Page 57 of Single Mom's Mafia Daddies

“I do.” I ripped away and followed with a right hook that Matteo blocked.

Renzo stepped between us. “Now is not the time for fighting among ourselves. If we fall apart, the Verduccis will pick us off one by one.”

Matteo almost came at me again. Our tempers flared, the accusations flying from his tense posture and the fire in his eyes. “Renzo’s right. Now’s not the time.” He held up a warning finger. “But I’ll tell you this, I don’t give a damn about your companies, your money, or any of the operations we’ve been a part of if it gets Lila or Leo hurt. Can you say the same?”

“I’d rather die than see one of them hurt.” The mere mention of it pained me, a savage twist wrenching my heart.

“Then fucking act like it.” Matteo held nothing back.

I’d never seen him like this over a woman. It surprised me despite how he’d been with Lila these last few weeks. “I’m doing my best.”

“Are you?” Matteo scoffed. “From where I’m standing, you’re pissing into the wind. And if you don’t step up, you’re going to lose her. For good.”

Renzo remained between us, and Matteo shot a parting look at him before he stomped from the room, slamming the door behind him.

Matteo’s parting words shook me to my core, and I struggled to get my thoughts in order to continue planning with Renzo. But there was no need.

He patted my shoulder with one meaty hand. “We’ll discuss strategy later.” He left silently, the click of the door closing haunting me.

I remained motionless until the emptiness of the room echoed in my ears. The slow, methodical breathes as I tried to orient myself lasted a lifetime. As I sank into the chair, Iremoved the picture of Lila and Leo I’d carried in my wallet since Matteo snapped it during his recon mission.

I stroked my thumb over their faces. Matteo made a strange sort of sense. I’d rather ignore his accusations and concentrate on eradicating the threat coming for us. What good did that do if I lost Lila in the process?

“Not this time.”

I refused to lose her again. No matter what else it cost me, Lila and Leo were my priorities from this moment forward. Even if I continued to hide the truth about the syndicate from her, I’d find a way to protect her.

Once we’d taken care of the threats, I’d sit her down and tell her the truth about me and my family. Maybe by then her feelings for us would be strong enough to withstand the storm of learning I ran a large portion of the mafia.

29

RENZO

We’d made it through an entire week without an attack. I kept my guard up every second of every day, desperate to ensure no one else became a victim of the Verduccis. I’d left exhaustion behind days ago, running now on pure anger and adrenaline that fueled my body like I’d never left the war.

Lila and Leo walked around the corner of the house and stopped at the soccer field I’d blocked out for him a few days after our arrival. Leo loved the excitement of the game and could run the entire length of the field with the ball at his feet.

“Guess what, Renzo?” Leo shouted at me from across the yard, the brightness of his smile rivaling Lila’s. “I get to try out for soccer next year.” He launched the ball into the air with his toe and ran after it.

Lila followed with a light laugh. Leo had returned to school, and she was spending the day secretly working with her insurance to rebuild her shop. It was cute she thought she could hide it from Matteo and me, though Alessio was still successfully in the dark.

In the afternoons, she’d started wearing shorts, t-shirts, and sneakers and spending the warmer hours outside with Leo after he got home. A golden glow saturated her skin from the sunshine, and she smiled more easily. It eased some of the fear I guarded deep inside. Seeing her happiness gave me hope that we might be okay. Someday.

Lila ran past Leo and kicked the ball toward the opposite goal.

“Hey.” Leo spun and chased her, arms pumping and chin down as determination stampeded across his face.

Lila jogged backward. “I’m going to win this time.” She flashed a smile in my direction.

I’d been too busy to spend much time with her. Security on a place this size took up all my time. Even now, I stood guard over them.

The earpiece crackled and Bruce’s voice came through with a rasp. “Security systems are online but I’m noticing a glitch in one of the cameras. Could be nothing, but I’d like Matteo to take a look.”

“I’ll send him in.” I tapped out a text to Matteo. A glitch could mean anything, but with the Verduccis breathing down our necks, everything became a threat. They were planning something. We all sensed it but couldn’t put our finger on the pulse of what they might throw at us. Safety was an illusion. I’d known that for years.

“Renzo, we’re going inside.” Lila waved at me from across the yard. I’d gotten so wrapped up in protecting them that time regretfully spiraled out of control.

Leo’s feet dragged across the yard, and he didn’t argue when Lila said something about a nap.