Page 14 of Single Mom’s Mafia Daddies (The Forbidden Reverse Harem Collection #22)

LILA

“ C an you pass the salt?” I held out my hand toward Matteo.

Grinning wide enough to flash his canines, he waved the shaker back and forth. “I can.”

I waited, hand still outstretched, while he continued to grin from across the table. Several seconds passed before I realized what was happening. “You’re such a child. Give me the salt, Matteo.”

“He is not,” Leo argued from beside me, his mouth stuffed with Matteo’s homemade ravioli.

I had no idea the man could cook, but the delicious meal in front of me proved how little I truly knew about any of them.

Even Alessio managed to surprise me. He’d spent an entire day making Leo a sandbox and finding out exactly what kind of toys he liked to play with then ordered everything and had it delivered this morning.

Leo had more to do than any kid his age, yet he remained intensely focused on making each of these men join him in different activities.

“It’s an expression. It means he’s acting childish.” I ruffle Leo’s hair.

“No one said I had to be serious.” Matteo scrunched his face into a constipated looking pout. “Is this better?”

Leo laughed and spewed ravioli across the table. He grabbed his napkin and cleaned up the mess without hesitation, his constant chuckle driving Matteo to continue making ridiculous faces.

I fought the urge to roll my eyes. Leo had caught me doing it once and mimicked the action every time I told him to clean his room. It was not something I wanted to repeat.

Alessio wiped the corner of his mouth with his napkin, his fingers white at the knuckles.

He’d been silent throughout the meal, as he’d been after seeing me and Matteo outside earlier.

I’d waited for the outrage I’d seen on his face to explode, but he’d merely asked about Leo then walked me inside to prepare for dinner like we were in a Victorian novel and I needed three hours to dress.

Forget that shit. I’d worn the same clothes into the dining room and dared him to ask me to change.

Leo stuck his fingers in the sides of his mouth and stretched his lips while sticking his tongue out and rocking his head side to side.

Matteo mimicked him, which started another bout of laughter that threatened to send Leo falling off his chair.

Renzo pushed his plate aside and set his elbows on the table, his gaze locked on the bay windows looking out over the front drive that led to a massive gate.

Matching stone wolves guarded either side of the gate, and from what Matteo said, they were more than showcase pieces.

Cameras were hidden in the eyes, and both bases had motion sensors that triggered if anything stepped within six feet of the gate.

He’d done his best to reassure me of Leo’s safety.

“What do you call an octopus with no legs?” Matteo asked.

“What?” Leo kicked his feet back and forth and shoved another ravioli into his mouth.

“A nopus.”

I groaned while Leo giggled uncontrollably, his face reddening.

Renzo rolled his eyes and leaned toward Alessio, who nodded. At a look from Alessio, Matteo sobered.

“Lila, would you stay for a few minutes? Renzo and Matteo will watch Leo.” Alessio leaned into his chair and watched me, the intensity disturbing. Strange how a simple request could set my stomach churning.

He and Renzo stood with simultaneous movements, but it was Renzo who spoke, his voice low but somehow sweet. “We won’t let him out of our sight.”

I nodded my acceptance. This conversation with Alessio had been brewing all day. The last thing I wanted was for Leo to hear us arguing.

To Alessio’s credit, he waited until I’d kissed Leo’s forehead and his men walked out of the dining room and closed the door behind them to speak. “Matteo thinks you’ll try to leave.”

The suddenness of the wrenching feeling in my gut left me speechless. I’d hoped for a soft touch leading into the conversation. I should have known better. Alessio no longer knew the meaning of soft. He was all hard angles and sheer, unyielding determination.

“I’ll stay as long as it’s safer here than out there.” Which I had no way of determining, but I’d be damned if I gave more power to Alessio than he already possessed.

He lurched to his feet so fast he bumped the table, rattling the dishes. “You’ll never be safe out there.”

“And who’s fault is that?” I stood even though I didn’t have a prayer of matching his height. My anger more than made up for my shorter stature. “It’s because of you my son has a price on his head.”

“Our son!” he bellowed with the agony of a raging bull. The words echoed across the empty dining room.

The food I’d eaten set my stomach on fire, the feeling climbing my throat and turning my mouth ashy.

“You don’t know that.” I lifted my chin trying to stare him down.

Silence surrounded us with the vastness of the space threatening to shrink and swallow us whole.

The chandelier filled his face with light, but nothing had the power to remove the pain from his eyes.

“You’re just another threat to his safety. ”

They were mean, cruel words, but they were necessary for mine and Leo’s survival. Whatever life Alessio lived, I wanted no part of it if it meant sacrificing Leo’s safety.

“It was never supposed to be this way.” It didn’t matter how softly he spoke, the twist to his lips said more than enough.

“If that’s an apology, it’s a terrible one.” I threw my napkin over my plate and gathered up my dirty dishes. Alessio asked me to stay and talk, but that didn’t mean I had to stand still and square up with him.

He stopped me with a hand on my arm, pulling the plate from my fingers and setting it back on the table.

“I’ll do the dishes. Later.” Which meant he refused to let me distract myself with busy work.

“You and Leo were at risk the minute I landed on American soil. My history at the college was never a secret.”

“But we were.” I worked to keep my voice controlled. “No one knew about us.” We’d been too careful.

Alessio set his palms on the tabletop and rested his weight forward so we stood eye to eye. “Few things are truly secrets when you’re part of this world.”

“What world?” I gripped the back of the chair until my knuckles turned white. “You’re rich. So what. I am too. Money doesn’t mean everything. It doesn’t mean you have enemies trying to kill me just because you stopped by to say hello after seven years.”

“No. But it does mean that the people who want to hurt me will come after you and Leo. Especially Leo. If he is my son.” A long pause followed. I anticipated the next words, the question he asked repeatedly that I refused to answer. “Is he my son, Lila?”

“If he is, I wouldn’t tell you. This world you live in is a danger to him, so why would I give you an ounce of trust when you’ve proven you don’t deserve it?” I gave him the best answer possible, which was nothing at all.

Irritation crimped his mouth and drew a savage line between his eyes. “I never meant for you or Leo to be at risk.”

The hurt that followed the words tore at me, threatening to take me out at the knees and risk everything to make the pain go away.

I wasn’t ready to forgive him, especially after the danger he brought with him.

If he’d shown up and apologized from the beginning, maybe I’d have the heart to tell him the truth.

Maybe. “You have a funny way of showing you care.”

“I care more than you’ll ever know.” He moved around the table, not stopping until we stood an inch apart. Heat rolled off his body and wrapped around me, the familiar bergamot and leather scent yet another threat to my willpower.

“Threat outside the perimeter.” Matteo’s voice shattered the stillness between us.

I wheeled, ready to bolt.

Alessio grabbed my elbow. “Stay here.”

“Leo.” I wrenched my arm side to side, then punched him when he refused to let go. “Don’t you fucking dare try to stop me, Alessio.”

“She’s right.” Matteo moved so quietly I never heard a sound but suddenly he stood at my side, all traces of laughter vanquished beneath the threat of violence. “Let her go to Leo. She’s safer there.”

Gunfire erupted outside. I screamed and covered my head, my feet moving on instinct toward my son.

“Lila.” Alessio’s steps pounded behind me. “Wait. You need to take cover.” Both arms wrapped around my waist and pulled me to a stop. “Avoid the windows.”

“I have to get to Leo.” I punched and kicked, tears streaming as fear tore at every inch of my body. “I have to get to our son.”

“He’s not in his room.” Matteo ran past, pointing toward the stairs. “Renzo took him to the bathroom.” He pulled a pistol from a hidden holster. “We need Renzo.”

Alessio relaxed his grip enough for me to drop my weight and slide from his arms in a move Dad taught me years ago. I rushed up the steps, shouting Leo’s name.

Renzo poked his head out from a doorway and held a finger to his lips. “If they hear you, they’ll come for you both.”

“Where is he?” I needed to be with him. Whatever happened, I had to be with Leo.

Alessio crowded behind me, the weight of his presence reminding me I’d given away the secret when I called Leo “our” son. Had he heard me or did he simply feel responsible for keeping an eye on us?

“My room.” Renzo held the door open. “Straight through the bathroom. I didn’t want him on the lower level so close to the windows.”

I tried to understand why, but it escaped me. All I cared about was scooting past the massive man blocking my way and finding Leo.

Alessio followed me to the open bedroom door. Leo sat at a desk with a pen and paper in front of him, noise cancelling headphones over his ears. His long legs kicked as he drew in broad strokes. A sob caught in my throat.

Alessio ran a hand down my spine, sending shudders throughout my body. “Please stay here, Lila. No matter what you hear outside, do not leave this room until one of us comes to get you. Trust no one else.”

I looked up in time to see his expression harden.

He kissed my temple and spun on his heel.

Renzo barked orders from behind me with the efficiency of a military general.

I blocked them out and hurried to stand beside Leo.

I couldn’t block out the gunfire peppering the air, or the shouts drifting through the house.

Leo bobbed his head and sang a few words from one of his favorite songs.

A small tendril of comfort twisted through me as I looked at the phone playing a curated playlist of child-friendly songs shuffling for him.

My heart squeezed. Renzo did this. He’d protected Leo the best he could and shielded him with music and art.