Page 25 of Mafia Don's Secret Twins

“I can be the dragon,” Angie, my other girl, says, trying to mitigate the attitude of her twin.

I smile. The girls continue to argue, but it looks like they’re figuring it out. Eventually, they settle, and Maia surprisingly zooms around, arms outstretched, roaring while she pretends to be the dragon.

This is exactly what I was envisioning when I thought of my girls having cousins. They have friends, of course, but Mama and I are very cautious when it comes to their playmates. We often wished that they would have cousins to play with, because the power of your primas?

It’s better than just a friend, that’s for sure.

“Looks like you’re feeling better,” I hear Gia say softly.

I turn to the right, where she and Caterina are sitting at the kitchen table. They can easily see all the kids, and the babies as well, but they’re definitely giving them some space to play.

I really wish I’d had that as a younger mom.

“Come sit with us,” Caterina says, waving to a chair. “Do you drink? I could get some wine.”

“One glass, please,” I say with a little smile. Both Caterina and Gia have been nothing but wonderful to me, but their treatment of my children, who are so engrossed in their play they haven’t noticed me yet, is what makes me trust them instantly.

Hearing my voice, my girls instantly stop. “Mamá!” Angie says with a shriek.

Seconds later, both girls are in my arms, and I hug them close. “Oh, pequeninas,” I smile. I breathe them in, holding on as they hold me tight. “How are you?”

“Zia Gia and Zia Caterina said you were sleeping because running away from the scary people made you sick,” Angie pulls back, looking at me with an accusing eye. “Are you better now?”

“I’m much better, thanks to your Zias. They did a lot to help me.”

“Whose clothes are you wearing?” Maia says with a frown.

“I got her some extras, since everyone deserves to wake up looking fabulous,” Gia laughs.

Maia, who is far more fierce than her sister, seems to accept this. “, do we have to leave?”

My heart sinks a little. I’m not sure how to tell her that she’s going to stay here without me.

I don’t want to tell them yet.

Seeming to sense my hesitation, Caterina steps in. “Girls,” she says, her voice full of kindness, “why don’t you grab the babies and bring them over here? We probably need to feed them.”

Maia’s eyes get big. “Like, hold them?”

“I can do it!” Angie hops up, and together with Luna, they carefully lift each baby before bringing them over.

Caterina nods at me, holding one of the two twins out. “Can you hold him?”

“Yes,” I say, accepting the wiggling baby boy.

Task accomplished, Maia and Angie look lost again. “Come on,” Luna announces. “Let’s go play dress up. Dad just bought me a new castle!”

“A castle?” and with that, the girls are gone.

Caterina sighs. “I had no idea he bought them that. Did you?” she looks at Gia.

Gia shrugs. “I know better than to stop Elio when he wants to buy Luna something.”

The baby in my arms makes a garbled noise, and I look down. “Okay,” I say, looking back up. “Now it’s time to tell me whose baby I’m holding.”

Both Gia and Caterina laugh. “These are my two,” Caterina says, indicating the twins, “and that one belongs to Gia.”

I smile at her. “Ah, I see. The baby you brought with us on your wild escape.”

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