Page 37 of Surprise Baby for the Don

And then I see it, a tiny, subtle shift. His head turns up ever so slightly. His eyes open just a fraction, but just enough for me to catch the gleam of awareness, the sharpness of his gaze as helooks at me. It’s brief, just a second, but it’s enough. He’s not unconscious. He’s been faking it.

My heart skips a beat, hope surging through me. He’s aware, watching, waiting. He knows exactly what’s happening, and he’s just biding his time, waiting for the right moment to strike.

I glance back at the guard, keeping my expression blank, trying to mask the excitement bubbling up inside me. We have a chance. It’s small, but it’s there. If I can just keep him distracted long enough, maybe we can make a move.

The pain in my stomach flares again, but I push it down, focusing on the plan forming in my mind.

“Hey,” I say, my voice soft, weak. “Please, I don’t feel good. Can you just help me sit up?”

The guard glares at me, clearly annoyed, but he doesn’t say anything. I can see the hesitation in his eyes, the way he’s weighing whether or not it’s worth the trouble. I keep my expression pained, pathetic, hoping he’ll buy it, that he’ll think I’m too weak to be a threat.

Finally, he lets out an exasperated sigh, rolling his eyes as he waves a dismissive hand. “Fine,” he huffs, coming closer to me. “I’ll help you sit up if it’ll shut you up. Just don’t try anything stupid.”

I nod, keeping my movements slow, careful, as he approaches me, grabbing me by the shoulders and pulling me to a sitting position. My back is pressed against the wall, so he doesn’t notice that my hands aren’t actually bound. They’re hidden behind me, out of his sight. The moment he turns his back on me, I spring to my feet, pouncing on him.

24

Mateo

The door closes behind me with a heavy thud, sealing me in the cramped office with Carlo Savini and one of his goons, a hulking guy with a face that looks like it’s been hit a few too many times. I take in the room, a single, worn desk, a chair, and a filing cabinet that’s seen better days. It’s a pathetic setup for someone like Carlo, someone who thinks he’s running the show. It doesn’t remotely compare to my lush office at my compound.

Carlo leans back in the chair, his expression smug, a self-satisfied smirk playing on his lips. He’s always been cocky, but tonight, he’s positively radiating arrogance. He thinks he’s got the upper hand.

He has no idea.

“You know, Mateo,” he starts, drawing out my name like it’s a punchline to some private joke. “I’ve suffered the Rossi family long enough. Your father was a self-righteous bastard, but at least he knew how to keep the peace.”

I clench my fists, forcing myself to stay calm, to keep my face impassive. Carlo’s playing a game, trying to bait me, to get under my skin. He’s already got the two people I care about most under his thumb, but even that’s not enough for him. He’s trying to rub salt in the wound, to disparage the name of my dead father. But I can’t afford to lose control, not here, not now. Not when Ginny’s life is on the line.

“I’ve kept the peace too,” I remind him evenly, keeping my voice steady, controlled.

Carlo laughs, the sound sharp and grating. He leans forward, resting his elbows on the desk, his eyes gleaming with a twisted, malicious glint.

“Is that what you think?” he sneers, his tone mocking. “That’s rich, really. You’re just as self-righteous as your old man, thinking this city is yours. Your father? Well, at least he knew how to keep things quiet. You? You’ve just been coasting on his reputation.”

I bite back a retort, forcing myself to breathe, to stay calm. Carlo wants a reaction, wants to see me lose control, to show weakness. This is all just another ploy, another move in the game he’s playing. The more I refuse to play, the angrier he’ll get. Then he’ll be bound to make a mistake, to give me my opening.

“He paid us to keep the peace,” Carlo continues, his tone dripping with disdain. “He paid everyone. That’s how he brokered his legendary treaty. But I guess he didn’t tell you that, did he? When the checks stopped coming, my brother and I decided the deal was off.”

My mind races, processing his words, though I keep my face stoic. I know about the money my father sent to the Savinis, ofcourse. He must think he’s dropping some bomb on me, but he isn’t.

“Don’t play games with me, Carlo,” I say, my voice low, steady. “I know where every dollar goes, and I kept the payments going, just like my father did.”

Carlo snorts, shaking his head, his smirk widening. “Then why haven’t I seen any of it?” he spits, letting his anger out now. “It doesn’t matter. The deal’s changed.”

I grit my teeth, managing to stop myself from rolling my eyes at him. This isn’t about money. It’s never been about money. Carlo’s using it as an excuse, a way to justify his actions, to justify his twisted vendetta. He’s crossed a line, taken someone innocent, someone who has nothing to do with this world.

This is about control. He wants to use me as a puppet, to exploit all my weaknesses and use them as strings to force me to do whatever he wants. If I let him succeed, even this once, he’ll keep finding ways to hurt me, to exploit me. This will not stand.

I take a step closer, my gaze locked on his, my voice cold and steady.

“Leave Ginny out of this,” I say calmly, commanding. “This beef you have is between us. We made a choice to live like this, we know what this life entails. She’s just an innocent girl who works for me, in a legitimate business. She has nothing to do with your little games, and this is not how we do business.”

Carlo’s smirk widens, his eyes gleaming with amusement, like he’s savoring every word, every ounce of desperation he thinks he hears in my voice.

“She was a surprise addition, you might say. Originally, she wasn’t part of the plan. But, well, things change. People don’t pay their debts, and collateral gets added.”

His words hit me like a punch to the gut, a sick realization settling over me as I process what he’s saying. This isn’t just about me, about some petty feud between our families. This is about Ginny’s father. Rex. He dragged her into this. He put her in the crosshairs, all because he couldn’t stay clean, couldn’t keep himself out of trouble.

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