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

"That was a toy Ki!" River said as she rocked her little girl in her arms. "Uncle Mateo was just playing around."

"Uncle?" Mateo was not at all pleased with the new label. Wasn't she supposed to introduce him as their Papa?

River narrowed her eyes at the dumbass in the rear-view mirror.

As if traumatizing her- their children for life wasn't enough, he wanted to drop the next bomb on them?

"Yeah Ki, Mr. Adesso is an actor, remember?" Lucas said from the car seat. He was seated on his car seat while River sat next to him with Kiara in her lap because she was so scared of Mateo now.

Lucas bought the toy gun- actor story fast, but Kiara was not okay with someone training a gun against her mother's head. River had expected for the twins to act differently though. It was like they had switched bodies. It was usually Lucas who was skeptical and doubtful and Kiara who was trusting. But Lucas liked 'Mr. Adesso' from the moment he met him at the dock and Kiara was over-protective of her mother for some reason and she did not trust anyone who behaved in any way that could potentially harm her Mommy. If it wasn't for that reason, River was sure Kiara would have been awed by the character named Mateo Adesso, just like her brother.

She thought it was safe to say that the kids were already – unknowingly – choosing their favorite parent.

River knew she shouldn't be thinking like that but the truth was the truth.

"Can you sit on your seat now?" She whispered into her baby's hair and she meekly nodded. River placed her on the seat and fastened the belt for her and sat properly on her own, fixing her seat-belt.

She narrowed her eyes at Mateo yet again on the rear-view mirror while he smirked.

Is she a bad person for wishing she could do yet another surgery without anesthetic on him?

"Hi doc, remember me?" Adam asked her from the back seat. She was travelling with him, Mateo and another man she didn't recognize. She didn't remember much of this guy but he was the one who Mateo had around most of the time when he was admitted in the hospital and she could say since then that they were pretty close.

River pursed her lips. "I am not really good at remembering names." She shrugged.

Adam chuckled. "I am Adam Smith. I am Mateo's best friend and first in command." He held his hand out and River had to twist in her seat to give him a very awkward hand-shake, her back killing her throughout the process.

"Hi I am Lucas Johnson." Lucas waved at the man. "I remember you and an auntie from when Mommy saved us." He looked really comfortable around these people.

"You don't remember me?" Ricardo asked.

"I remember seeing you somewhere between all the chaos." Lucas said, nodding to himself while River too nodded with him. He spoke so eloquently.

"Ricardo Regio, nice to meet ya!" He turned around and winked before going back to driving.

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

"It's a surprise." Mateo said.

"Mom..." She whined.

"Trust me baby; you are going to love it!" River said though she too had no idea where they were off to. The only thing she could guarantee was that they were all going to be safe.

River looked over at her son. He seemed relaxed and unbothered as he watched the view out the window. This was so out of character for him but River was happy that her son felt safe. She had a feeling that it had something to do with Mateo Adesso's presence. The thought brought a smile to her face; the son had lowered his guards and relieved himself of the duties to protect his mother and sister now that his father was here.

It was crazy how life worked. He didn't even know that Mateo was his father yet but he still trusted him, and Lucas Johnson trusted no one.

River was just happy that at least one of her kids were so spooked out and was taking it well, and she couldn't wait for her little Kiara to warm up to her father as well.

"So, you really didn't know they were his?" Adam whispered into her ear.

River turned to him; her eyes narrowed. Why were they risking a conversation like this in front of the kids? Though the twins looked like they hadn't heard anything.

"Let's just say I am a forgetful drunk." She whispered back. "Do you have any idea where we are going?"

"It's a surprise." Adam said in a deep voice and then switched to an awful high-pitched tone. "But trust me baby; you are going to love it!"

River rolled her eyes. All of them are dumbasses, aren't they?

.

.

.

They were at the tarmac of an airport, in front of their private jet. She was least surprised when she heard that Mateo owned seven of them.

Lucas was beaming with excitement; he loved flying and he was also psyched about the vacation after the dreadful week they spent and the house arrest they were under because of Susan Johnson's ongoing case. Kiara had fallen asleep and was now in her Mommy's arms, her head resting against the crook of River's neck. Her features soft like that of an angel. She really was an adorable child.

"Want me to hold her?" Ricardo asked. "You are still recovering right?" The man was actually looking forward to it; he considered it an honor to hold the daughter of his Capo whom he hoped would one day become the Boss. And he was also confident that the Capo wouldn't find a better woman than Dr. River Johnson, from the knowledge he had gained about her. She was honest, fierce and fearless. She would make a legendary Boss wife.

River shook her head, sighing. Her back was killing her but handing Kiara to someone else was one risk she never took, and it had nothing to do with the person or situation. "She will freak out if she accidentally wakes up."

Ricardo nodded.

"Did Capo even have a chance to properly look at his kids?" He asked. River watched the man instruct the men to get their stuff from the car and move it to the jet. There was hell a lot of men around and another two cars from which they were moving luggage.