Page 76 of Mafia Pregnancy

He breathes deeply, appearing to be holding tightly to his temper. I don’t know if the shooting or my ultimatum is driving him toward the edge of losing control, but I can’t retract my words and don’t want to. “You’re asking me to walk away from everything I’ve built.”

“I’m asking you to prioritize what matters most.” I adjust my hold on Leo, who’s listening to every word with frightened eyes. “I understand it’s not an easy choice, but it’s the only choice if you want to be part of our lives.”

The silence stretches between us while he absorbs what I’m telling him. There’s conflict in his expression as the war between what he wants and what he’s willing to sacrifice to get it wage inside him. “If I can’t walk away immediately. There are commitments I have to fulfill first?—”

“Then we’ll wait.” I interrupt, though my heart is breaking as I say it. “We’ll wait somewhere safe, away from you, until you’re completely free of this world.”

“Danielle—”

“I might have to give you visitation rights eventually, depending on what the courts decide.” I keep my voice steady despite the pain building inside me. “If you fight me on this, if you try to force us to accept this danger, I’ll use everything I know about your business to make sure my children are protected.”

The threat hangs between us, and I see him recognize it for what it is. I’m not just talking about custody battles or family court. I’m talking about federal authorities and testimony that could destroy everything he’s built.

“You would do that?” His voice is full of anguish.

“To protect my children? Yes. Without hesitation.” I meet his eyes directly. “I don’t want to, Radmir. I want us to be a family, but not like this. Not in a world where buying ice cream becomes a life-threatening activity.”

He looks at Leo, then at me, and I see the moment he realizes I’m serious. I’m not negotiating or making empty threats. I’m drawing a line that can’t be crossed.

“I need time to think.”

“Take all the time you need.” I reach for the door handle, though we’re still moving. “Take it away from us. Starting now.”

The SUV stops at a red light, and before Radmir can protest, I open the door and step out with Leo in my arms. His men will follow to make sure we get home safely, but this conversation is over.

“Mama, where are we going?” Leo asks as I flag down a taxi. “Is Mr. Radmir coming with us?”

“No, baby. Mr. Radmir has some important work to finish.” I help him into the cab and give the driver our address. “It’s just going to be you and me for a while.”

Through the taxi’s rear window, I watch Radmir’s SUV until it disappears into traffic. The man I love has to choose between the life he’s built and the family he’s discovered, and I’ve just made it clear those two things can’t coexist.

I press my hand to my stomach and wonder if I’ve just made the biggest mistake of my life, or the smartest decision I could make for my children’s safety. Either way, there’s no going back now.

The daysthat follow blur together in a haze of routine and heartbreak. Leo asks about Radmir constantly, wondering when he’s coming back and if they can finish reading the spacedinosaur book together. I give him vague answers about work commitments while my own heart breaks a little more each day.

I start looking for new employment immediately, knowing I can’t continue working at Radmir’s estate after walking away from him so definitively. The domestic staffing agencies have few openings that offer the schedule flexibility I need, and nothing that pays as well as my previous position. It’s the same situation as it was before, so I register with a temp agency and get a few day job assignments. Even those are few and far between, since most are too physically demanding for my current stage of pregnancy.

Carmen tries to convince me to reconsider, arguing Radmir’s protection might be better than no protection at all, but I remain firm. I won’t raise children in a world where violence is a constant threat, regardless of how well-intentioned that protection might be.

A week after the shooting, I’m dropping Leo off at Little Scholar Academy when Leslie from the staffing agency calls with an opportunity. “I have something that might work for you,” she says. “It’s off the books, but it pays well and only requires a few hours. It’s a last-minute house cleaning on Mount Soledad for a client who values discretion. Their usual woman is ill, and they have a dinner party coming up.”

The offer sounds too good to be true, which makes me hesitant. “What kind of discretion?”

“Nothing illegal. He’s just a wealthy individual who prefers privacy. It’s a cash payment, you can do the work in a few hours while Leo is at school, and the work is straightforward.” Leslie pauses. “I know you’re looking for something that works aroundLeo’s school schedule, and this fits perfectly. It’s only a one-time job, but he’s willing to pay for such short notice.”

When she mentions the amount involved, I gasp softly and consider the logistics. Mount Soledad is only thirty minutes from Leo’s preschool, and the timing would allow me to finish work before pickup. The pay is significantly better than anything else I’ve been offered. “Can you send me the address and contact information?”

“I’ll text you the details. The client wants it done today, hence the large sum. They want you to sign an NDA too, but you can do that when you arrive.”

“I can make that work.” It’s enough for at least half a deposit on a new place if we have to leave the area, so I’d do just about anything to make it work.

After waving at Leo and ensuring he gets inside the building safely, I drive away and head up the winding roads toward Mount Soledad, noting how isolated the area becomes as I climb higher. The houses are spaced far apart, with long driveways and privacy gates that speak to serious money and desire for seclusion.

The address Leslie provided leads to a modern house set back from the road behind mature landscaping. The architecture is sleek and expensive, but something about the property feels off in ways I can’t immediately identify.

I park in the circular driveway and approach the front door, noting how quiet everything is despite being in a residential neighborhood. There are no sounds of traffic, and no neighbors visible. There’s just an almost oppressive silence that makes mecheck my phone to make sure I have a signal. I breathe a sigh of relief when I discover I do.

The front door opens before I can knock, revealing a man in his forties with carefully neutral features and stillness that suggests tightly maintained control. He’s dressed casually but expensively, and something about his gaze makes my skin crawl. “Ms. Arden? I’m glad you could come on such short notice.” His voice is pleasant, but his expression remains blank. “Please, come in.”

---