Page 82 of Secret Babies for the Italian Mafia Boss

“It’s where the world begins and ends,” I say out of nowhere, thinking about what my dad told me before he died. “World begins and ends….” I say again, wondering what my father could mean by that. “I know where it’s at,” I say in astonishment.

“You didn’t?” he sounds surprised.

“No, he gave me a riddle. It’s the fireplace. There is a portrait of my mom there, and Dad always said that was where his world ended and began. It’s the fireplace. We never had fires either,” I say, astonished I didn’t think about it before.

“What do you want to do with it?” Luca is still on his knees, each hand on the back of our children’s heads as they press their cheeks against his shoulder and fall asleep.

“We will give it to them. All three.”

“That sounds great.” He kisses Olivia’s forehead. “Wait, what do you mean all three? We have two.”

“We have one on the way,” I tell him, and he gets to his feet, rushing to me even with his arms full.

“Really?”

“Really,” I whisper, kissing his lips. “Prepare to be a father of three.”

“I want to be a father of many if I have any say in it,” he whispers.

I take Olivia from him and lie her down on my father’s bed, then Oliver, and they remain fast asleep.

“When I saw that contract, I thought you only wanted me for the fortune.”

“I told you—” he takes my hand and smiles at our children before placing his palm against my stomach. “—I have all the fortune a man could ever want.”

I think my dad was onto something.

For me, the world ends and begins with Luca Bianco.

Epilogue

Luca

Two years later.

“It’s twins,” Camilla says as she lies in the chair.

She’s finally taken a day off from the bakery. It’s been up and running for the last two years, and it’s the best bakery in the city, but she’s driving herself to exhaustion. It’s worrying me, especially if she is carrying twins again.

Luckily, Marco, her old friend, works part-time there to help her out, so the bakery is covered for the day. That might have to become a permanent position for the big guy.

“No, it isn’t. The chance of that happening again is so slim,” I say, remembering how we already have Olivia and Oliver, then Ashley and Ashton.

“The last time I was this big was when I was pregnant with Ashley and Ashton. I’m telling you, it’s twins.”

“And I’m telling you, it’s just a big boy ready to take over the family business.”

She cuts her eyes to me; if looks could kill, I’d be dead.

“Kidding. He can do whatever he wants.” But I know how these things work, Oliver will want to take over, and he’ll take his baby brother under his wing. My daughters? I don’t care what I have to do; they will never see a weapon in a day in their life.

“Are we ready to find out the gender?” The doctor finally comes in, chipper as ever, but I can see the few beads of sweat on her brow.

She knows who I am, and she’s nervous.

“Yes. We’re ready.”

“Perfect,” she sings, lifting the gown above my wife’s stomach.

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