Page 101 of Ruthless Mafia Boss 3: Vino and Claire

As she caressed my chest, I pulled back and held her gaze. “I love you, Claire.”

“I love you too, Vino and Angelo,” she whispered.

I shook my head. “Funny.”

Stepping back, I extended my hand toward the seats on the opposite side of the aisle.

“Excuse me, Mr. Romano?”

I met the pilot’s gaze as he said, “We’re preparing for takeoff.”

“Okay. Thank you.”

I caught a glimpse of Claire off to the right and asked, “What’s the matter?”

“I need a seat closer to the bathroom,” she replied.

“You could use one of the restrooms at the front of the jet or the one in the master bedroom at the back of the plane,” I suggested.

She laughed softly. “When I feel that morning sickness coming on, I’ll just head to the back for some privacy.”

As I settled into my seat, I pondered on what she said. I reached over and grabbed her hand before she could sit in the row opposite of me, gently pulling her to sit next to me. “Claire, what are you saying?” I inquired as I leaned over to fasten her seatbelt.

She gasped when I buckled her in. Was she suddenly afraid of my touch? Damn, it was clear I had a lot of work ahead to mend our relationship. I then buckled my own seatbelt, patiently waiting for her to continue.

“I was lying on the exam table,” she began. “The doctor asked if I wanted to hear the baby’s heartbeat. I said yes, and it was so strong.” A few tears streamed down her mocha-colored cheeks. “She told me I was six weeks pregnant.” Claire squeezed her eyes shut before continuing, “Then the doctor asked if I wanted to go through with the abortion. I told her yes.”

My heart plummeted at her confession.

“Then the doctor stood and said she’d bring in a nurse,” Claire went on. “But as she walked toward the door, I grabbed her wrist and said I’d changed my mind. I want to keep my baby.”

It felt as if my heart was lodged in my throat. I cupped Claire’s face and asked, “You’re pregnant?”

“Yeah, I’m pregnant,” she replied with a sly smirk.

I scanned the aisle and proclaimed, “We’re having a baby!”

Cheers of congratulations spilled from the mouths of each of my bodyguards. I reached out and placed my hand on Claire’s belly. “We’re having a baby. I promise I’ll take care of our little one.”

She softly placed her hand over mine and said, “Okay.”

Ten hours into the flight, I found myself standing at the head of the conference table, addressing my team, along with Claire and Tony. Although Tony had his own war to fight, he agreed to lend a hand for this short trip. We delved into the details of our plan, and Tony proved to be indispensable. He was the one who would craft the prosthetic masks once we landed. Initially, I had only needed one for myself, but now he’d have to make one for Claire too, so her identity would remain secret.

“Vino, I’m not spending the evening by myself in some hotel or house while everyone else is at the party. I want to be there,” Claire insisted.

“It’s too dangerous for you and the baby,” I countered.

“I’ve got my kevlar bulletproof vest,” she shot back.

I grumbled, rubbing my forehead.

“If I’d known you were pregnant before the trip, I’d have brought the bulletproof bodysuit the girls wear in a war,” Tony added.

Claire’s eyebrows shot up. “Tony, the girls actually fight in the war?”

“Yeah,” Tony confirmed.

She danced in her seat. “I fucking adore them.”

---