by Bethany-Kris
Mac scratched at his jaw, ignoring a couple of gazes that flew to him, realizing he wasn’t the only one to pick up that not even one of his men had been in the list. He kept them on a tight leash—it’s what a good Capo did.
It wasn’t his fault the other Capos were slacking.
“We’ve got a rat problem; I’m about to clean house,” Luca continued, his eyes passing from one man to another without pause, “and so help you God, I will start with each of you.”
Mac didn’t get home until the sun was just starting to peek over the horizon. It would have been a beautiful sight if he cared to stare out the windows and watch the sunrise paint the sky, but he had a much more amazing sight to see.
His wife.
Mac found Melina was tucked into the corner of the couch, a cup of ginger tea between her hands, and a smile already on her face. He hadn’t woken her up before leaving the night before when he got the call, but she probably wouldn’t mind. It seemed like the further into the pregnancy she was getting, and the bigger her stomach swelled, the harder it was for her to get a good night’s rest.
When she was able to fall into a deep sleep, Mac let her.
“Morning,” Melina said, drawing her cup of tea up to her lips.
Mac strolled across the floor, dropping a kiss to his wife’s forehead and soaking in her love and life for those few seconds. “Hey, doll.”
“Busy night?”
“Long,” he offered.
He could smell the scent of the ginger tea she was drinking, and it wasn’t all too appealing. It did help her with the morning sickness that still hadn’t waned half way through the pregnancy, so he didn’t say a word.
“I got a call this morning,” Melina said.
“Oh?”
Mac headed for the kitchen, wanting to make himself a coffee. Just because he was up half of the night didn’t mean he would be able to sleep his day away. He still had to work—business didn’t end just because bad shit was going down in the family.
God knew he needed to tighten up the leashes on his crew, too, though he wasn’t sure just how much tighter he could pull before they broke.
“Yeah,” Melina called back, “Neeya, actually.”
“I’m listening.”
“She wants to have a baby shower for us.”
Mac wasn’t sure how good an idea that was, if only because it would probably be an open invitation event, if the boss’s wife was throwing them a party. Could the men of the family manage to be in the same room together without trying to kill one another?
If last night was any indication, probably not.
Still, Mac didn’t want to refuse his wife.
She deserved happy moments and to have her pregnancy celebrated.
“When?” Mac asked, coming back into the living room with his coffee in hand.
“Maybe a month,” Melina said. “She really wanted to know the gender, if possible.”
Mac smirked, taking a seat beside his wife. “So do we.”
Melina put a hand to the top of her small swell, and Mac followed with his own hand, feeling the gentle rolling of the baby under their hands.
“So is that a yes?” Melina asked.
Mac shrugged. “You can’t refuse the boss’s wife, doll.”
Melina smiled, putting her head on his shoulder. “Or me.”
“Or you.”
Melina sat next to her husband in the back seat of the limousine.
“Is all this really necessary?” she asked.
“What?”
“This limo, Mac.”
“You’re five months pregnant and you’re on your way to what I know is going to be a magnificent baby shower.”
Melina raised a brow. “Magnificent, Mac.”
Her husband placed his hand over her stomach. At five months it was more than evident that she was pregnant. Their son chose that moment to make his presence known. Melina smiled as the baby moved inside her.
“There’s my little man.”
At the sound of his father’s voice, the baby’s movement picked up even more, a particularly sharp kick hitting Melina right under her rib.
“Mac, can you please tell your son to stop kicking me?” Melina asked.
“And why would I want to do that, doll?” He winked at her.
“Because you’re not the one having your guts kicked out.”
Mac continued to rub her stomach, before he leaned close and kissed her forehead. Melina couldn’t help smiling. Though she’d never admit it, she was basking in the increased attention her husband lavished on her since the beginning of her pregnancy. Back rubs, foot rubs, trips out in the wee hours of the morning to satisfy her pregnancy cravings. Not to mention the constant surprises he was showing up with in preparation for their son’s arrival. In all honesty, she couldn’t think of a single thing this baby shower could give her that she didn’t already have.
“All right, little man, settle down and give your ma a break.”
Melina wasn’t surprised when their son immediately stopped kicking.
“This is not off to a great start,” Melina said.
“What are you talking about?”
“He’s already only listening to you and he’s not even born yet.”
Before Mac could respond, they were pulling up to the Pivetti estate. Men were stationed at the large gates and as the limo slowed down, one of the men ordered all the windows of the car to be let down. The driver complied and Melina watched quietly as the men looked inside the vehicle before they were allowed to pass through the gates.
“Talk about heightened security,” Melina said.
“Everyone is on high alert understandably.”
“I wish it wasn’t like this, especially right now.”
“Me, too, doll.”
The limo pulled to a stop and Mac opened the door and stepped out before turning to help Melina from the car. Though she’d wanted to wear something much more comfortable, like leggings, she’d opted to dress for the occasion. A white, off-the-shoulder, high-waisted dress that gently cradled her belly and kitten heels was what she’d ultimately settled on. Mac wore a matching white suit and it fit him well. Melina couldn’t stop sneaking a glance at her husband as he helped her up the stairs that lead inside the massive mansion.
“You should wear white more often.”
“Is that so? This color doing something for you?” Mac asked.
“Let’s just say you’ll need to tell your son to cover his eyes when we get home,” she told him.
Mac’s gaze traveled over her and Melina felt the familiar heat that always warmed her blood. What she wouldn’t give to head back to their place and fuck for the rest of the day. Instead, they would be spending the next few hours trying to enjoy a baby shower that Melina could have done without. The doors to the mansion were opened by more guards as she and Mac stepped inside. Before they’d even made it down the hallway, Neeya Pivetti was there to greet them.
“Mac. Melina. Wonderful to see you both. Melina, dear, you’re glowing.”
Melina smiled as their hostess came forward and drew her into a tight hug. Well as tight as her belly between them would allow.
“Thank you for having us, Mrs. Pivetti. Melina and I appreciate everything you’ve done for the both of us.”
Neeya waved her hand. “I’m happy to do it. You both mean a great deal to me.”
“And you to us,” Melina said.
From the first moment Mac had made it known that she meant something to him, Neeya Pivetti had taken Melina under her wing. The older woman had seen something in Melina that she thought was worth getting to know and for that, Melina would always be grateful.
“I’m glad to hear that. Now, Melina, if you’ll come with me. Mac, you’ll find Luca and the other men out back.”
Mac nodded before kissing Melina on the cheek and heading toward the back of the mansion. Melina watched him go, wishing that she could be with him.
“I have a feeling Mac is going to have
a better time than I am,” Melina said.
“I doubt it. These are tense times for all of us, especially the men.”
“I know that my husband can speak for himself, but I feel I need to re-emphasize this. Mac has nothing to do with everything that has gone on. He was just as blindsided as everyone else.”
“You don’t have to convince me of that. I know an honest man when I see one. Now, no more of that talk. Today is about you and the little bundle of love you’re carrying inside you.”
Melina smiled as Neeya lead her to the ballroom where a throng of women were waiting. At center stage was a large white table filled with gifts. Lining either side of the room were cloth covered tables with navy blue table runners. Each table bore an impressive amount of food and Melina couldn’t ignore the rumbling in her belly … or the cool looks being thrown her way.
Yes. This was the part she could do without.
The jealousy.
The distrust.
The phony smiles.
Melina took a deep breath.
“Ladies, the guest of honor has arrived,” Neeya said.
A few of the women came toward her and Melina silently reminded herself that she only had a few hours to suffer through this and then she would be home with her husband.
Two hours later, Melina had suffered through more than enough fake congratulations and attempts at small talk. If it weren’t for Neeya, and the decent amount of food she’d consumed, Melina was sure that she would have already begged Mac to take her home. While the gifts she’d received were nice—ranging from things as small as pacifiers, all the way up to a giant, pale-blue baby carriage—most of the gifters were less than nice. At this point, Melina was used to it but with pregnancy hormones waging war, her tolerance was at an all-time low.
“Neeya, please excuse me. I’m going to find my husband.”
“Of course.”
Melina left the ballroom and made her way through the house and outside to where the men were gathered. She’d thought the atmosphere inside was tense. It was nothing to what she felt now. Trying her best to ignore the oppressive atmosphere she felt, Melina searched for Mac. When she saw him, she moved in his direction but soon had her path blocked by Anthony.
“Melina, a pleasure to see you.”
“Sorry I can’t say the same about you, Anthony.”
He smirked. “One day, perhaps you’ll see I’m not the villain you make me out to be.”
“And then perhaps my wife will see that she was exactly right,” Mac said.
He came up to Melina and placed his arm around her waist. The two men stared at each other for a long moment before Anthony cleared his throat.
“Well, as I said earlier, congratulations to you both on the upcoming birth of your son. I wish you both the best.”
With a mock bow, Anthony walked away and Melina shook her head.
“He is so full of shit.”
Mac laughed. “That’s one way of putting it. So how are things inside?”
“Fake. Boring. The usual. I see it isn’t much better out here.”
“No. It isn’t. Everyone is on edge, looking at each other and wondering who can be trusted and who can’t.”
Screams pierced the air.
Melina watched as police stormed outside with guns raised.
“Everyone, hands in the air.”
Mac protectively placed Melina behind him before doing as he was ordered. Melina did the same. She watched as one by one each of the men were handcuffed and arrested, including Mac and Luca.
“What are the charges?” Melina asked.
The police continued to ignore her.
When she attempted to confront the one arresting Mac, her husband shook his head, silently begging her to let it go. She swallowed hard. This wasn’t the way things were supposed to be happening. Melina bit her lip as she was forced to watch her husband led away in cuffs … again.
Melina was pissed.
Her husband had been locked up for nearly two weeks.
Two weeks he should’ve been at home to hold her hand.
Two weeks he should’ve been there to feel their child kicking inside her.
Instead, he’d been stuck behind bars on phony charges, away from her and their unborn child. The Pivetti crime family had a real fucking problem. Though Mac was scheduled to be released any minute, that didn’t stop the feeling of unease that gripped her. She’d thought foolishly that with James dead, the biggest threat to her and her family was out of the way.
She’d been naïve.
So naïve.
It seemed that James wasn’t the only threat to their future.
Shifting uncomfortably in the chair in the lobby, Melina watched and waited for her husband. She was sick of being here. Sick of having her husband harassed by men who weren’t worthy of shining his shoes. But most of all, she was sick of the air of uncertainty that continued to hover over their futures. A loud slam drew her attention. She watched one by one as various male members of the Pivetti crime family filed out.
Many of them had shadows under their eyes and terse expressions. A few acknowledged her, including Anthony. Melina gave him a cool nod as she watched for Mac. He finally came through the door and then it was closed behind him. Rising from her seat, Melina opened her arms to her husband. Mac surprised her by taking her face in both hands and kissing her hard.
“I missed you, too,” Melina said.
“Obviously. Let’s go, doll.”
Taking her hand in his, they left the police station and got inside the black town car that was waiting for them. When they were comfortably seated, Melina placed Mac’s hand on her belly.
“Your son missed you, too. He’s been overly active since you’ve been gone.”
Mac smiled. “See. He’s already preparing for his man of the house duties.”
Melina rolled her eyes. “Whatever. I’m just glad you’re coming home.”
“Me, too. I’m one of the lucky ones.”
“What do you mean?”
Mac’s voice was quiet and measured. “Everyone didn’t get to come home, doll.”
Melina frowned as she thought back to all the men she’d seen exit the jail. “Luca and Enzo.”
“Yes. Them and a few others.”
Melina was quiet as Mac’s words sank in. The Pivetti boss was still behind bars. “Why haven’t they let him out?”
“I’m not certain, but I have an idea.”
“Which is?” Melina pressed.
“The kid working with James wasn’t the only rat.”
“But who else could it be, Mac?”
His hazel eyes held hers. “I don’t know, doll, but I mean to find out.”
Bethany-Kris is a Canadian author, lover of much, and mother to three very young sons, one cat, and two dogs. A small town in Eastern Canada where she was born and raised is where she has always called home. With her boys under her feet, a snuggling cat, barking dogs, and a spouse calling over his shoulder, she is nearly always writing something ... when she can find the time.
Find Bethany-Kris at:
Her website www.bethanykris.com,
or on Facebook at www.facebook.com/bethanykriswrites,
on her blog at www.bethanykris.blogspot.ca,
or on Twitter - @BethanyKris.
Sign up to Bethany-Kris’s New Release Newsletter here: http://eepurl.com/bf9lzD
A proud Alumna of the University of Central Florida and Florida State University, Erin Ashley Tanner writes stories featuring fierce females and the men who love them.
Prior to journeying into the world of contemporary romance, Erin wrote paranormal romance for Evernight Publishing. Her debut novel, Goddess of Legend released in October 2013, was the first in her Demi-God Daughters paranormal romance series. The follow up, Goddess by Chance was released in November 2014.
Dirty Little Secrets, a sexy contemporary romance was published by Samhain Publishing in July 2015. Her next release with Samhain, Devious Little Lies is schedu
led for release in June 2016.
Find Erin at:
Her website: www.erinashleytanner.wix.com/erinashleytanner,
on Facebook: www.facebook.com/ErinAshleyTanner,
or her Twitter: https://twitter.com/ErinTheAuthor.
Copyright © 2016 by Bethany-Kris and Erin Ashely Tanner. All Rights Reserved.
WARNING: The unauthorized reproduction or distribution of this copyrighted material is illegal and punishable by law. No parts of this work may be reproduced, copied, used, or printed without expressed written consent from the publisher/author. Exceptions are made for brief excerpts used in reviews.
eISBN 13: 978-1-988197-23-4
Editor: Nina S. Gooden
Proofreaders: Eli P., Tracy A.
Cover Artwork © Jay Aheer
This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, organizations, corporations, locales and so forth are a product of the author’s imagination, or if real, used fictitiously. Any resemblance to a person, living or dead, is entirely coincidental.