Page 60 of Secret Babies for the Italian Mafia Boss

I brush stray hairs out of her face and kiss her forehead. “I wouldn’t be anywhere else. Come on, let’s get packed.” I take her hand in mine and go into a bedroom on the left.

There are two bunk beds against the wall and toys everywhere. Without thought, I begin tossing a bit of everything into each bag, grabbing a few stuffed animals, so they are comforted at night in a place they don’t know.

Camilla leaves the room, and when she’s in the doorway, she’s standing there with her own bag in her hand, and her purse hiked up her shoulder.

“Where did the attack happen?” I ask, coming out of Oliver and Olivia’s room.

“Around the corner. He came up from behind me and put his hand around my mouth, then dragged me around the building into the woods.”

“It happened here?” I raise my voice slightly, wondering how my alarms didn’t trip and signal something was wrong. I have cameras around the building. I should have been alerted.

Someone tampered with them.

“I’ll have a detective come by—”

“—No!” she rushes to say. “No. Let’s just leave it. I don’t want a detective to know. It’s one more person questioning that stupid fortune.”

I nod, tugging her close to me by slipping my finger into her belt loop. “I’ll find out who did this. I have men everywhere, men who won’t ask questions, and they will do the dirty work. Okay?”

“Okay,” she whispers, leaning her cheek against my chest.

“Come on. Let’s get you home and washed up. I’ll take care of you now, Camilla.” I open the door and allow her through first. Her shoulder brushes against my chest, and I mutter low, “The question is, are you going to let me?”

Her big brown eyes stare up at me as she stands on the stairs below me. “I’m going to try,” she replies.

“Good.” I close the door behind me, and we make our way down the steps.

Alvize is leaning against the car when we come outside, and he walks around to the back of the car to open the trunk. I toss the bags in and slam the trunk closed. The hairs on the back of my neck stand up, and I glance around, wondering who is watching me.

The bookstore is sitting there, looking abandoned, but the open sign is lit up. I’m not fooled. I know it’s Taylor, but I don’t know how to prove it. Whoever he is, or whoever they work for, they are good.

“Mommy!” Olivia shouts as soon as Camilla opens the back door.

“How are my two favorite people in the whole world?” she asks, scooting into the seat between them.

“I’m fine. A little thirsty. What about you, Luca?” Alvize jokes and the kids blow raspberries at him.

“She wosen’t talking to you,” Olivia scolds, shaking her finger at him.

“Wasn’t,” we correct her simultaneously, and Camilla’s eyes catch mine in the rearview mirror.

“Mommmmy,” Oliver and Oliva moan in annoyance at the same time.

“What? Someone has to teach you to speak properly.” Camilla takes one of their hands in each hand as we drive home.

The ride is silent, but it isn’t awkward. I reach behind me and place my hand on her leg to stop it from bouncing, and she sighs a long breath to relax.

When we get to the iron gates of my estate, Alvize presses a button on the wheel and they open. I suppose my taste is more Victorian Gothic in a sense, to describe my home. The estate resembles a small stone castle, but the inside is very modern and up-to-date.

“Oh my gosh. I’mma be a princess!” Olivia kicks her little legs as she stares out the window. “Mommy, Mommy! Look.” Olivia points to the tower.

It does look a lot like the ones in Disney movies.

“You’re already a princess,” Camilla says.

I lean my elbow against the middle console as Alvize pulls around to the front. “I want extra security. I want someone to go look at the security system in her building too. I want answers.”

“You got it,” Alvize says as we climb out of the car at the same time.

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