The Mafia's Babies by Kaycee Romano (little readers TXT) 📕

River's eyes widened. "What?"

Before she could think or say anything else, Mateo's lips were on his. It was a tender kiss, a soft chaste kiss.

He pulled away and looked at her. "I love you." He said again.

River gave him a flat look while he pouted again. She sighed and said, this time meeting his eyes. "I like you."

Mateo leaned in again for another kiss and this time, River joined him midway, wrapping her arms around his neck as his hands slipped inside her shirt, caressing her back. River tugged at his hair, pulling him closer. They were as close to each other as they could be fully clothed.

"I didn't know my brother was such a simp!"

The two pulled apart abruptly as soon as Alessia walked.

The Italian woman raised a brow, a smirk on her face as she took in the two disheveled adults in the room, flushed and breathless.

"For fuck's sake Sia, even the twins know to knock before coming in to a room." Mateo glared at his younger sister.

"Especially one belonging to a married couple." Alessia nodded to herself while her brother narrowed his eyes at her.

"You are going to get it from me one of these days!" He exclaimed.

"I would like to see what kind of skill you have that you outrank me at." Alessia flipped her hair sassily while a small smile formed on River's face.

Alessia was such a badass and River was a fan. She was just amazing.

Mateo just huffed and turned to River. "Can we go now?"

"You are going on a date?" Alessia's face lit up.

"Nope." River took her duffel bag and pocketed her phone. "I am starting my shift in fifteen minutes."

Alessia rolled her eyes. "Do you have to? Mateo is here and you forgave him and-"

"It doesn't work that way." River shrugged and then looked over at the Italian Mafia Capo. "And I haven't entirely forgiven him either."

Mateo gave her a disbelieving look while River walked out of the room.

"You have to do something better than trying to seduce her to earn her forgiveness buddy." Alessia commented before walking out.

"I was NOT trying to seduce her!" Mateo said, more to himself than to anybody else. But then a smile instantly appeared on his face at the thought of River telling him that she liked him. From the conversation he had at the beach in Amalfi with her mother, Susan Johnson, Mateo knew that for River to say something like that meant a great deal. And he was going to cherish this moment for life.

He was acting like a school kid but it was fine. It was the first time he was in love and it did not matter that he was supposed to be a ruthless made man of the Mafia. They had feelings too.

He grabbed his car keys and met Victor and River in the living room. "You will take your car and you will keep an eye on her at all times." He ordered while River rolled her eyes. "And you will only leave after I pick her up."

Since she was only getting back, she had to only do a ten hour shift and Victor had sworn to her that he would not be inconvenienced, having to stay awake and run around with her all the time. If she could do it, so could he.

"Bye Mommy!" The babies exclaimed as they were enveloped in her arms.

"Bye babies. Be good, alright?" She replied.

They nodded their head vigorously, identical grins on their faces.

"Mommy will be back before you know it." She placed kisses on both of their heads before getting back to her feet.

"Come on." After he made sure that Victor knew what he was supposed to do, Mateo kept his hand on the small of her pack and guided her out of the apartment.

"Stay with the kids, Mateo." River said. "They have been missing you all this while and you are not giving them the attention they deserve. Why the hell are you following me around-"

River stopped abruptly in her tracks, turning around to face her baby daddy with a glare on her face.

"You are not here just because you wanted to apologize, now are you?" She narrowed her eyes at him.

"W-what?" Of course the Capo of the Sicilian Mafia was caught off-guard.

"You did not hurry over here because you were an asshole in the morning." She stated, matter of factly. "You came here because you got intel that someone is after my life."

"What are you saying?" He asked, laughing nervously though he was curious to know how she had that figured out. Of course he was going to tell her what was going on. He just didn't want to stress her out before she was through her first shift. But this woman had already figured it out.

"An eye for an eye." He said finally. "Sergey wants you dead because he thinks we killed Mona. Maybe he didn't kill her after all."

"Or maybe he did." She said without skipping a beat as she continued walking to the car.

Mateo scrunched up his face. "Or at least he has some other agenda because he is not trying to avenge his sister."

"What do you mean?"

"You have a sister Mateo. If he wanted to avenge his sister's death, he would try to kill Sia, not me. Which makes me come to the conclusion that the reason why he wants me dead is entirely different. Or if he really is avenging his sister, then this is him trying to direct all attention to me and leave Sia defenseless, which I doubt she will ever be."

If there was an Alessia Adesso Fan Club, then Dr. River Johnson would probably be the president. That's how much of a high regard River had for her baby daddy's younger sister.

"How do you come up with all of this?" He asked, impressed at the angle she had thought this situation out in. An angle he had missed. She never failed to surprise him.

"I watch way too many crime thrillers for my own good!" River said as she revved the engine. "Or used to."

Mateo shook his head, chuckling.

Dr. River Johnson really was something else.