Ruthless Mafia Daddy (Alpha Mafia Daddies)

Pain wrecks through me as I cling to the passenger door handle.

Andre races along the highway. I glance at the speedometer and nearly choke as I realize he’s doing almost double the speed limit.

“Andre, slow down!” My heart races as he narrowly dodges a Prius.

“We need to get you to the hospital.”

“I need to be alive for that.”

He looks at me sideways for a split second before focusing on the road again.

My hand goes to my flat belly. “You can slow down, I think the cramping has stopped.” I still feel a few twinges, but nothing compared to the agony that was tearing through me up until five minutes ago.

He slows down a bit. “That might not be a good thing.”

“We’re going to be okay,” I state, not only to Andre, but to myself and the baby.

I take the opportunity to pull the gray sweatshirt Andre found in the truck over my head and get to work pulling on a pair of sweatpants.

“I’m not taking any chances.” He looks over to me.

I flinch at the pain in his eyes.

For losing me or his baby? I know he doesn’t love me, but I love him. And maybe he can learn to love me.

Tears sting my eyes. I reach for his hand.

He squeezes my hand. “I can’t lose you, Lila. I love you.”

My breath catches, but I can’t say anything because Andre stops the car in the ambulance bay, throwing open the driver’s door and rushing around to help me out of my seat.

“Sir!” A nurse is running over to the car. “Sir, you can’t park there!”

Andre ignores her as he wraps an arm around my waist and lifts me out of the car.

“Andre, she’s right.” I cling to his shirt.

He lets out a breath, his jaw rigid as he turns to face the woman who’s charging toward us.Property of Nô)(velDr(a)ma.Org.

He adjusts me in his arms and takes something out of his pocket. He hands the nurse a wad of hundred-dollar bills. “Here. Park it and leave the keys at reception for De Luca.”

“Sir, I—” The look on Andre’s face and the blood stains on his hands and shirt probably have her thinking better of it, and she takes the money.

“That’s probably more than her Christmas bonus,” I mutter.

“I’ll give every person in this fucking hospital a thousand dollars if it means ensuring you’re safe, sweetheart,” he murmurs into my hair.

My eyes close for a moment as I take in the feeling of his strong body beside mine. “I thought I’d never see you again.”

“I’ll always come for you. Always.” He presses a kiss to my hair. “Now, let’s get you checked out.”

“Everything looks good, Miss Morano.” Dr. Peterson removes my blood pressure cuff. “Your blood pressure is a little elevated, but it’s nothing to be concerned about.”

“And the baby?” I cling to Andre’s hand as I try to read Dr. Peterson’s expression.

He seems to sense my anxiety as his kind face breaks out into a smile. “Your baby is fine. It has a very strong heartbeat, and seems to be progressing nicely.”

“Oh, thank god.” My eyes overflow with tears.

It seems as if they’ve been running tests for hours, checking vitals and running bloodwork.

I’m sure many of them were unnecessary, but Andre insisted that they run every possible test just in case, paid the doctors off to ensure I was receiving the best care, and from the size of my private room, it worked.

Andre wraps his arms around me and holds me tightly, gently stroking my hair as I sob into his shirt.

“I would like to keep you overnight just to monitor your blood pressure, but it’s highly likely we can send you home tomorrow.”

I’m barely listening, only caring that my baby is healthy and safe and that Andre is by my side.

Andre gets to his feet to shake Dr. Peterson’s hand. “Thank you so much, doctor, for taking such good care of Lila.”

Dr. Peterson nods and offers me one last smile before leaving the room.

I watch Andre with his back to me, and his shoulders are still rigid.

“Andre…”

He turns, his eyes constantly searching my face. As if he can’t quite believe I’m all right.

“Sit with me.” I tap the space beside me on the bed.

I shift across to make room, and he sidles in beside me, wrapping his arm around my shoulder.

“I thought I lost you,” he whispers.

“I’m not going anywhere.” I take his hand and squeeze it. “You’re stuck with me.”

“Forever?”

I look into his eyes. “Is that what you want? What you said in the car…”

“Yes. Forever. I love you, Lila Morano. So, what do you say?”

I smile, nodding, tears streaming down my face.

“Use your words, sweetheart, I need to hear you say it.”

“Yes. Forever. I love you too, Andre. So much.”

He beams. “Good. And I guess we should make it official…”

I blink, glancing up at his face.

“Is that supposed to be a proposal?” I tease. “Because your whole ensemble is really adding to it.”

“Well, I wouldn’t want to raise your heart rate by doing some big, romantic gesture.” Andre grins, his shoulders finally relaxing.

This is a joke, right?

I laugh.

When Andre slides off the bed, I frown. Then he drops to one knee beside me.

“Oh, my god.” My hand goes to my mouth as I stare at Andre.

His dark eyes are filled with nothing but warmth as he takes my hand and presses a kiss to my knuckles.

“For a long time, I thought I had had my fill of happiness.” He takes a deep breath as he looks down at our entwined hands. “So, when you came along, I thought it was too good to be true. I thought the universe was playing some cruel trick on me. I didn’t know I was ready for you, so I tried to fight it. I tried to suppress the feelings that were starting to grow, but no matter what I did, I couldn’t seem to let you go.”

“Andre…” My eyes start to sting with tears.

“I don’t deserve you, Lila Morano, but I will spend every day for the rest of my life trying to make myself worthy of you. So, think you could accept me, flaws and all? Better yet, would you do me the honor of becoming my wife?”

Tears stream down my cheeks, my throat thick with emotion. All I can do is nod vigorously before throwing my arms around Andre, almost falling out of the hospital bed.

“Words, sweetheart. Is that a yes?” He chuckles, wrapping his strong arms around me.

“Yes, of course it’s a yes.” I take his face in my hands and kissing him.

“I love you, Lila,” he whispers against my lips.

Those three words have my heart cracking open all over again, but this time from an overflow of joy.

“I love you too, Andre.”

I wake up a few hours later to a knock at the door. Andre is still beside me in the bed, though he’s now wearing a crisp white shirt and slacks.

“What happened to the sweats?” I mumble.

Andre chuckles, tightening his hold on me.

“Marco and Rosa arrived an hour ago with some supplies. They’re eager to see you, but I told them you were sleeping.”

The knocking on the door becomes louder.

“I’m assuming that’s them now?”

“I have a feeling that it might be.” He kisses me softly before sliding off the bed to open the door. “And I was right…”

I push myself up to a sitting position as Rosa and Marco enter.

Rosa looks on the verge of tears as she looks at me, and I offer her a reassuring smile.

I know she feels guilty for what happened, but I don’t want her to shoulder the blame. It’s in the past.

“How are you feeling?” Marco moves to stand at the foot of the bed. His arm is in a sling.

I choose not to ask for the details. If anything, I want to try and forget that the past few hours ever happened.

“Great. Doctor says I’m all good and should be home tomorrow.”

Rosa still hovers by the door, glancing anxiously at Andre, who’s leaning against the door with his arms folded across his broad chest.

“Don’t you ever disobey me again, you hear?”

“I promise,” Rosa mumbles.

Andre drops his hands and pulls his sister into a tight hug, ruffling her hair playfully.

She wraps her arms around him.

I smile at the two of them before glancing at Marco, who is fidgeting from one foot to the other.

“Is everything okay, Marco?”

“I realized I never apologized.” A blush creeps up his cheeks.

I frown. “For what?”

“You know, the whole kidnapping in the middle of the night thing,” he mutters.

I bite the inside of my cheek to hide my laugh and glance at Andre, whose dark eyes are glittering.

He shrugs. “At least he apologized. My little brother is not usually one for such a gesture.”

“Fuck off. I was only following your orders.”

Andre smirks, tucking his hands into his pockets.

“This family is weird.” Rosa plops down into the chair beside me.

“I appreciate the apology, Marco.” I chuckle. “Though, if you ever try to kidnap me again, and that goes for you too, Andre, I will personally chop off both of your dicks and put them through a meat grinder.”

Marco cringes. “Noted.”

My eyes stay glued to Andre. “And from now on, no more thinking you know what’s best for me. I want to be involved in every decision that affects me and my baby, you hear?”

I pause, realizing what I’ve just said.

Everyone is silent for a moment.

Rosa squeals, “You’re pregnant?”

I cringe, but nod. “I am.”

“Oh, my god!” Rosa cries, jumping up from her seat to launch herself at me.

Andre smiles. “We’re also engaged.”

“No shit!” Marco claps his brother on the shoulder with his free hand. “Congrats!”

“This is so exciting!” Rosa hugs me so tightly I almost choke. “I’m going to be an auntie!”

Overjoyed at her excitement, I hug Rosa back.

I’m so grateful that this baby is going to be surrounded by so many people who love it. Something I missed out during my own childhood.

Marco tilts his chin at me. “How far along are you?”

“About two and a half months, so it’s still early.”

Rosa is beaming. “Too early to know if it’s a boy or a girl?”

I nod.

She gets a dreamy look on her face. “I hope it’s a girl.”

Marco groans. “Then we’ll be outnumbered,”

“Exactly.” Rosa chuckles. “Oh, think of all the cute clothes! I’ll start making a Pinterest board for the nursery…”

I glance at Andre who’s shaking his head.

I frown. “What?”

“See what you’ve done?” He tilts his head in Rosa’s direction.

She sticks her tongue out at Andre before pulling her phone out of her back pocket.

“We could have a cute woodland theme, or circus theme. Oh, have you started making a list of names? Because I have a list somewhere in my phone of some really cute ones⁠—”

Andre moves over to the bed and takes Rosa by the arm. “I think that’s enough for now, little sis. Lila should rest.”

“But—”

I smile at her. “I promise I won’t make any decisions without you.”

Rosa beams and let’s Andre usher her toward the door.

Rosa waves as she leaves the room. “Welcome to the family, Lila!”

Marco chuckles as he follows behind Rosa. “Hope you’re not regretting your life choices.”

Andre shakes his head as he closes the door behind his siblings. “No turning back now.”

He leans against the door looking so delicious I want to make love to him right here in this hospital bed. As if he can sense the tone of my thoughts, he smirks, reaching for the top button of his shirt.

“I say we make this engagement official.”