Page 35 of Surprise Baby for the Don

The door opens, and they push me out into the open air, the cool night breeze washing over me like a balm. I take a deep breath, savoring the fresh air, and let it fill my lungs, grounding me. The men surround us, their faces hard, their eyes cold, but I don’t let myself be intimidated. I’m not going to give them that power.

Rocco is beside me, his face pale but determined, his eyes filled with a quiet strength that steadies me. He gives me a small nod, a silent message that we’re in this together, that we’ll get through this somehow.

They lead us toward a dimly lit building, a rundown warehouse that looks like it’s been abandoned for years. The place is cold, dark, the walls lined with shadows that seem to swallow us whole. The men shove us forward, guiding us down a narrow hallway, and I can feel my heart pounding in my chest, the fear bubbling up again despite my best efforts to push it down.

But I won’t let it control me. I won’t let it break me. It’s a feeling and not a fact. This is just temporary, and soon it will be over.

They finally stop in a small, dingy room, forcing us to sit on the cold, hard floor. The zip ties are digging into my skin, but I don’t flinch. I’ve gotten used to the pain by now, used to thediscomfort.

I glance over at Rocco, who’s sitting beside me, his face bruised and battered but his spirit unbroken. He meets my gaze, a hint of a smile tugging at his lips, and I feel a surge of gratitude for his presence. I don’t know what I’d do without him here, don’t know if I’d be able to stay as calm, as focused, if I were alone.

“Remember what I told you, Bella,” he whispers, his voice low and steady. “Mateo will find us. If you believe one thing, believe that.”

I nod, holding onto his words, buoyed again by his assurance. I believe him to my very core. Mateo is probably on his way right now, Red and Bats by his side. I picture Bats with his ever-present baseball bat, and it’s almost enough to make me smile. Almost.

One of the men steps forward, smirking down at us with a look of pure malice. He crosses his arms over his chest, looking pleased with himself, like he’s already won.

“You two should get cozy,” he sneers. “You’re not going anywhere anytime soon.”

I meet his gaze, refusing to back down, refusing to let him see the fear simmering beneath the surface. I hold my head high, my spine straight, and stare him down with every ounce of defiance I have.

“We’ll see about that,” I say, my voice steady, surprising even myself with the steel in it.

He laughs, a harsh, grating sound that echoes through the room, and shakes his head. “You’ve got spirit, I’ll give you that. Too bad it won’t do you any good.”

I don’t respond, just keep my gaze fixed on him, my expression unyielding. He doesn’t know me. He doesn’t know what I’m capable of, what I’ve been through. He doesn’t know that I’m stronger than he thinks.

As he turns away, I glance over at Rocco, his eyes filled with approval, and he gives me a small wink. He doesn’t say anything, doesn’t have to. He’s probably been through worse than this in his time, and he’s survived every time. I take comfort in that, choosing to believe that we’ll survive this one together.

22

Mateo

Irace through the streets, pushing my car to its limit, the engine roaring as I blow through intersections and ignore every red light. I don’t have time for traffic laws, don’t have time to be cautious. Every second I waste is a second Ginny and Rocco are under the Savinis’ thumb, and God knows what they’re doing to them. Every second it takes to reach them, my rage builds, coiling tighter in my chest, filling me with a fury that I can barely contain.

I can’t stop thinking about her terrified, handcuffed, her face bruised because those bastards dared to put their hands on her. The thought of it sends a surge of powerful anger through me, and I press down even harder on the gas, weaving through traffic with reckless abandon, ignoring the sound of horns honking at me as I pass. Every single one of them will pay with their lives.

They think I’m coming for a truce. They think I’m going to negotiate, hand over property, play nice. But I’m not coming for peace. I’m coming to get the people I love back. And if I don’t find them both in good health, I’ll burn the whole complex to the ground. I’ll make them regret the day they ever crossed me.

We’re close now. I can see the rundown warehouses in the distance, the shadows stretching across the empty lot. The Savini compound is an ugly, squat building that looks abandoned, unremarkable. They use that to their advantage to hide their operation from the general public and the cops. But I know better. I know what kind of filth hides behind those walls.

A block away, I pull the car to a stop and kill the engine, my hands still clenched tight around the steering wheel. I take a deep breath, trying to steady myself, to force some of this rage into focus. I can’t go in guns blazing, not yet. They’re expecting me to play nice, to be desperate enough to follow their rules. I’ll have to pretend to play their game. For now.

Red and Bats head to the trunk to load up, checking their guns, their faces hard and grim. I’ve brought two other men with me, each of them loaded with firepower.

As we approach the building, I look up to the roof to see two dark figures silhouetted against the night sky. I nod to Red, murmuring orders in Italian, and he glances up, his gaze flicking to the rooftop as well. They’re snipers, their guns no doubt trained on us even now. The Savinis aren’t stupid. They know what kind of game they’re playing. And they know I’m not one to back down easily.

Red meets my gaze, giving a subtle nod to show he’s seen them too. They’ll be a problem when we’re leaving, but we’ll deal with that when we get to it. Right now, my focus is on getting inside, on finding Ginny and Rocco.

We approach the door, moving in a tight formation, each of us ready, alert, our hands close to our weapons. A couple of men step out, blocking our path with that same arrogant smirk I’ve come to associate with Savini lackeys.

“Only you, Rossi,” one of them says, holding up a hand to stop my men, his tone dripping with disdain. “Boss says you’re allowed in, but only you. And no guns.”

I stare him down, letting the silence stretch, letting him see the barely contained fury in my eyes. They want to make the rules, to put me at a disadvantage. Fine. I was prepared for this.

I turn to my men, who are already fuming at this change of plans. They’re so thirsty for blood, they’re practically vibrating. But I put my hands up, letting them know to stand down for now.

I meet Red’s eye and nod at him. He nods back, stepping back and making his brother and the others fall back with him. Red is wise enough to bide his time. I know I can trust him to handle things out here if it all goes wrong.

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