Page 161 of Vows of a Mobster

“Mom, Pops,” Declan chimed in. “Brianna is speaking the truth. Emma is not mine. And what our family has done today is way out of hand. It goes against every rule. We don't go after women and children.”

“She is ours,” Aoife claimed stubbornly. “I know it. She has your eyes, Declan. Our eyes.”

I glanced at Marissa and Daphne. They were staring in shock too. This wasn’t expected. I was expecting blood, torture, fighting. Not this.

“Listen, I just want to go home,” I told them, my voice shaking. “I swear to you, Emma is not your son’s daughter.” Fuck, it would be almost better if she was because Declan would have never done what Kyle did.

Maybe it finally sank in, because Aoife and Declan Sr. shared a look. It was sadness, disappointment, love, comfort all wrapped in one. Those two loved each other.

“Why didn’t she get treatment today?” Aoife’s question caught me off guard. My daughter shouldn’t be in this situation, listening to all this bullshit.

“They found her a perfect match for a bone marrow transplant,” I muttered. “They’ll do it through blood cells so they just have to run a few blood tests since the donor will be going through certain steps over the next five days.”

“Who’s the donor?” Declan Sr. asked.

“I don’t know,” I told them. I almost wish I did know, because I wanted to thank that person. They saved Emma for me. “The information is confidential.”

“Okay, then,” Declan Sr. replied, resigned. “This takes us to the second matter at hand.”

“Second?” I asked. I couldn’t take much more of this.

“My son Declan is the donor. My sources from the hospital informed me.”

“What?” My mouth dropped to the floor.

“Fuck,” Marissa and Declan muttered at the same time.

My eyes shifted to my best friend. She didn’t seem surprised. Neither did Declan. My mind must have been overwhelmed because I couldn’t keep up with all this crap.

I looked at Mateo, “Did you know?” But even as I asked the question, I knew he didn’t. His jaw was pressed tight.

“You still want to claim he is not her father?” Declan Sr. challenged me.

There was no more hiding. This was all spiraling out of control. My grandmother’s words echoed in my head, and I wished I told Mateo everything. Now he’ll be forced to hear it along with all these strangers. I should have given him my trust and honesty.

“I don’t want my daughter here for this shit show.” I took a step away from my husband, but he followed. It didn’t matter though. Soon he’d take a step away from me on his own. It hurt to think about it but I shoved it all away.

“She is our family,” Aoife answered.

“Maybe,” I replied. “But first and foremost, she is a child. My child.” I could practically sense the battle of our wills as we watched each other. “Daphne will take her home with Giovanni. Emma feels safe there.”

“You are trying to take her away from us,” she accused me.

“She doesn’t know you,” I hissed, trying desperately to hold on to my cool. Her body was wrapped around me. She was scared, today a complete whirlwind. “And you scared her today.”

“Emma will go home with Daphne,” Mateo chimed in, his voice commanding. “I vow to you both that you will see her again. But the right way, not through kidnapping. Fight me on this, and I will have every single Irishman on this property eliminated within thirty minutes.”

“Are you threatening? Want to start a war?” Declan Sr. stood up straighter, ready for a fight.

“I am defending my family.” His voice was cold as ice, sending chills down my spine. “And you started the war the moment you kidnapped my daughter and hurt guards I assigned to my family’s protection.”

Declan Sr. opened his mouth but Declan Jr. cut him off. “Daphne, take Emma home.”

“And Giovanni,” I added.

“No, not Giovanni,” Declan answered, his eyes met mine and my heart squeezed. Declan could be charming and flirty but that man was no less deadly than Mateo. “She can take other guards. I give you my word, nobody will hurt them.”

I took a shaky breath, fear growing with each second.