Page 24 of Knocked up by the Mafia

Dominic screams around the spoon as I insert the forceps and screams again when I pull the bullet out. I press the gauze against the wound.

“Thread this needle, Carmine.”

He picks it up and threads it with the gut I bought for this kit.

There is silence as I stitch Dominic up, who breathes heavily. When I’m done, I get up and wipe my hands on the dish towel Natalia holds out for me. I look at Carmine. “Take your boss home. And the next time Alessandro Sorvino wants a word with me, he can call me himself. I doubt he’s scared of me, right?”

Carmine’s eyes flash, and I incline my head. “Man’s not scared of anything. I’ll see you out so you don’t trigger any of my other traps and get yourselves killed. I’m sure that will be my fault too.”

I pat Dominic on the shoulder, and he winces. “Come on, Dom, at least I aimed in a non-fatal spot.”

Dominic glares at me, but they follow me out. They know tonight is not the night to fight, and I am not the person.

I walk them in a roundabout way so they don’t know where all the traps are but a way they will struggle to find again. I get them to their car, which is parked not far from the line of traps.

I watch them get into their car and drive off. I make sure they’re gone, standing there for fifteen minutes before returning to the cabin.

We cannot stay here. They know where we are, I don’t know how they found us, but if they can find us, anyone can.

And if today proved anything, the Dons are willing to attack the Volkovs and Sorvinos to reach Natalia, so she isn’t safe with them.

I walk into the cabin, and Natalia has cleaned up the first aid kit. I hear the kettle going and assume she’s making herself tea. I’m chilled from being outside half-naked, but there’s no time to worry about that.

As I go, I switch on the lights, walk into my bedroom, and get dressed fully. I start to pack what we will need for a short journey.

Natalia comes to stand in the door curiously, and I don’t look up. “Get dressed warmly and pack. We’re no longer safe here.”

I look up when, out of the corner of my eye, I see her pausing across the hallway. I walk to the door to see her looking sadly into the nursery.

I walk to her and kiss her head. “It’s okay.”

“You put in so much effort. I don’t want to leave it.”

“I’ll make a nursery at a more secure location. I promise.” I pat her bum. “Go on and get dressed and packed. We leave as soon as possible.” I watched her go to the room where up until tonight, she had been sleeping.

Go figure—the night we decide we love each other, the fucking mafia families decide to barge in. I finish packing and grab weapons before I wait at the front door.

She comes in dragging her suitcase, and I take it from her to carry it to the car. Once everything is stowed away, I help her into the passenger seat.

She looks back at the house, and I can see her eyes shining in the moonlight.

Before I can say anything, she swallows. “Daniel, I don’t want to spend my life running away from people. That’s all I’ve done for the last three years. I haven’t lived; I’ve run. I have found love, something nobody thought I would find, and I want to celebrate my marriage and my child with my family. I have done everything to keep my family safe. I don’t want everyone to keep attacking us, trying to get to me.”

I hold her face in my hand. She’s so much younger than me, but I can see the same amount of death I’ve seen in her eyes. It takes a piece of you until there’s nothing left, and you’re a robot. “I didn’t think I was capable of any emotion, Nat. You’ve shown me differently. You’ve shown me it’s not a weakness to love. I will find a way to get the bounty off your head so we can live openly. I swear it.”

She nods, turning to kiss my palm. I lean forward and kiss her deeply. “Together.”

“Together,” she says softly, and we both know that is one constant now present in our lives.

I drive us out of the forest, but I can tell she’s still upset. She’s looking out her window, so I can’t see her face, but once we’re out of the thick of the wilderness and I start passing under street lights, I see her face in my side mirror: a haunting sadness and uncertainty.

I also don’t like not knowing what the future will bring. I take her hand and put it on my leg, keeping my hand over it as much as I can while I drive. She squeezes my leg now and then as though to make sure I’m still there.

We go back into the city, and I navigate us to the Bronx, where I have another apartment I use. It’s small but will only be temporary, maybe a few days. Hopefully.

I lead her to the bathroom so she can shower while I bring the bags up. I leave hers in the bedroom, so she can get dressed when she gets 0ut of the shower. I set up my computer and searched for where the Dons were situated.

This might actually need me to go to Sicily to make sure they understand who they are fucking with and what happens when you fuck with my pregnant wife. We’ll see if I even let them regret their actions.

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