The Lions Den

Chapter Thirty-Nine: When the Lion Makes His Sacrifice

Matteo

I'd been working for hours on end trying to make sure everything was ready to go. I was ready to lay waste to Anfernee, but I still needed a few other pieces to fall into place. It was around ten in the evening and we weren't making ground as fast I needed us to because as far as I knew, we couldn't find anything outside of the house that Lilly told me about. I was still waiting on Marcus and Clem to return with any other information they found there, but they'd been gone for hours. I was getting anxious, terrified actually, that I wouldn't find them in time.

Them.

I sighed taking off my glasses as I ran my hands down my face. Every time I thought about the fact that she was pregnant I was ready to lose it, but I also was filled with more than enough love than I could process. The combination of both was more overwhelming than I could stand at any given increment of time no matter how small. Especially now when I all I could do was overthink.

As I took a breath and tried to regain focus on the papers in front of me, the door all but flew open with Marcus bursting into the room with Clementine behind him. I was about to chew them out for not knocking when the rest of my family came bursting in behind them making my eyes widen in shock. I was about to rise up, but before I could Katerina launched herself into my arms tightly. I shook my head as I held onto her. My mothers comforting perfume filled the air as she hugged me as well.

"I'm so sorry, bambino," She said her emotions seeping through her voice causing my own to threaten to rise to the surface. I refused to let it, though. I took a deep breath as I kissed both of their heads. While mama took a seat on the edge of my desk refusing to let go of of my hand. Katerina kept close on the arm of the chair as her hands locked around my arm. I looked at her as she she stared around the room with her head leaning on top of the chair.

"Kat, what's wrong?" I asked and she scoffed.

"She feels like she could've done something knowing she couldn't. That's her sister out there, and her girlfriend's best friend. Her niece or nephew. My grandchild, bambino. Why didn't you come tell us?" Mama asked looking down and I sighed.

"How could I?" I responded simply before looking over to Clem, "Did you have to go tell them?"

" I didn't go to tell them per se. When I popped up earlier asking for an onslaught of our men the old man demanded answers. He's old but he's scary, and his punches still sting like a bitch. Besides, Matteo as much as we wish things could be different it is what it is. Now isn't the time for secrets," He explained solemnly but firm. I could do nothing but nod my head in agreement.

"Fair point. Kat, there isn't anything you could've done, and you couldn't have known-"

"That's my sister and my little bunny out there, Matteo! I should've saw something through her sickness damnit. I'm a doctor. I checked her pills myself after the fact just so we could know how to best help her at home, and still I didn't notice the switch to the prenatal! I missed everything," She said softly in defeat. I took her hand in my hands and kissed them lightly in my hands.