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

"Bro, you need to take it slo-"

Mateo glared at Adam before he could complete what he was saying. Why was he here today?

Mateo was feeling at his lowest today since the whole incident. He felt useless and he felt ashamed.

How could he, Mateo Adesso, the Capo of the New York unit of The Sicilian Mafia, end up like this?

He didn't want his best friend Adam, cousin Leonardo or mother Katrina here today. He didn't want anyone here. He didn't want anyone to see him when he was in such a pathetic condition!

He wanted to be alone.

There was a knock on the door and Mateo was about to yell at Wells when he said,

"Dr. Johnson is here."

Though his first emotion on seeing her was some kind of contentment, it was quickly replaced by anger.

Mateo narrowed his eyes. He thought he had asked that fucker to give her two days off! Did he think he can do as he pleased just because Mateo was bedridden?

"Hey..." She said slowly.

"Hey doc, you deal with this grumpy ass while I get some coffee!" Adam grinned, winking at his best friend cryptically before leaving them alone.

Mateo felt all the more irritated by that. Yes, he wanted her. But she was also the last person he wanted to see him in such a condition. It was true that right now, she was his doctor, but he didn't want that. He wanted her to be his woman.

"Dr. Johnson, what are you doing here?" He asked, gritting his teeth. What are you doing here instead of getting your well-deserved rest?

"Um... I came to apologize for what happened." She said quietly, looking really embarrassed. "I must have been super tired. But I know that doesn't mean I can-"

"Doctor." Mateo said, though he was itching to call her River. "You don't have to apologize for that. I deliberately didn't wake you up because I knew you were beyond exhausted. What I meant was what are you doing here when you should be resting. Aren't you supposed to be off-duty?"

She blinked a few times before replying, "Oh, I was off duty the whole day. I just got back."

"Why did you get back?" Mateo really wanted to take his phone out right then and call that motherfucker. But he couldn't risk her finding out that he was using his position to keep her away from her work she was so obsessed with.

"Because I am on call tonight. They let half the faculty off in the morning. We are back now so that the rest can go home. There's going to be a temporary arrangement before we go back to following our schedule." She blabbered.

Cute. Mateo found himself thinking.

"It's pretty complicated huh?" He asked, completely forgetting his previously foul mood as he relaxed, happy to hold a conversation with his new most favorite person.

She nodded. She looked more relaxed now. The bags under her eyes were still prominent but she didn't look exhausted anymore. She must have rested well in the morning.

The door was pushed open right then. River turned around to face the new visitor while Mateo looked over, his mood souring yet again.

"I know visiting time's over but I pulled some strings." Dmitri Petrov, the son of a bitch, chuckled, his eyes wandering all over the gorgeous doctor in front of him.

"You are very pretty." He took her hand and kissed it, his thick Russian accent a treat to the ears. "Correction. You are extremely gorgeous."

"Thanks." Dr. Johnson blinked, giving the guy a weird look then discreetly wiping her hand on her white coat. Mateo noticed her actions and he felt a certain amount of contentment. Good.

"I will be off then." River turned to he patient and gave him a polite, a smile that he returned, surprising even her. Mateo wanted her to stay and he wanted to know more about her but he was not letting his woman stay any more minutes in the vicinity of the disaster named Dmitri Petrov, Mona's younger brother.

The two men watched River open the door and stop.

Marsileo and Wells lay unconscious, blocking the way.

"Oops, I might have forgotten to clean that little mess up." Dmitri chuckled while Mateo already had his hand on his gun.

"Dr. Johnson, leave the room and the entire floor." Mateo directed her but she just turned back with a frown etched on her face. She looked shocked but not scared, something that surprised Mateo even more.

"The one who is going to leave is this guy. Now. From the hospital compound." She walked forward and pointed at the Russian Mafia man.

Dmitri let out another laugh, himself impressed by her courage. "I thought you were going to call the police or something!"

"You don't look like the kind of person law can touch." She sighed and looked him in the eye. "That's why I am requesting you to leave without creating a mess."

"Dr. Johnson, I will handle it. You should go." Mateo said. He was proud of his choice at this point but he was also anxious for her. Dmitri was an animal. And he also didn't want her 'requesting' the Russian dog.

"Yeah Doc, you are very pretty but I wouldn't think twice before putting you to sleep like I did them." He nodded towards the two bodyguards on the floor and then turned to the Sicilian Capo. "Though I gotta say Mateo, I am disappointed in you for having bodyguards who couldn't last a minute."

"I am fine with them." Mateo gritted out. "I rarely need them and I know very little people who can last a minute against me." He emphasized the last few words knowing very well that he had managed to remind the Russian of a few past incidents he had been trying to forget.

Dmitri was angered but he really didn't want any bloodshed so he simply shrugged and said, "Whatever, Mona asked you to get better soon and asked me to hand this over to you." He pulled out an envelope from his vest pocket and River noticed the shining metal handle of a gun inside.