Page 28 of Mafia Pregnancy

Danielle

I expect to have another conversation with Radmir tonight, to continue where we left off when Andrei interrupted us earlier. Instead, Mrs. Yranda finds me in the hallway with a list of additional tasks that need completion before tomorrow’s scheduled maintenance.

“The parlor needs a thorough cleaning,” she says, consulting her ever-present clipboard. “The guest powder room also requires restocking.”

I nod and gather fresh supplies, wondering if this is Radmir’s way of keeping me here longer or simply routine household management. Either way, Leo is safe at Aunt Molly’s for the night, so I have time to complete whatever tasks are assigned.

The parlor is one of the estate’s more formal rooms, with expensive furniture and delicate decorative pieces that require careful attention.

I dust the mantelpiece and polish the mahogany side tables while rain continues to drum against the windows.

The storm that began this afternoon has intensified, with wind that rushes around the building and lightning that illuminates the room in brief, stark flashes of white.

It's like someone is outside taking a picture.

I’m arranging fresh flowers in a crystal vase when I hear something that makes me freeze. It’s a scraping noise, like something being forced against glass, that doesn’t belong to the storm or the normal settling of the house.

I turn toward the side window just as it explodes inward in a shower of glass and rain.

A figure dressed in black launches through the opening, landing in a crouch before straightening to reveal a ski mask and dark clothing soaked from the storm.

For a heartbeat, we stare at each other across the room.

Then he moves toward me with purposeful steps, and terror floods my system.

I scream and grab the nearest object, a heavy glass vase from the side table, hurling it at his head with all the force I can muster.

He ducks, and it shatters against the wall behind him, but the motion gives me precious seconds to back away.

“Help,” I scream again, hoping someone will hear me over the storm. “Help me!”

The masked man closes the distance between us with frightening speed. I dodge around the sofa, using furniture as barriers, but he’s bigger and faster than I am. My heart pounds so hard I can barely breathe, and adrenaline makes my hands shake as I search for another weapon or escape route.

He feints left, then lunges right, catching me off guard. He closes his hand around my wrist, and I struggle against his grip, kicking and clawing with desperate energy.

“Stop fighting.” His voice is muffled by the mask. “This doesn’t have to hurt.”

“Let go of me you freak!” I twist in his grasp, trying to break free, but his hold is too strong.

Suddenly, the parlor door bursts open, and Radmir appears like an avenging angel. He takes in the scene of the broken window, my terror, and the masked intruder holding me as his expression turns murderous.

The intruder releases me and spins toward this new threat, but Radmir is already moving. He tackles the man with, driving him away from me and into the far wall with a dense thud.

They both bounce off and begin fighting.

Radmir is a good fighter, moving quickly to overwhelm his opponent. The intruder is skilled, but he’s no match for Radmir’s combination of size, speed, and deadly intent. Within moments, Radmir has him pinned against the wall, one arm twisted behind his back and the other hand at his throat.

“Who sent you?” Radmir’s voice is deadly calm as he applies a slight pressure.

The intruder says nothing, just glares with defiant eyes above the ski mask. Radmir adjusts his grip, applying more pressure that makes the man gasp.

“I asked you a question, and I’m not fucking around,” he growls.

As they struggle, the mask shifts slightly, and I catch a glimpse of a faded tattoo on the man’s neck of some kind of animal. Radmir sees it too, and something changes in his expression. Recognition, followed by cold fury. “Luca’s mark,” he says quietly, almost to himself.

The confirmation seems to fuel his anger. With swift brutality, he strikes a nerve cluster at the base of the intruder’s neck. The man’s eyes roll back, and he crumples to the floor, unconscious.

Radmir straightens, breathing hard, and turns to me. I’m pressed against the wall, shaking with fear and adrenaline, trying to process what just happened. “Are you hurt?” His voice is gentle now, completely different from the deadly tone he used with the intruder.

I shake my head, not trusting my voice. He approaches slowly, like he’s afraid I might bolt, and reaches out to touch my face with careful fingers.

“You’re safe now. He can’t hurt you.”

The kindness in his voice shatters something inside me, and tears start flowing before I can stop them. All the fear, the adrenaline, and the terrifying helplessness of being grabbed by a stranger comes pouring out in harsh sobs that shake my entire body.

“Hey, it’s okay.” He pulls me against his chest, his arms wrapping around me with protective strength. “You’re safe. I’ve got you.”

Footsteps pound down the hallway, and Andrei appears in the doorway with two guards behind him. They take in the scene and immediately shift into crisis management mode. “Sweep the grounds,” Andrei orders the guards. “Check for additional breaches and secure all entry points.”

He approaches the unconscious man and pulls off the ski mask, revealing a face I don’t recognize but that clearly means something to Radmir and Andrei. “Marcus Volkov,” he says grimly. “One of Luca’s enforcers.”

“How did he get past security?” Radmir’s arms tighten around me as he speaks.

“I’ll make an educated guess that doesn’t involve much guessing,” says Andrei.

“The earlier glitch in our security system wasn’t an accident.

He used it to gain entry to the grounds and then found a place to hide until the storm provided enough cover to let him move out of wherever he’d hidden, waiting for the right moment.

” He examines the broken window, noting the tool marks around the frame. “This was planned, not opportunistic.”

“He was going for me,” Radmir says quietly. “Danielle was just an easy entry point.”

“He might not have even known she was in here,” says Andrei, giving me a surprisingly soothing look.

The realization I was targeted as a way to get to Radmir should be reassuring, but it’s not. It means this violence and danger is part of his world, just as I suspected, and part of loving him would mean accepting it, along with the risk it would bring to our kids.

“I’m sorry,” Radmir murmurs against my hair. “I’m so sorry this happened to you. No one will ever touch you again. I promise.”

The promise is fierce, absolute, and completely impossible to keep. Still, with his arms around me and the intruder neutralized, I want to believe it in this moment.

“What do we do with him?” Andrei gestures toward the unconscious man.

“Question him when he wakes up. Find out what Luca’s planning and how many others might be involved.” Radmir’s voice carries the cold authority of someone used to handling violent situations. “Then make sure he delivers a message back to his boss.”

“What kind of message?”

“Make it clear attacking people under my protection has consequences.”

The casual way they discuss violence should frighten me, but instead, I find it oddly comforting. These men know how to handle threats. They know how to protect what matters to them. The question is whether I matter enough to Radmir to justify the risks that come with being under his protection.

“Can you walk?” he asks me gently.

I nod, though my legs feel unsteady. He keeps one arm around me as we leave the parlor, letting Andrei and the guards handle the cleanup. The hallway feels different now, almost like a fortress under siege. “Where are we going?”

“Somewhere safe and private, where you can recover from this.”

He leads me through corridors I’ve never seen before, past rooms that are clearly off-limits to household staff of my standing. Everything here speaks to wealth and power, but also to careful security, with heavy doors and reinforced walls designed to keep threats out and valuables safe.

We reach a set of double doors he opens with a key card, revealing a bedroom that takes my breath away.

The space is enormous, with panoramic windows that would normally offer stunning ocean views but now show only the storm raging outside.

The furniture is masculine and expensive, in dark wood and rich fabrics that speak to sophisticated taste.

“This is your room,” I say, stating the obvious.

“Yes.” He locks the door behind us, engaging what looks like a sophisticated security system. “No one can get in here without my permission.”

The implications of being alone with him in his private space aren’t lost on me, but I’m too shaken to care about propriety. I need to feel safe, and right now, Radmir is the only thing standing between me and whatever other threats might be lurking in the storm.

He guides me to a leather chair by the fireplace and gently pushes me down, then moves to a sidebar. I’m panicked about how to decline the alcohol but surprised when he returns with hot, sweet tea instead. I can smell its contents just by inhaling. “What is this?”

“Shock absorption,” he says with a small smile. “That’s my mother always gave me if I had a shock or accident. She said sweet tea could fix anything, so drink,” he says softly. “It’ll help with the shock.”

The tea burns my tongue, but he’s right. It helps calm my trembling hands and racing heart. He settles into the chair across from me, close enough to touch but giving me space to breathe. He holds a glass of something amber instead. Probably whiskey.

“I’m sorry you had to see that. Experience that.” His voice carries genuine regret. “This is exactly why I try to keep my business separate from?—”

“From what?”