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

Dmitri's smirk widened as he turned back to the Capo. "She's a firecracker."

"Yeah, now scram before something blows up." Mateo gritted his teeth as he spoke. This boy had the audacity to play with the people close to his children. Mateo was just glad that the mother of his children was level-headed and smart. Life would have been ten times difficult for him if she had been a typical civilian.

Dmitri shrugged as he made his move, walking way too close to River in that spacious room.

What was this motherfucker up to?

As he closed the door behind him, Susan yanked River by the arm and turned her towards her. "What's going on, Riv? What the hell is going on?"

"Nothing you need to worry about, Mom." She said.

"Nothing I need to worry about?" She screeched. "I took up a risky case then my grandkids got kidnapped then my daughter got hospitalized and now there are shady men walking in and out of her apartment and you are telling me it's nothing I need to worry about?"

"Mom-"

She turned on her heels and pointed at Mateo. "You. Leave. NOW."

"Mrs. Johnson, this is exactly what he wants." He tried. "I don't know what he fed your mind with but he is not the good guy."

"And you are? The ruthless Mafia Boss?" She asked.

"He's the Capo." River muttered. Mateo gave her a look. This was not the time.

"I don't care who he is. He is leaving and he is never coming back."

Mateo sighed.

"Mrs. Johnson." He said, taking a step forward and meeting her eyes, his voice losing all the compassion. "What makes you think you can order around a Capo of the Sicilian Mafia?"

Her eyes widened and she visibly gulped. River narrowed her eyes at him.

He could be authoritative and intimidating when he wanted to be. That's who he was. But apparently, he had no such effect on his Baby mama.

Susan didn't say anything. She just stared, scared.

"Mom?" River took her by the hand. "Mom, he is their dad."

"What?" Mrs. Marley gasped while Susan still stood there, shocked.

"We need to take them away from here." She explained. "It's not safe here. That guy, Dmitri, is not safe."

"What's happening?" She croaked out. "How can you be so calm?"

"Don't worry. I will do the freaking out and breaking down later. Now I need to make sure our kids are safe."

"And you think the Mafia is safe?" She was angry. "River, are you out of your mind?"

She pulled away from her daughter's hold and walked away.

"Where is she going?" Mateo asked River.

"The kids I guess."

"River, what is going on?" River turned to Mrs. Marley.

"Mrs. Marley, thank you for being here with us for all these three years." She smiled. "You should go back to your children now. Or go on that fishing trip with that friend of yours."

"River..." The woman was tearing up.

River hugged her and turned to him. "Let's go get the kids."

Mateo nodded and they made their way into the kids' room.

"Mom, what are you doing?"

The duo walked in to see Susan packing all of the kids' clothes, while Lilith looked on, concerned.

"Mommy!!!" The children ran to River's arms. She bent down and picked them both up with a gruff. Why is she doing it when she knows she shouldn't be doing this?

"Why are we going away?" Lucas asked.

"Mom."

"I am taking the kids to Cambridge." She said. "You can come if you want to."

"Mom, you can't do that." She said.

"Oh yes, I can."

"No you can't." Mateo spoke up. "Their parents decide where they have to be."

"Mateo, let me talk to her." River gave him a pleading look, gesturing to the children.

"River, ask this criminal to leave!" Mrs. Johnson exclaimed, pointing at him.

"He's a criminal?" Lucas asked.

Mateo clenched his jaws. How dare she!

"Babies, go help GG pack Mommy's bags." River quickly put them down.

"Where are we going, Mommy?" Little Kiara asked.

"What's happening, River?" Her grandmother wheeled forward.

"Nanna please." River looked like she was about to lose it. Caught in the middle of everything.

Lilith nodded though she looked unconvinced and concerned and wheeled away, followed by their children who looked at their father, scared.

Mateo could feel the anger bubble up inside him.

She maybe River's Mom and his children's grandmother but she had no right to call him a criminal in front of his own kids.

"Mom!"

"I don't want to hear it, River!"

"Then you should go back to your house and let me deal with the situation!" River spoke up.

"River, are you out of your mind?"

"Mom, I know you are scared. Hell, we all are! But that doesn't mean you can take all these rash decisions!" She said. "We are their parents and we know what we are doing."

"Then you should know that what you are doing is wrong!"

"Okay, then what is the right thing to do?" Mateo asked. "The Russians are everywhere. There is no place you can take them where they will be safe. Only I can keep them safe now. Your daughter understands that. That's why she is doing this."

She shook her head and turned to her daughter. "I am calling Seb. Only he can talk sense into you."

"Mom, I am thirty years old." River said. "I don't think I need to get my decisions validated."

"What did you just say?"

"You heard me. And we honestly don't have time to waste here arguing. We need to get going." River was getting red in the face. She was more terrified of this situation than she let on and her mom being so opposed to this didn't help.

They understood how Susan felt but each minute was crucial and they couldn't afford to waste it until someone dropped a bomb on this building or something.