Page 28 of Taken By the Mob Boss

“You’ve peed in front of me before,” she says, cocking her hip.

“Yeah but not on a stick to tell me I’m pregnant,” I reply.

She huffs and wipes a strand of hair behind her ear. “Fine,” she says, heading to the door and closing it. She slumps down behind the door and keeps talking. “But I’m not leaving. As soon as you’ve peed I’m back.”

I laugh and try to will the pee to come. It takes a long time. I sit there, forcing myself to think of waterfalls and about that time I was in the swimming pool at school and couldn't hold it until the changing rooms … I try every trick in the book. In the end it’s holding my breath that does it. Soon I’m peeing all over the damn sticks and placing them on the counter next to me, one after the other like some pregnancy testing machine. If the consequences of this weren't so big, I’d almost laugh.

There’s your pregnant ambition, Gloria.

Mimi is up immediately and through the door, she sees the sticks lined up and begins the timer on her phone. “Two minutes,” she says.

There's a knock at my door then. Our eyes go wide and we look at the sticks and then the panties around my ankles. I motion for her to hide in the shower. “I’m not some boy,” she snaps.

“But you’re not meant to be here either!” I hiss back.

I close the door behind me and head to the door. It’s father’s assistant, Gloria. “Good morning Sophie-bell,” she says.

That’s also the other thing I don’t like about her—the nickname she’s given me …

“I’m almost ready,” I say. “Just a bit longer—”

“Oh no, don’t worry. Today has a change in plans. You’re not working with me or Allen, you’re going with your father,” she says. “A little father-daughter trip.” She’s smiling like that wouldn’t mean anything worse than being crucified again. Am I being locked in a dark room now too?

I nod. “Oh lovely, I'll just get dressed for going out then.”

“Yes,” she says, her eyes taking in my current multiple layers of clothes. “From what I understand it’s a nice lunch, so wear something smart.” She wiggles her fingers like I’ve never had lunch with my father.

Mimi’s alarm starts going off in the bathroom.

“That’s a timer I’ve got going,” I blurt. “For waxing.”

“Ahhhh,” Gloria hums. “Hygiene is important.” Then walks away.

Why the hell did I say that? What the hell does she mean by hygiene?

But I don’t think about it too much. I race back to the bathroom for Mimi, but she’s already in the doorway.

Holding five pregnancy tests fanned out in her hand. All with double pink lines on them.

All positive.

All with ten reasons why today just became a lot more complicated.

“You’re pregnant,” she utters.

Chapter 12

Luca

Thewaiterfinishespouringthe red wine and I nod my thanks. I know it’s before midday, not that that’s ever really stopped me drinking, but I’m having lunch with my father. It's the first lunch we’ve had since the yacht incident a month ago. He went ballistic like I was some child—thought my foolishness and women had finally reached its peak. Just more dumb stuff that I was proving to him.

I suspect the real anger was actually over two things. One, it was that someone had been bold enough to place a hit on a Colombino family member, let alone the heir. And two, it was that he could’ve lost his son. But I’m not sure which angered him more.

I sip the wine; it’s a dark red from the home country. I know it’s grown in the salty breezes and shaley soil of a mountain. I know a carrot farm used to be on the hectares we grow in. I know all these things because it’s my own wine company—another venture started with Marco to move money. I’m the backing and he’s the brains. His family have grown grapes as long as he can remember. And this drink is proof of how good it is.

I hold it up to the light and swirl it. It’s a dark wine, but also very colorful. It dances between blood red and violet.

The bitter tannins come through. Are they bitter or am I?

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