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

"So you told them." Mateo smiled. She looked back at him and smiled, nodding, her eyes still reflecting the fear in her heart.

"You okay?" He asked. He would think it was because of the truth finally being revealed to the kids but her change in demeanor at the sight of that lady earlier, a voice he didn't recognize, told him that she had something to do with it.

"I don't trust their tutor." She lowered her voice.

Mateo nodded. "Why didn't you tell anyone?"

"Because none of you are here and I don't trust anyone else. What if they figured it out and attacked when you are not around? And I didn't want Alessia or Adam to come over when you were in the ICU."

He nodded. "There's a vent-"

"I know. I fixed the lights and found the hidden weapon compartment." She smiled gravely.

Always a step ahead.

"You can trust Alfredo and Janet." Mateo sighed. Alfredo was Mateo's father's most trusted man and though he was old, he helped out in Wyoming to take care of Dante and he had heard from Janet that he was helping River dust up her shooting skills and if her words were to be believed, she was good.

She nodded.

"I will be home tonight."

She narrowed her eyes. "You only woke up today. You should wait till until tomorrow at least."

"Sure. And let you worry for another twenty-four hours or so? No thanks."

She rolled her eyes, pursing her lips. "I always wondered how our kids turned out to be so sassy!"

Mateo let out a laugh. "Look who's calling the pot black."

"It's 'the pot calling the kettle black' genius."

"Yes ma'am." He mock saluted her.

She rolled her eyes again. "See you."

"Today." He smiled.

"Today." She breathed.

.

.

.

Mateo groaned as he climbed down the steps of the private jet.

"Slowly Mateo, your wifey and babies aren't going anywhere." Alessia said as she kept a strong hold on his crutch. He was to use a crutch so that he didn't put pressure on the right side of his abdomen.

"You mean, wifey-to-be." Adam asked. He was already on the tarmac, tapping his foot impatiently. Man child.

"When are you going to wife her?" Alessia asked.

"When she is ready." He rolled his eyes. "Can we handle one problem at a time please?"

"Please and all huh? You big softie!" Adam snickered and all the Capo wanted at that moment was to whack his best friend's head with his crutch but he was cent percent sure that the traitor would go bitch about it to his little best friend, who also happened to be Mateo's son.

"For the sake of our sanity, keep your mouth shut, Adam." Alessia said as she helped her brother down the last step.

Adam stuck his tongue out and said, "Alright grandma. Now take thirty minutes to reach the car."

Mateo hit Adam's leg with the crutch as soon as he reached the car on which Adam was leaning.

"What was that? I am telling Luke!" Adam whined like a kid while Alessia rolled her eyes.

"And I am telling the doc that you are trying to rush me." Mateo imitated him.

His eyes widened. "Who? River?"

Mateo nodded and gave him a smug smile. "Which other doc is waiting for me back at the ranch?"

Adam looked genuinely panicky.

"How about this? You don't tell doc and I won't tell Luke."

"Works for me!"

.

.

.

The front door opened as soon as the car stopped in front of the driveway.

A middle-aged woman walked out along with Janet. Mateo guessed her to be Nancy Davidson, the kids' tutor and the woman River didn't trust.

"Mr. Adesso!" Janet came forward to give the boss she had helped raise a hug and Mateo looked over to see that Nancy's face had gone pale.

River Johnson was never wrong.

And this woman was being too obvious, which meant that she was not doing this by choice.

"Papa!!!!" His two little babies came rushing down the stairs.

Mateo grinned, passing Janet his crutch, feeling the pain in his abdomen when he tried to bend down. Fuck this.

"Don't even think about it." River walked out after the kids, narrowing her eyes at him playfully while he winked at her.

The bambini hugged his legs, making sure they didn't touch his abdomen. Mateo could tell that the surgeon had already given the instructions.
[bambini - babies]

"Come here." River said as she bent down and picked their children up, positioning them on each of her hip. Mateo put his arms around them, holding River's shoulders.

"Did you guys miss me?" He asked.

"Yes!!" The twins exclaimed in unison while River rolled her eyes yet again.

"I am putting this on the group." Alessia showed her phone which had a picture of them standing like that.

"Send it to me." River said as she placed the kids back down and pointed at the Capo and then at the door. "And you, in your room."

"Yes ma'am." Mateo mock-saluted her for the second time that day and took the crutch from Janet, who was beaming at the couple and their kids. She could already see how beautiful a family they would make.

Mateo walked in, paused and sighed when he realized one thing. "Fucking stairs."

River narrowed her eyes gesturing to the children who luckily didn't hear what he said because they were busy talking to Adam, Alessia introducing herself.

"One, mind your language around the kids and two," She said, taking his hand, "Janet and I moved your essentials and some clothes to the ground floor guest room."

"You told her?" He whispered as he walked forward with her, his eyes darting to Nancy and then Alessia who caught his eye and nodded discretely.

"Yeah, you said I can trust them."

"That doesn't sound like you."

"Well, I couldn't do it all alone now could I?" She winced when he accidentally pressed the crutch on her foot.