Page 137 of Mafia Daddy's Christmas Bride

"We handle this quietly," Salvatore continues. "Make it look like she ran. No mess."

I back away from the door, mind racing. Mrs. Rossi is gone. I need to find a phone to call Roman.

Another knock, harder this time. The doorknob rattles.

"Isabella, open up," Salvatore calls, his voice falsely pleasant. "I need to talk to you about Roman."

I look around frantically. Phone. I need a phone. But even if I call Roman, he'll never make it in time.

Salvatore knocks again, the sound echoing through the apartment like gunshots.

I run to the bedroom, my heart hammering so hard I can barely breathe.

"What's happening?" Angelica’s eyes widen with fear.

"Listen to me," I say, kneeling to her level. "Some bad men are at the door. You need to hide."

Her bottom lip trembles. "I'm scared."

"I know, sweetheart." I smooth her hair back, trying to keep my voice steady. "But you're so brave, just like your daddy. Can you be brave for me?"

She nods, tears welling in her eyes. I snatch my mother's notebook from the dresser and shove it under the mattress, hands shaking so badly I nearly drop it.

Muted gunshots sound and I hear the door open.

“Under the bed,” I urge her. “Stay very quiet. Don't come out until your daddy or Mrs. Rossi comes to find you. No matter what you hear, stay hidden."

I help her crawl under the bed, pushing her back against the wall, her eyes huge in her pale face.

"Where will you be?” she whispers.

“Stay quiet. Okay?” I rush to the bedroom door to lock it, but it explodes inward with such force that I'm thrown back, sprawling onto the carpet.

Pain shoots through my shoulder as I hit the floor.

"There you are," Salvatore says, filling the doorway.

I scramble backward, my gaze darting to the bed where Angelica is hidden. "What do you want?"

Salvatore steps into the room, his henchman close behind him. "Seems you've become too much of a liability."

"Roman will kill you for this.”

Salvatore laughs. "Roman's busy. By the time he gets home, we'll be long gone.”

My eyes flick involuntarily to the space under the bed again. Angelica has pressed herself so far back, she's almost invisible in the shadows, but if they look closely?—

Salvatore grabs my arm, yanking me off the floor with bruising force.

My shoulder screams in pain, but I bite back a cry, terrified of drawing Angelica's attention.

"What did you tell the Feds?" he snarls, his face inches from mine. His breath smells of cigarettes and coffee.

"Nothing," I gasp. "I swear, I didn't tell them anything."

"Liar." His hand cracks across my face so hard my vision blurs. The metallic taste of blood fills my mouth. "We saw you with that agent. What did you give her?"

I stumble backward, my hand instinctively going to my stomach. My baby. Roman's baby. "I didn't give her anything. She approached me, but I turned her away."