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Would he breed me until I was unable to do anything but waddle around the house all day with another baby inside me?
Would my years shrink to nine months instead of twelve?
“How about seven?” I ask, excited to hear his answer just as much as I’m terrified.
“Eight, nine, or ten. However many you’d like,” he replies. “Money isn’t an issue, and I’d love them all the same.”
A laugh slips out of my mouth, and I can tell by the way Jasha’s body tenses that he’s going to get defensive.
“What are you laughing about?”
“Nothing, it’s just…” I take a moment to collect myself so that I don’t laugh again. “It’s just that you’ve never had a child before, and you’re already committed to have, like, ten of them.”
“With you, I’d have a thousand,” he replies, puffing his chest out with pride.
I pat his chest. “Okay, tough guy, relax. I’m not having that many babies. We’ll start with this one and go from there. I’m glad you’re excited about becoming a father. I was afraid that it would be totally different.”
He sighs. “I’m sorry about the way I acted before. I was overwhelmed, and I wasn’t sure what to make of you.”
“I felt the same. Don’t worry.”
“No, seriously,” he replies. “You’re the most amazing woman I’ve ever met. You’re strong, beautiful, and you don’t let anyone walk over you. I mean, how many people would have the guts to stand up to a Mafia boss?”
“I don’t know,” I say, blushing even harder. “I feel like I let you win too easily.”
“Well, the cards were in my favor. They usually are.”
“A bit concerning, honestly,” I admit.
“You can’t possibly be upset about that when our lives are on the line, here. Considering how dangerous this situation has become, your best bet is to trust the advantage I have,” he says, his voice lowering into a more serious tone.
“I know,” I say, putting my hand on his chest and patting him again. “Don’t worry. I’m with you. I’ve already decided that.”
The tension dissolves from his body, and we return to silence, waiting for the first sign of Lorenzo’s approach. Time crawls, but I don’t mind it so much now that I’m snuggled up with Jasha. I could be here forever, and it would be perfection.
But forever doesn’t last nearly as long as I’d like it to. The steady beat of helicopter propellers overhead signals a transition into something far more intense.
Our enemy has arrived.
25
Jasha
The moment the helicopter lands beside the train tracks, I feel a magnetic pull through the trees. It’s as though Lorenzo has a giant magnet attached to his chest, and simply walking out is enough to yank me from my place of comfort and draw me to him.
I know he’s here. The air doesn’t feel the same as it did before. The ground smells like blood, and every breath I take feeds more oxygen into my brain. Sharpening me. Honing me in on my target.
I’ve turned from man to beast, and the only thing stopping me from springing out of the woods and tearing Lorenzo to pieces with my bare hands is the beauty sitting beside me.
I need to be more careful. I can’t sacrifice myself and leave her alone with our child. As much as I feel like I can take on the entire world and walk away without a scratch, I know I’m only human. I bleed like everyone else.
Okay, maybe alittledifferently, but that doesn’t change that I need to be careful for Lola.
Lola is stiff as a board beside me, but when I look at her eyes in the darkness, they don’t hold fear. It’s something more akin to anticipation, the same as how I feel. We’re both ready to end this and move on with our lives.
“Most of my men will go in first. After that, I’m heading in to clean things up,” I whisper to Lola. “You’re staying here with a few of my guards. If things get ugly, they’ll know what to do.”
She grabs my arm, squeezing it so hard that her fingertips dig up under my biceps. “You can’t go in there,” she whispers, his voice thin and sharp. “It’s too dangerous.”
