Chapter 21

Twenty-One

Elena – Four Weeks Later

"Bye, Mrs. Russo," Hannah says as she rushes out of my classroom, her blonde pigtails swinging with her pace.

She's the last to leave for home, as she was trying to fit all her artwork in her backpack.

The girl lives for art.

"No running, Hannah. You don't want to fall again," I call out. The cheeky ten-year-old puts her hand up behind her but slows down, making me chuckle.

She ran in this morning and went flat on her back, slipping on a bit of water from the mop the janitor forgot to put away.

She's lucky she didn't break anything with how hard she fell.

I feel a flutter in my belly and look down, smiling at my small twenty-three-week bump.

It is strange. At the beginning of my pregnancy, I thought I looked huge, but now I seem nearly the same size as I was at fourteen weeks, though my OBGYN says that's not the case.

We had a checkup last week, Romeo demanding it, and so far, the baby is at its expected size. No, we don't know what we're having.

My choice, much to my husband's dismay. He withheld orgasms for over an hour in punishment for my not wanting to know, but he understood. I want to be able to enjoy my pregnancy and not have people talking about how our son will be the future heir to the Italian Mafia, and whether he'll stay in New York or decide to move to Italy and run things from there. I certainly don't want to discuss the man my daughter will marry to strengthen the organization.

I mean, I get it. If we're having a boy, he will be the heir and take over from Rome one day, but a girl….

I shake my head and grab my bag, happy it's the weekend.

If we have a daughter, I need to discuss the expectations with Rome because I won't marry her off to someone she doesn't love.

My father sold me, and yes it turned out okay, but that's not always the case.

I look around the room and ensure its tidy when I hear footsteps. I begin to smile, thinking maybe Rome got off work early today, but my smile drops at seeing Damian. He smirks, running a hand through his slicked back hair.

"Hey, Elly," he says, trying to be seductive as he bites his bottom lip, and I shudder.

Elly, again, seriously?

I silently curse as I ask impatiently, "What can I help you with, Damian?"

He grins wide, putting his hands in his slacks. "I wanted to see if you wanted to grab a bite," he says looking down my black wrap dress, ignoring my bump before looking up again.

I raise a brow at him. "That sounds like a date…."

He shrugs. "Would that be so bad?"

I snort and say sarcastically, "Well, considering I'm twenty-three weeks pregnant and, oh yeah, married, I'd say it would be."

He smirks. "You're not happily married, Elly. I heard you are sleeping separately and that the baby won't stay with you when it's born."

What the? How could he even know…. I narrow my eyes at him, looking over him, my eyes going to his neck, noticing the signature “L” hickey, and I laugh in his face, causing it to go red with anger.

I try to calm down, but the image of Liliya whispering in his ear hits me, making my laughter go louder.

He's such a gullible idiot.

Did he think I'd leave my husband for him just because she said I would? I've never even given him one reason to believe I wanted him that way. Jeez….

"Let m-me guess," I stammer, trying to get my breath back after a few minutes, "my sister managed to get out from under my father’s thumb for a little while, and fucked you , of all people, to achieve what exactly?" His nostrils flare. "Not only is she after my husband, has been for years, but you fell for whatever lies she's told you in hopes of getting him." I smirk at him. "My husband and I are very much in love and happy, and we're definitely sharing a bed…."

Growling to hide the embarrassment I can see clearly from here, he sneers, "She's a better fuck than you are anyway."

I laugh again. "And how did you find that out exactly, when I've only ever slept with my husband?" He takes a menacing step forward. I ignore the panic building, raise a brow, and beg, "Oh please, raise a hand to me; I mean, you being in this room is all the ammunition Rome needs to kill you, and being the Don of the Italian Mafia means he'd get away with it." His face pales. He steps back while I take a step forward and sneer, "You propositioning me, while I'm pregnant at that, then insulting me, is enough for you to be suspended, so please do me a favor and try and hurt me, I'm begging you. Because at least then everyone will believe you've just left town when you go missing."

He tenses, and I furrow my brows as I look down to see he's pissed himself, and I laugh again as he runs away.

"I guess he had no idea who Rome was," I mutter, picking my phone up before walking out of my classroom, locking the door just in case, not trusting Damian not to do something.

If he's involved with my sister, then he's dangerous. I may have sounded brave back there, but really, I was shaking like a leaf that he may hurt my unborn child like my sister was probably hoping for.

She failed once at poisoning me, so why not try again with someone she thought was a friend when, in reality, I saw him as a pest? I was just too nice to ask him to leave me alone. Plus, I loved how jealous Rome got.

I walk to the other side of the school, where the entrance is, out the double doors, and smile when I see Aldo. He raises a brow, crossing his arms over his broad chest, and I groan.

"Let me guess, you didn't like how long I was taking and decided to check the camera feed Rome has no idea I know about."

He smirks. "It doesn't surprise me you know about that, but yeah, I did, and right now, I'm trying my hardest not to go in that school and kill the fucker."

I grin. "Does it help that I made him piss himself with threats of Rome?"

He laughs. "Yeah, sweetheart, it does. Come on and get in."

I nod as he opens the door, but before I climb in, I ask, "Can you take me to him?"

He grins wide. "Of course."

Kissing his cheek, I climb in, and lean back with a sigh. Don't get me wrong, I miss my car, but I can't really complain about being chauffeured after a long day.

It takes longer than normal to get to Rome's office because of an accident, but I smile, happy I'm about to see him.

He doesn't know I'm dropping in, but hopefully, he will be okay with it.

Aldo opens the door for me, and I say, "You might as well go home, Aldo. I'm going to stay with Rome until he leaves."

He smiles a little. "Even if it's late?"

I grin. "Even if it's late. It's Saturday tomorrow, and I would like to spend time with him. I have papers to grade, so it'll keep me busy."

He nods again, kissing my forehead before watching me enter the large glass building. The security guard notices me instantly and lets me through, and I thank him. I make my way to the elevator, pressing the button, a smile on my face.

Things have been going so well between Romeo and me. He lets me in, and he helps me understand his work and what he's doing day to day.

He's helping me build that trust, and honestly, it's working. I don't know if that makes me an idiot, but I believe him when he says he hasn't been with anyone but me since that day in the café. The way he looks at me and treats me proves that.

I'm his everything.

It doesn't take long before I walk into the silver and gold reception area. I notice the desk empty and sigh in relief.

Helena doesn't like me much, but it may have something to do with the warning Romeo gave her when we first met. It could also be that I didn't tell her who I was, and she embarrassed herself by gloating about something that was false.

I grin; that day was fun.

My grin drops when I walk into Romeo's office.

The sunset shines in the room from the wall window behind his desk, lighting up a very naked Helena sprawled on top of it, her legs up and spread, her fingers thrusting hard in her extremely wet entrance, the sound echoing in the room, making me want to vomit.

My heart races as I look around the room, but I don't see Rome or his clothes to say he's screwed her.

Again, I feel guilty that my thoughts went that way, but honestly, even someone who wholly trusts their other half would question this.

I hear a door open on the other side of the room and look to see Romeo walking in, doing up his belt—the sound of a flushing toilet echoing behind him.

Oh God, please tell me he didn't….

"Rome, baby, please make me come," Helena moans, causing him to look up in confusion before shock covers his features, before clear disgust and anger override his features, and everything in me deflates in relief.

I smile, lean against his door, and ask, "Should I wait outside until you're done or come back later?"

Rome's head shoots my way, and for the first time since meeting this man nearly seven years ago, pure fear cascades off him.

Helena looks up and smirks, seeing me as she rasps, "Actually, you can hand him the divorce papers…."

Rome's face goes red as he growls loudly and storms over to her. He grips her hair and yanks her off his desk. She screams, her hands gripping his, trying to get free, begging him to let her go, but he ignores her struggles, making her stand like she weighs nothing, before he grabs her neck and twists.

My eyes widen as she drops to the floor, her eyes open.

I don't take my eyes off her body as Rome breathes heavily.

I hear him snap, "Leonardo, stop fucking Holly on your desk; I need a clean-up." I look up and make eye contact with my husband. His are darker, the blue looking nearly back. He keeps eye contact as he snaps, "My secretary stripped and finger fucked herself on my desk while I was in the bathroom, and El walked in on it."

He listens to what his brother says before he hangs up, puts his phone in his pocket, and crosses his arms over his chest.

I stammer, "Y-you just killed her…."

His nostrils flare as he snaps, "Of course, I fucking did. I won't have her making you believe I was having an affair. I've only just fucking gotten you back after you thinking I was screwing your sister for years!"

I blink, my mouth parting a little. I think I'm in shock; I mean, I must be right because, dammit, the way he's working to make sure he doesn't lose me is making my stomach flutter, and no, it's not our baby, either….

I feel a presence behind me, but I don't move, keeping my eyes on Rome's as Leonardo chuckles. "And here I thought we were going to take her to the warehouse to find out who else she sold our info to." My eyes widen, and I turn to look at Leonardo. He grins, rasping, "Hey, sorella …." His grin drops when he realizes I'm actually standing here before glaring at his big brother. "You did not fucking kill her in front of your wife, you idiot!"

I snort, making him glare at me as Romeo curses, "I didn't fucking think, alright. All I saw was my wife standing in the doorway and a bitch lying on my desk naked, telling said wife to sign divorce papers."

Leonardo pauses for a second before he nods. "Alright, I'll give you that one."

I huff. "Can we get back on topic, please?" I look at Leonardo. "Leo, what did you mean about her selling information?"

When we hear the elevator ding, Leonardo gently pushes me into the room and shuts Rome's office door, hiding the body.

Rome speaks up, making me look his way as he walks over to me, "We've been having a few problems lately. This office is my main office for all our legitimate businesses. It turns out Helena was the one selling the information to the men we tracked, who then sold it. She never got caught, always the middle man, until this morning when she logged on to my account while I was here."

"Huh," I murmur, willingly going into my husband's arms, and he sighs.

"I never fucked her," he starts, and I cut him off, "I know, Rome." I look up at him as I wrap my arms around his back.

"I mean, don't get me wrong, for a split second, my mind did go there, but anyone in my position would question it. I mean, if you came to my classroom and saw someone naked…." He growls, and I laugh, leaning my head on his chest.

"How are you not freaking out right now?" Leonardo asks, perplexed.

I chuckle. "Helena isn't the first person I've seen killed. Papa didn't know I was awake, and I heard screaming one night. I think I was twelve. I walked into the basement to see him cutting some guy's ear off. I screamed the place down, and he instantly felt bad." I frown. "An hour later, Mama showed up in my room, and belted my back."

Rome stiffens, and I move my head up and kiss his chin.

"Your mother is a bitch and doesn't deserve forgiveness. I don't care what her reasons were," Leonardo mutters, then looks at his brother. "I'll call the cleaning crew. Romeo, why don't you take El home."

Rome nods as Leonardo kisses my head, and leaves as he pulls his phone out.

"I just need to close everything down," Rome whispers against my head, and I nod, letting go of his shirt. I watch as he rounds the desk, ignoring the dead body, and shuts his computer down, muttering, "I was really looking forward to fucking you over my desk tonight, and now I’m going to have to burn the fucking thing."

I laugh and ask, "How did you even know I would come?"

He smirks. "I have your necklace app open all day, farfalla , needing to know you’re safe." I smile at that. I know most people will think it's controlling, but it's pure protection with Rome. He grabs his keys, walks over to me, and says, "And don't think I don't know about that fucker, either. He's dead if I ever see him."

I wince and give him a grim smile, knowing he means every word, but he ignores it, wrapping his arm around my shoulders, and guiding me out of his office.

"Hey, Rome," I say as we approach the elevator, and he hums. Clearing my throat, I ask, "When do I get my car back?"

He snorts, guiding me inside the box. After the door closes he murmurs, "You don't. I scrapped it months ago and bought you a Jeep Wrangler, but now you're pregnant, I don't want to risk your safety."

My eyes widen as I look his way in shock before anger takes hold, and I snap, "Why, you little?—"

He cuts me off, taking my lips with his own, kissing me with hunger as his tongue pushes through my parted lips, tangling with mine. I instantly melt, moaning like a little whore, before he pulls back, grips my cheek, and whispers, "I love you, El."

I narrow my eyes and admit, "I love you, too, but if I were you, I'd hide the things you treasure most, including your Aston Martin."

He grins. "Destroy everything for all I care, farfalla . My most treasured thing is you, and I need you safe."

Ah crap, there goes my heart and my anger.

Seeing he got to me, he smirks, then presses his lips against mine again, and I melt into him.

This man….