Ruthless Mafia Daddy (Alpha Mafia Daddies)

Lila’s lying.

She’s been acting strange all morning, barely looking at me. As if my presence is causing her physical pain.

“I’m off to my dentist appointment.” She appears in the doorway to my office. “I’ll be back at two.”

I nod, watching her with narrowed eyes.

She doesn’t look me in the eye, and her body is angled away from me. It’s the exact opposite of how she’s been for the past few weeks. She’s been nothing but a tease, constantly getting me so riled up that we end up fucking on my desk, or hers, or on the floor of the breakroom like animals. We can’t get enough of each other’s bodies, but that’s been as far as it goes.

The moment we finish, I walk away, and so does she.

I don’t want to give her any inclination that I think about her beyond sex. It complicates things too much.

So, the fact that she seems almost ashamed right now has me on alert.

Is she meeting someone for lunch? Is that why she’s seeming so off?

Anger flares, and I fight the urge to demand she stay here, regardless of an appointment.

“I’ll have my phone on me if anything urgent comes up,” she adds before disappearing from sight.

I wait for Lila’s soft footsteps to disappear down the hall until I get to my feet.

I won’t accept her lying to me, even if it’s nothing important. I want to know what she gets up to at every minute of the day, so I grab my phone and keys and stalk out of the office.

By the time I’m descending the steps outside the building, she’s already crossing the street.

I keep a safe distance from her, not wanting to give myself away.

How am I meant to explain the fact that I’m following her without spooking her? She’s still under the impression that all I want from her is sex, and I intend to keep it that way.

She heads down East 73rd street. We walk for about six blocks before she turns right and stops outside an obstetricians office.

I stop dead in my tracks as I watch her walk inside.

My blood runs cold. There is no way this is what it looks like because if it is…

Lila’s pregnant.

I know from the very first time we met that she hadn’t even dated anyone in the year since her last breakup, let alone slept with anyone. And I’ve had eyes on her ever since we hooked up that night almost two months ago.

I know I’m right. Why else would she go to an OB clinic? There’s no question.

As there is no question the baby is mine.

I fight the urge to storm in after her and demand to know what the fuck she’s playing at. How could she keep something like this from me?

I see nothing but red.

I claw at my hair, a pained sound escaping my lips as I pace up and down the street opposite the OB’s office.

This can’t be happening.

This can’t be happening.

I can’t be a father.

I can’t risk having something else that can be taken from me.

Valentina flashes in my mind, and I almost sink to my knees in the middle of the street as the deepest agony pierces my heart.

This was never supposed to happen.

My body is shaking with rage as I wait across the street for Lila to come back outside. Half an hour later, she appears, her cheeks tear stained, clutching a picture to her chest.

I swallow back the bile that’s risen in my throat as I watch her gaze at the photo I know is of our baby.

I’m torn between storming over there and demanding answers, or letting her walk away.

Has she not told me because she’s scared I’ll tell her to get rid of it? Or does she plan on walking away and raising this child alone? Is the thought of being tied to me for the next eighteen years so terrible?

Fuck, my mind is racing.

It’s clear that neither myself nor Lila are in the right frame of mind to discuss this right now, but that doesn’t stop me from wanting answers.

Thankfully, I’m familiar with the doctor who owns this practice, so I wait until Lila is around the corner before crossing the road and storming inside.

“Is Dr. Waite with a patient right now?” I lean on the reception counter.

The receptionist’s eyes widen as she takes in the fury in my eyes, but she shakes her head.

“Wonderful.”

“Sir, wait!” She gets to her feet, but I’m already storming down the corridor and throwing open the door to Richard’s office.

It crashes against the wall, and Richard jumps up from behind his desk, fear flashing across his face as he looks at me.

“I suggest you start talking about Lila Morano.”

“Andre—”

“Is she pregnant? How far along?”

It’s all I need to know if the baby is mine. But I can see that Richard isn’t going to give up the information easily.

“Please, take a seat.” He gestures to the uncomfortable-looking plastic chair before him.

“I don’t plan on staying.”

“Andre.” He clasps his hands together. “I’m afraid I can’t share patient information with you. It’s against the rules.”

“I think you’ll find that you can, given what I can share if you refuse my demand.” I step toward him. “If you need reminding of the illegal procedures that take place here after hours…”

“Andre—”

“The money’s under the table, correct? To fuel your gambling addiction? I’m sure your wife would be very interested to learn where her kids’ college funds have disappeared too…”

“You wouldn’t,” he breathes, his face paling.

“Oh, I would.” I let a feral smile tug at my lips. “So, I suggest you start talking.”

“She came in for an ultrasound. Baby is healthy, strong heartbeat⁠—”

“How far along?”

“Eight weeks.”

Fuck.

The breath seems to leave my lungs as my fear is confirmed.

“That’s all I needed.” I turn my back on Dr. Waite. “And don’t even think about mentioning this little conversation to Lila. Trust me, I’ll know.” I storm out of the office.

Once I’m outside, even the fresh air does little to satisfy the ache in my lungs.

Lila is pregnant with my child. And she kept it from me.

I can’t face her at the office. I’ll say something I’m bound to regret, and she’s clearly in a fragile place right now.

Not that I’m much better. Fuck.

How long has she known? And I haven’t been gentle with her in our after-hour “sessions”.

Does that even matter? What am I supposed to do?

I never wanted children because they are targets for my enemies, but I was never in this position before.

That is my baby Lila is carrying. Mine.

I was already wrapped around her sexy finger, obsessed with her, but knowing she is pregnant with my child?

Fuck me, I’ll be feral if someone even looks at her funny.

But more than that, I’m pissed that she kept this from me.

Why?

I’m going around in circles in my head, no answers just more and more questions.

So, no matter how badly I want to punish her for lying to me, how badly I need these answers, I pull my phone out of my pocket and call Marco.

He answers after the first ring.

“How do you fancy a little old-fashioned shootout?”

I send an out-of-office email to Lila as I make the walk to my penthouse apartment on the Upper West Side. I was hoping the walk would help clear my head, but it only gives me more time to dwell on the fact that Lila is carrying my child.

I furiously check my inbox the entire way to see if Lila has dared to ask me where I’ve gone, but she stays quiet.

That only angers me more.

Marco is already waiting for me in my office when I get to the penthouse, tucking a gun into the inside pocket of his jacket as I walk in.

“You look pissed, what did Rosa do now?” He’s wearing dark slacks and a matching shirt, his dark hair neatly styled.

“Rosa did nothing, and I don’t want to talk about it.” I head to the safe under my desk. After unlocking it, I pull out a gun and a spare magazine, along with a six-inch knife. I tuck the knife into my jacket along with the spare magazine, and keep the gun in the waistband of my pants.

“You sure?”

“I’m sure,” I grunt, storming over to my liquor cabinet and taking a shot of scotch straight from the bottle.

“So, what’s the plan here?”

“We head over to The Vault and have a good time.”

“And by good time, you don’t mean liquor and pussy.” Marco chuckles, reaching for the bottle in my hand and taking a swig.

“No, little brother, I do not.”