,” I say.

“Gennaro’s second-in-command wants to meet with me, but he’s letting me decide when and where. It would be complicated to pull off an attack like that. Unless Matteo wants to play the long game and let everyone pretend they’re happy to work for me and everything’s mine first. But he knows I won’t let them anywhere near me or have them do any important jobs for me. He’s not that stupid, and neither am I. What the fuck is going on?”

“Maybe you should meet with him then. See what he has to say. Maybe he can tell you where Matteo is. Maybe no one wants Matteo as their leader.”

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