Page 18 of Knocked up by the Mafia

The way he looks at me excites me. He looks at me as though he would devour me.

“Tomorrow. We leave early.”

He moves past me, and the room feels cold and empty without him in it.

We reach the doctor by nine in the morning, and when they say I have to wait for the technician for the scan, I almost want to punch them. Daniel glances at me impatiently, and I smile. “It’s fine. I’m sure it won’t be long.”

The gel is cold, and I watch the screen closely as the technician freezes the picture.

“That’s your baby.”

I stare at the image and swallow hard. I feel Daniel take my hand in his and remember to breathe.

“I’m going to give you a list of prenatal classes you need to take and checkups you need to do, and I have some great reading material to help you guys as first-time parents. It’s a welcome package included in the first scan.” She smiles brightly.

When we get back into the car, I smile. “See. No one even knew we were here.”

Daniel scoffs and starts the car. “Don’t get cocky. It’ll get us killed.”

I’m reading the brochure on first-time pregnancies and what to expect when Daniel makes an unexpected stop. We’re almost out of the city already, and it’s a somewhat secluded road. I glance up, see vans blocking the way, and swallow hard. I recognize Evgenii and Ivan standing in front of the vehicles.

“I could kill them,” Daniel mutters, and I look at him incredulously. He shrugs and steps out of the car.

I climb out as well, and we both move to the front of our car. I see Daniel scan around us for further threats.

Ivan steps forward and motions to me. “Come on, Natalia. You’re coming home with us. That’s an order.”

“I’m not in danger, Ivan,” I say steadily. “ I have to stay with Daniel. I’m sorry.”

Ivan doesn’t break eye contact with me. “Is this really your choice, Nat? I can order my men to take you from him without hurting you.”

“You could try,” Daniel growls protectively. My heart beats harder at the sound of his primal rage.

Evegenii steps forward. “Nat, come on. This is so out there for you. Come home, and whatever it is you’ve done, we can sort it out amongst ourselves as a family. Like we have always done.”

Ivan’s phone rings, and he steps away to answer it.

“Evgenii, I want to stay with Daniel. He’s my family now too.”

My brother glares at Daniel and shakes his head. “What did we do to you for you to turn on us?”

My heart aches, and I’m about to say I haven’t when Ivan comes back quickly. “Ana’s security detail was jumped by unknown assailants. They left a message at the restaurant. Her life for Natalia’s.”

I feel Daniel tense. He knows it was the gang of Sicilian Dons making a power move.

“Nat, go with your brother. You’ll be safe there while I retrieve Ivan’s daughter. I’ll come to get you, don’t worry.” Daniel looks at Ivan but glances at me when I take his hand.

“No, where you go, I go.” I turn to Ivan. “We will rescue Ana in exchange for my freedom to be with Daniel.”

Ivan sizes us both up, and Evgenii steps closer to him, saying, “You can’t be thinking about this, Ivan. That’s my sister.”

“My daughter is heir to the Volkov empire and also your niece. Don’t forget that.” Ivan looks at him. “She wants to be with him. She’s even bartering to be with him. She’s clearly not in danger.”

Evgenii spits on the ground and storms off to get in one of the vehicles as Ivan looks at Daniel. “On the condition that you bring my daughter back unharmed and you don’t try to use her as a bargaining tool.”

“Deal,” I say.

Chapter 12 - Daniel

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