Twisted Bonds (The Camorra Chronicles Book 4)

Greta and Nevio ran through the garden hand in hand. Nevio was in the lead as usual, tugging his sister along. Their laughter carried over to the pool where Kiara, Alessio and I were enjoying a warm April afternoon.

Kiara smiled and said to Alessio, “Soon you can run with them.”

Alessio was sitting in his shark floaty that looked as if the thing was going to swallow him whole. He gave Kiara a toothless grin. I pushed him through the water because two weeks from her due date Kiara wasn’t as mobile. She leaned against the edge and watched everything with a happy expression.

Remo and Serafina lounged on the sunchairs, keeping an eye on their children.

Sometimes I wondered how things would have been, if my brothers and I were alone. Would we have moved on just as easily?

With the children and Kiara’s pregnancy, the future beckoned stronger than the past ever could. We still worked our asses off to guarantee the Camorra’s success but we tried to spend as much time as possible with our family. Savio had taken over more responsibilities, which allowed Remo and me additional free time.

Kiara released a sharp breath and cradled her belly under the water surface.

“What is it?”

She shook her head. “False labor.”

I pushed the floaty towards her and touched her shoulder. “Are you sure?”

“Yes,” she said with a small laugh. “The pain hasn’t changed. It’s still that strange pressure.”

“Waterbirth might be less painful, but you’ll have to clean the pool when you’re done,” Remo said.

Serafina slapped his shoulder. “You’re impossible.”

Remo gave her a twisted smile.

“Cleaning the pool will be my top priority after giving birth, trust me,” Kiara said, rolling her eyes.

“Come on. Let’s get you out of the water,” I said, lifting Alessio out of his floaty and pressing him to my chest. Holding Kiara’s hand, I led her out of the pool.

She pressed a palm to her belly as she took one step after the other. “I’m being so slow. I love being pregnant but now I’m counting the days until he’s here.”

Fabiano and Leona came over from their house, already in swimwear. Their wedding was scheduled for the end of May.

“Aria called me,” Fabiano said, settling on a sunchair. “Adamo’s doing well. He works hard and has finally learned to keep his mouth shut.”

Remo shook his head. “If people start to think that Adamo’s more scared of Luca than of me, I’ll have to make a fucking bloody statement to set things straight.”

“You are his brother. It would be horrible if he feared you,” Kiara said, lowering herself slowly on a chair. Leona went to her and touched her belly.

“You’re still feared like a crazy madman in the Famiglia, don’t worry,” Fabiano said.

Serafina got up. “I’ll go check on the kids. Nevio’s been too quiet. I bet he’s up to something.”

“The most important thing is that Adamo’s clean,” Kiara said. “I can’t wait for him to come home.”

Remo and I exchanged a look. While we were glad that Adamo had found the structure he needed, we weren’t sure if once back in Vegas he wouldn’t revert to old habits.

Leona came over to me and stroked Alessio’s cheek. “Hi, little man.” She looked over to Kiara. “I love his chubby cheeks.”

Kiara smiled proudly. It was mostly thanks to her patient care that our son had gained so much weight. She kept every member of this family fed. “Why don’t you hold him?” I asked Leona and handed her Alessio. She cradled him against her chest, looking worried.

“What if I drop him?”

“Why would you drop him? He’s not that heavy,” Remo muttered.

Leona’s cheeks turned red and Fabiano threw one of the empty Coke cans littering the table at Remo’s head.

Remo raised his leg, blocking it with his foot.

“Damn your quick reflexes,” Fabiano said, shaking his head.

“Quicker than yours.”

“Right.”

Serafina returned, carrying the twins. Her face was flushed. After she set them down, she held up a permanent marker. “That’s what I found in Nevio’s hand. He was painting Greta’s nails with it.”

Remo sat up and turned to Nevio. “You did?”

Nevio gave a sharp nod, trying to hold back a grin and failing.

Greta stretched out her hands, showing off her black nails. Her fingers too were covered in marker.

Serafina gave Remo a meaningful look.

He lifted Nevio on his lap. “Don’t paint your sister.”

Nevio pouted and pointed at Remo’s Camorra tattoo then at my inked skin. “Greta got dattoo.”

Kiara choked on a laugh and covered it with a cough. I went over to her and wrapped my arms around her from behind, my fingers splayed out on her bump.

“Greta is too young for a tattoo and so are you,” Serafina said sternly.

Nevio looked at Remo.

“Your mother’s right. I don’t want you to touch that marker again.”

Nevio gave a small nod, mischief in his eyes.

Cradling Alessio against her chest, Leona sat beside Fabiano on the sunchair. They were both talking to Alessio.

“If Alessio and Massimo turn out like Nevio, I’ll fear for our sanity,” I murmured against Kiara’s head. She looked like she couldn’t imagine anything better.

“As long as they’re happy, I’m happy,” she said.

Our eyes met, and I had to agree. As long as Kiara and our sons were happy, I would be too.

KIARA

Alessio rolled over on his stomach and pushed onto his knees then braced himself on his hands, shoving his butt into the air. At only ten months, he was already hellbent on starting to walk. With his bum in the air, he peered up, unsure how to straighten.

He grinned when he saw me watching and my heart exploded with love.

“Nino!” I called. Two days past my due date, I had trouble rising from the sofa without help, much less bend down to pick up Alessio.

Nino hurried into the gaming room, alarm on his face. “Contractions?”

I shook my head, stroking my belly. “Massimo seems pretty content in there. I really hope he comes soon. I feel like I’m bursting any day now.”

Nino slowly came over and spotted Alessio still in his awkward position. He picked him up and raised him up over his head, much to Alessio’s delight. He wasn’t a very vocal baby, definitely not as loud or boisterous as Nevio.

“He was trying to stand,” I said. Nino came toward the sofa, sank down beside me and set Alessio down on his butt between his legs. He held out his fingers and Alessio latched onto them with his small hands. Nino pulled slightly and eventually Alessio stood on shaky legs then took a couple of unsteady steps. Holding onto Nino’s legs, he gave another toothless smile.

“That’s good,” I said. Nino stroked Alessio’s hair and our boy beamed up at him with those ocean-blue eyes.

“Have you changed your mind about the home birth?” Nino asked quietly.

I leaned over and kissed his cheek. “No, and I won’t. I want a natural birth.”

“I just don’t see why we shouldn’t use the options modern medicine can offer us. We’ve evolved from the middle ages.”

I laughed. “I know you don’t like it, but I don’t want to give birth in a hospital. I want to be at home, surrounded by people I trust. This is the safest place for me and the baby.”

Nino gave me a look that made it clear how unhappy he was about my decision. “The safety aspect is really the only perk.”

Since the incident with their mother, Remo had forced the owners of the other neighboring house to sell as well. That mansion was now the new Camorra gym and the security center in Las Vegas, meaning we always had a high number of Camorrista close by.

“The doctor said it’s okay. I’ve had a healthy pregnancy, we have a healthy baby. Everything will be fine. I know I can handle it.”

“I know,” Nino murmured, then leaned over and kissed my temple before touching my belly.

Nevio rushed into the gaming room, brandishing a permanent marker in his small fist, laughing like a little madman. I grinned. His dark hair was all over the place and he was dressed only in underpants. His entire upper body was covered with scribbles, probably in permanent marker. He stumbled to a stop in front of us, beaming first at Alessio then Nino. Then he jabbed his finger against his own chest before pointing at Nino’s tattooed arm with the permanent marker.

“Dattoo,” he exclaimed.

I covered my mouth with my hand. “Oh, Savio’s in so much trouble.”

Nino reached for the marker and gently pried it out of Nevio’s hand, who glared and said, “No!”

“Nevio, behave,” Nino said firmly, putting the marker down on the table.

Nevio made a move toward it. Nino shook his head and the little boy dropped his arm with a pout.

Savio staggered in, breathing hard, carrying Greta, who was holding her white stuffed rabbit. “Where’s the little devil?”

One of Greta’s arm was covered in permanent marker as well.

Nino shook his head. “I told you to stop staring at your phone.”

Savio’s eyes took in Nevio’s upper body. “Fuck.” He glanced at Greta who was regarding her painted arm curiously. “You should have snitched on him.”

Greta looked at her uncle with those big eyes.

“Serafina is going to kick your ass,” I whispered, stifling laughter.

“Maybe next time she won’t ask me to play babysitter so she and Remo can get it on.”

Savio stalked toward us and Nevio’s smile turned mischievous. “Don’t you dare run again.”

Savio set Greta on her feet and she tiptoed toward us and climbed on the sofa. Nevio backed away slowly then whirled around, giggling. Savio jumped over the other sofa and caught up with Nevio in two large steps, wedging the kid under his arm like a potato sack.

With a groan, he turned back to us. “Will you watch Greta while I try to scrub this PIA clean?”

“No!” Nevio exclaimed, struggling.

Savio grinned down at him. “Yeah, you heard me right. Bath time. I know how much you love a good scrub.”

Nevio began screaming.

Savio looked at me. “How about you say it was your fault?”

I raised my eyebrows. “I won’t have you blame me for this.”

“Come on, Kiara, nobody will be mad at the pregnant lady.”

“If I were you, I’d start scrubbing soon. Remo and Serafina will be back from their date in approximately two hours. I have a feeling this will take time,” Nino drawled, inspecting Greta’s painted arm.

Savio disappeared with Nevio under his arm.

Nino lifted Alessio up and set him down between Greta and himself. She held out her stuffed toy to Alessio who grabbed it and clutched it to his chest then lifted it to his mouth and gnawed on the bunny’s ear. Nino caressed Greta’s head.

“I can’t believe there’ll be four children in this house soon, that we’ll have two boys. A year ago I didn’t think we’d have a baby any time soon.”

Nino’s eyes met mine. “You deserve happiness, and that’s what you’ll get.”

“So, do you.”

Three days later, I gave birth to Massimo in a guest room of our mansion with Serafina’s and Nino’s help, the homebirth I’d always dreamed of.

All pain was forgotten as I marveled at the little boy on my chest, at his crumpled face. He was a big baby with brown eyes and dark brown hair.

Serafina kissed my cheek. “He’s beautiful, Kiara.” She was covered in sweat and blood, but was smiling. Nino stood beside the bed, watching the doula who’d supported us, only ever so often glancing my and Massimo’s way.

“Why don’t you try if he latches on?” Serafina asked.

Massimo was already squirming toward my breast and making small sucking motions. Serafina helped me and after a few tries, he finally latched on.

The doula left fifteen minutes later and shortly after Serafina did too. Nino bent over me, kissing my forehead. “You are so strong, Kiara.”

I raised my gaze from Massimo and smiled at Nino. He gently covered Massimo’s back with his palm.

“I’d always condemned people who accepted their fear, who didn’t fight it. I’d never understood the concept of fear, not its full potential. It had been an abstract concept for me for most of my life, and in the beginning when I started to feel things because of you, I hoped fear wouldn’t be among them. But then last year and today again, I felt it, fear of losing you.”

“You didn’t and you won’t,” I said. “Alessio, Massimo and I, we’ll never leave you.”

Nino stroked my hair away from my sweaty forehead. “I know. I’ve come to appreciate the fear because it showed me what’s at stake, what I won’t lose, won’t allow anyone to destroy.” His eyes were full of cold determination and the promise of violence. “Remo and I have more to lose now than in the past, and nothing worth having comes without a price, without a fight. And we’re willing to fight, to give our blood and spill that of our enemies. For a while we became content in what we’ve accomplished, and came to think we’re invincible, but we’re not. Not yet, but we will be. You and our sons will always be safe no matter the price.”

“Kiss me,” I whispered, and he did, softly but full of intention.

“I’ll get Alessio so he can meet his brother,” Nino murmured after a moment.

He straightened and with a last lingering look at Massimo and me, he left. I caressed my son’s back as he tried to drink. Nino returned with Alessio propped up in the crook of one arm and perched on the edge of the bed.

“This is your brother, Alessio,” Nino said, pointing at Massimo as he lowered Alessio to the bed.

Alessio watched with big curious eyes.

I lifted my arm and ran a finger over his cheek. “You’re a big brother now.”

My eyes caught the rose tattoo on my wrist. “You’ll have to add their names.” I touched Nino’s forearm where our sons’ names were already inked into his skin. “Your faith gave me strength.”

When I’d tried to talk him out of getting a tattoo of Massimo’s name before I gave birth, he’d insisted that nothing would happen to either of us, that he wouldn’t allow it, and I believed him.

Nino shook his head as he wrapped an arm around my shoulder. “Not faith, brutal determination. I won’t ever put your or their lives’ in fate’s hands. I will bent fate to my will, like Remo and I have always done.”

“I love you.”

“And I love you.”

Alessio reached for Massimo and Nino showed him how to carefully pat his brother’s back. I shook my head, still unable to believe this was reality.

“Considering that our marriage was only meant to bring temporary peace, this is … incredible.”

Nino cupped my cheek and pointed at his heart. “It brought peace here, and one that will outlast any truce between the Camorra and the Famiglia.”

“You gave me peace too,” I whispered, then rested my head against his shoulder. “Me and my boys.”