The Mafia's Heirs

80. Hold Up Your Hands

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"You are not here just because you wanted to apologize, now are you?" She narrowed her eyes at him.

"W-what?" Of course the Capo of the Sicilian Mafia was caught off-guard.

"You did not hurry over here because you were an asshole in the morning." She stated, matter of factly. "You came here because you got intel that someone is after my life."

"What are you saying?" He asked, laughing nervously though he was curious to know how she had that figured out. Of course he was going to tell her what was going on. He just didn't want to stress her out before she was through her first shift. But this woman had already figured it out.

"An eye for an eye." He said finally. "Sergey wants you dead because he thinks we killed Mona. Maybe he didn't kill her after all."

"Or maybe he did." She said without skipping a beat as she continued walking to the car.

Mateo scrunched up his face. "Or at least he has some other agenda because he is not trying to avenge his sister."

"What do you mean?"

"You have a sister Mateo. If he wanted to avenge his sister's death, he would try to kill Sia, not me. Which makes me come to the conclusion that the reason why he wants me dead is entirely different. Or if he really is avenging his sister, then this is him trying to direct all attention to me and leave Sia defenseless, which I doubt she will ever be."

If there was an Alessia Adesso Fan Club, then Dr. River Johnson would probably be the president. That's how much of a high regard River had for her baby daddy's younger sister.

"How do you come up with all of this?" He asked, impressed at the angle she had thought this situation out in. An angle he had missed. She never failed to surprise him.

"I watch way too many crime thrillers for my own good!" River said as she revved the engine. "Or used to."

Mateo shook his head, chuckling.

Dr. River Johnson really was something else.

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"Jesus River, you are River." Mateo rolled his eyes as he watched his baby mama fidget with the hem of her shirt. "And you were here just this morning, remember?"

"Just shut up, Mateo." She give him her death glare. "Let me mentally prepare myself."

Mateo had to bit his lips to suppress the laughter that was bubbling up his throat. The woman shot bullets at enemies with no fear, flew through air with her motorbike and stood up against the very queen of The Sicilian Mafia and yet here she was, biting her nails and fidgeting with her shirt because she was nervous to go back to the work that he knew was just a piece of cake to the love of his life.

"What if I don't have it in me anymore?" She voiced out.

While she thought that she sounded like a loser for saying that, Mateo was just glad that the woman was finally voicing her worries and insecurities instead of bottling it all in until she could not take it anymore.

"Hold up your hands." Mateo said.

River turned to face and gave him a cute confused look. "What?"

"Just hold up your hands." He said, holding up his own.

River's forehead furrowed in confusion but she still did as she was told.

"Are they shaking?" Mateo asked, referring to her two steady hands.

River shook her head, not knowing what exactly this dude was trying to say.

He looked out of the car and at the sky. "Do you see any pigs flying?"

River rolled her eyes. Why was she stuck with idiots like this.

Mateo turned to her and raised a brow, waiting for her reply.

"No." She said finally, knowing exactly what he was playing at.

"Then I guess you are good to go."

It was stupid and childish and lame but it made her feel so much better. So much better that River could not help but lean forward and capture his lips in hers.

Mateo was shook for a moment but then he smiled into the kiss, pulling her onto his lap as his hands roamed her back.

His lips made its way down her jaw and to her neck.

"I- I need to get g-going." River breathed out.

Mateo did not want to let her go but he knew that it was dangerous to have her so close to him right now.

He was going to make love to this woman, but not in the basement of a hospital, inside a car.

River Johnson was a goddess and he was going to make love to her, worship her body. Not fuck her like she meant nothing.

"Go." His voice was strained, the sexual tension having sent his libido into overdrive.

River quickly opened the door and hopped out, fixing her clothes before opening the back door and getting her duffel bag.

She turned to Mateo. "See you at home."

"I will be here to pick you up." He said. He was not going to wait around for her at home.

River rolled her eyes.

"Quick reminder that you have tons of work pending."

"Quicker reminder that none of them mean anything when compared to you."

River had to agree that this Italian God knew just how to make her heart skip beats. If she started to suffer from some kind of arrhythmia, it was entirely his fault.

"Sure." Is all she said before she made her way to the elevator, soon joined by Victor who was going to follow her around like her shadow.

Mateo waited till the elevator door closed. He sighed as he pressed the back of his head against the seat.

He needed to protect them all. Protect all of whom meant everything to him. But how the hell was he supposed to do it when he didn't know who exactly the enemy was.

Someone was right when they said it takes great courage to have a family when you are a made man of the Mafia. The danger is just too real and it's so hard protecting everyone you love from it.

But Mateo was adamant.

He was not going to let anyone hurt a hair on the skin of his loved ones.

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