Page 38 of Surprise Quadruplets for the Mob

“Now what?” she asks, a smile tugging at the corners of her lips.

“Now, we wait for the kids to wake up.” I reach over and stroke her cheek, smiling at her.

She nods, and we both lie there quietly for a few minutes, lost in our own thoughts. “Do you have to work today?” she asks after a while.

“Every day, beautiful. Why? Do you need something?”

“No, it’s just you’re always working. How can you be sure no one will come here and attack the house or something?”

“The security is the best in the country, Abby,” I tell her, trying not to let her worries get the best of me. “Nothing is going to happen.”

“Are you sure?” Her voice is small and vulnerable.

“Positive.” I pull her closer, kissing the top of her head. “No one can get to you or the kids here, okay? You don’t have to worry about anything.”

“Okay,” she whispers, snuggling against me.

“Do you have any plans today?” I ask, rubbing her back.

“Besides taking care of four babies, not really,” she laughs. “It’s kind of my full-time job these days. I think I have a video conference with Maggie and some of our donors later this afternoon, but I’ll have to double-check.”

“Sounds like a busy day.” I smile at her. “Don’t work too hard.”

“Ha-ha.” She sticks her tongue out at me. “Very funny. You’re not the one getting up every three hours to feed babies.”

“I know,” I say, leaning in and kissing her. “But you’re doing a great job, and I’m proud of you.”

“Thanks.” She smiles shyly, her cheeks turning pink. “I just wish I knew what was going on.”

“I’m working on it, Abby,” I promise her. “I’m going to find out who’s behind this, and then your life can get back to normal.”

She nods and exhales, long and slow. “Sounds almost too good to be true.”

“It’ll happen,” I promise, even though I’m not sure how long it’ll take. Or if there’ll be any real peace afterwards.

I can’t help but think about the situation with the scamming ring, and the escalation there. Or, almost more worryingly, the lull in activity from the Irish, occurring suspiciously at the same time. Other than their appearance on the sidelines the other day,they’ve suddenly stopped picking and prodding at our people and property, almost out of nowhere, and I can’t help but worry that the two events might in fact be connected.

Even though I don’t see what that connection might be, other than the timing and the odd clenching of my gut. Why would the Irish have anything to do with this bullshit surrounding Abby’s charity? Alyosha hasn’t found any links so far.

It’s the only reason I haven’t reported it back to my father. He knows about the scamming ring, but only vaguely, since it’s not directly related to the Bratva so much as my need to protect Abby and my dislike of the situation in general.

What would I tell him? That the Irish have pulled back, and there are some scammers hanging around that probably won’t affect our profits in any way?

He’d smack me upside the head and tell me to leave him in peace.

But I still can’t quite shake the brewing worry in my gut.

I push those doubts aside, though, because right now Abby needs my confidence more than ever.

“You ready to get up?” I ask, kissing her forehead.

“Ugh, I suppose.” She wrinkles her nose. “Even though this is so much nicer.”

“It is,” I agree, giving her a squeeze. “But duty calls.”

“Yes, it does.” She laughs, shaking her head. “Come on, let’s get this day started.”

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