Page 38 of Surprise Pregnancy for Villain

“I’m sure you’re going to enlighten me,” I reply, twisting on the spot.

“It means you’ve lost, big brother, and I’ve won. When I announce the news to Father—which I will over family dinner, he’ll clearly see that I’m the one who’s serious about carrying on his legacy.”

“Good for you.”

“Yeah.” He smirks. “And he’ll finally see that you’re nothing but a worthless, sterile hitman. You’re not fit to run this business—”

“You little fu–” I shoot toward him so fast that Alessandro braces himself for the impact. But my fist never touches his face, and it remains clenched by my side. As much as I want to rip the smug grin now forming on his lips, I just don’t have it in me today. Alessandro looks surprised as much as I am. Usually, at this time, he’d already be nursing his bruised eye, but instead, I turn around. “Tell him. Don’t be surprised when you realize you’ve wasted your time.”

“We’ll see about that,” he mutters as I head to my quarters. The earlier confidence is now missing from his tone.

I peel my clothes off and get into the shower, choosing the coldest setting it has to offer. I stand there, naked like the day I was born, contemplating everything that’s happened over the last few weeks.

Alessandro might think he just dropped a shocker on my lap, but I’ve got bigger problems. I have a captive that could ruin my life in more ways than one.It would have been an easier decision not to intervene, not to take her, but I had no choice at the thought of my father and his cohorts doing unspeakable things to her. It was inevitable. The moment I saw her in that bar, the night I saved her from that wreckage, created a bond that could never be broken, no matter how this ends.

Nicki. My Nicki.

Her escape tonight proved one thing. She still doesn’t trust me. I need to show her that staying with me is her safest option. I’ll vow to protect her and make sure that no harm will ever befall her again. There’s no fucking way I’m handing her over to a bunch of middle-aged, balding, Italian men. She’s mine. Fuck anyone who even thinks of touching her.

What are you saying, Ezio?

I get out of the shower, reaching for a towel to dry my hair, defiance and relief running through me. The night I met Nicki, my instant reaction was to claim her and put my mark on her. Knowing who she was changed everything. With our families being constant rivals, taking her home would have the same effect as walking into the enemy’s territory unarmed. What if I don’t take her home?

What if she becomes my little secret?

Throwing the wet towel over the rack, I sigh. Nicki deserves to be much more than a secret. She deserves to be claimed in the open. The world should witness my expressions of affection. They shouldn’t be kept under wraps.

I’m not sure how to handle this, but I don’t want to be away from Nicki tonight. I pull on the first clothes I spot in my closet, then grab a duffel bag and start packing some supplies that I need to take back from the cabin. Nicki might catch a cold, and the gash on her leg needs attention.

As I pack, there’s a knock on the door. He doesn’t need to announce himself because I already know who it is.

“What the fuck do you want?” I yell out.

The door opens, and Alessandro invites himself in.

“It’s not what I want, but rather what our father wants,” he says.

“What are you talking about?” I close the duffel bag, and I’m about to push him out of the way when Alessandro blocks the doorway with his arm. “I suggest leaving your foul attitude at the door because father wants to see you.”

“What?” It’s almost four in the morning.

“He’s in the downstairs den with the rest of the administration,” Alessandro informs me.

I slap his arm away and make my way to the den with the duffel bag in hand.

***

I know my way to the den, so Alessandro accompanying me makes no sense. I bet he knows what our father wants, and he’s only coming so he can witness Stefano carrying out my punishment.

Nicki.

Of course, it has always been about Nicki. I remember the last conversation I had with my father as we descended the stairs. He’s probably wondering what’s taking me so long to catch her. I’m supposed to be the best of the best, and I will have no excuse for his incoming disappointment.

I have to come up with a plan – fast!

We approach the entrance to the den. We call it the den, but the actual description of the place is far from it. It’s a fortified bunker that has only one way in and out. I’ve seen a number of men enter that den and never come back. I wonder if I’m about to deal with the same fate.

Two men guard the double doors, but Alessandro waves them a signal to let me in. I walk straight into the den’s chamber and come face to face with Stefano. He’s sitting at the head of a long oak table with a number of his cohorts surrounding him. Behind him is a long tunnel, branching off into different rooms for various purposes. The last time I stood in this room, I was a boy, and my father had struck war with a neighboring mafia clan. The administration has gathered in the den, so things must be getting serious.

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