Page 193 of Vows of a Mobster

He was tense, cold, on the edge. His eyes shifted to Emma and some of the fury in them eased and his voice was soft when he spoke to her. “Are you okay, princess?” She peeked at him and nodded her head. “Mommy and I will always come to save you.”

Emma gave him a smile. She believed him and she was right to. This man would do anything to protect her and save her.

His eyes shifted to his cousin. Before he could ask, Marissa muttered. “I’m good.” She paused and then continued, “Please Mateo, don’t hurt him.”

My head snapped to my husband. Hurt who? Declan? He wouldn’t. He was just as much a victim here as we were. The cold rage in his eyes was unnerving.

“Did you see anyone else besides those two?” he questioned her. “I want to make sure we get them all.”

“No, it was just the two of them. Shortly after they brought us here and shoved us into that hole, they got into some argument.” I wondered how the two would have even connected. “Brianna’s m-” she stopped herself, “the other woman wanted Angelica to stick to their plan, but Angelica was acting crazy so the other one left. She said she needed to cool her head. I heard Angelica on the phone with you. Then you came and then shortly after so did the other woman.”

Mateo turned his head back to Angelica, my mother, and Declan. Suddenly, I was scared to leave Mateo behind with Declan. What if he killed him?

I wanted to take Emma somewhere safe, away from this horrible place and situation. But I didn’t want Mateo to kill the man Marissa loved. This man in front of me was boiling with fury and rage. Ruthlessness that was usually never directed at me rolled off his body in waves. I couldn’t swear he’d let Declan walk away from this unharmed. Angelica and my mother were definitely not walking away from this, but I didn’t give a shit about them. Declan was another story, I wanted to ensure he was safe.

Now this was telling. I worried about something happening to Declan when I hadn't spared a second thought for my mother.

She was going to have her grandchild killed. And me.She lost the privilege of being Emma’s grandmother and my mother.

I turned my head at Marissa. “Would you take Emma and go outside please? Some men are out there and have Antonio show you to our car. Wait there for us.”

Her green eyes watched me, reading me. She knew I understood Mateo’s need to hurt Declan.

I turned my face to my daughter. “I am so sorry, baby. Let me help your dad and then we’ll both come downstairs. Okay?”

It was wrong to delay taking care of my child for another minute or ten. I struggled between my need to take care of her and take care of Mateo. Because clearly, he needed me now too. If he hurt Declan, there would be a lot more killings coming. And we just came to some sort of understanding and peace between the Irish and Italians.

I almost couldn’t believe the track of my own thoughts. From prima ballerina to a mobster wife, with quite a few bumps in the road. But with a startling realization, it became clear this was exactly where I wanted to be. I wouldn’t change it. Any of it.

This was where Emma and I were meant to be. If I hadn’t have met Mateo, Emma and I would have probably been dead now. Killed by order of my mother.

I shifted Emma to Marissa’s arms. “Okay, we’ll be right downstairs.”

They both disappeared behind the doors and I turned to Mateo. “What’s your plan?”

“Kill them all.”

A strange conversation between husband and wife. But this was my life now. He was my life. And together we were stronger. Together we would protect our children.

Mateo went back to my mother. “Are there any more hitmen after my family?”

“Fuck you.” My mother was stupid to resist him. She should know that Mateo was merciless and ruthless. He didn’t even hesitate when he pushed his knife into my mother’s ribs. My insides shook, but I kept myself together. I knew she didn’t deserve to live. She was ready to kill Emma who was innocent in all this. But seeing my mother hurt still unsettled me.

Angelica tried to reach out to Mateo, but he stepped back, out of her reach, pulled out his gun and pointed it at her skull. I closed my eyes, unwilling to see another set of lifeless eyes. Seeing Kyle die was enough to last me forever. Those lifeless eyes haunted me some nights. My body still jerked at the sound of the gun going off.

Did he ever feel anything for this woman? Did it bother him to see her like that? She obviously loved him. In a sick, obsessive way. She was dying; he just made it a quicker death for her. So maybe it was merciful on his part.

My mother wouldn’t be so lucky.

“I want to know if there is anyone else you hired to hurt my family?” Mateo asked.

Instead of answering, my mother tried to spit at him and only succeeded in spitting on herself.

“That knife wound is not deep enough,” Mateo noted, his cold gaze on my mother. “What do you think, Declan?”

Declan’s hand was already on the knife, twisting it, making the flesh wound wider and deeper. I might be a mobster’s wife, but torture still didn’t sit well with me so I turned my head away. Instead, I watched my husband’s face. He stood, watching the whole scene detached, cold... almost cruel as he waited for the information.

“Are there other hitmen after my wife and my daughter?” Mateo repeated, his voice sending chills down my spine.