Borrowed Bride: Chapter 37

“Darling?”

Nudging open the door to the kitchen, I walk through cradling my son, Emil, in my arms. Marco stands near the microwave, gently rocking our other son, Sanzio while waiting for the milk to warm up.

Yes, my second pregnancy had turned out to be twins, and that was a whole new whirlwind of challenges neither of us expected. While I’d struggled with milk when it came to feeding Freya, it was impossible with twin boys, so we’d made the decision to switch to formula, which is why most of our evenings look like this: a queue at the microwave waiting for milk to warm so we can feed our darlings.

“Hey love.” Marco smiles at me over the top of Sanzio’s head, gently nuzzling into him then he turns back to the microwave, locked in a game of making sure to stop the microwave before the ding. A noise like that will certainly knock the twins out of their slumber and we need them on their best behavior tonight. Because tonight, for the first time in months, we’re hosting a dinner party. It’s our attempt to feel like people again after months of childcare and I’m so excited I could scream.

I won’t though, because babies.

“Aha!” Marco cheers lightly and hits the button, saving us from the too-loud ding. With practiced ease, he removes the two bottles of milk from the microwave and sets them on the counter. I step in, handing Emil to Marco and taking over care of the bottles.

“You look beautiful,” Marco says softly, standing with our two tiny sons in his large arms. “Excited?”

“Very,” I reply quietly, checking the milk temperature. “I’m ready for adult conversation and no crying children and to hear what everyone else has been up to while we’ve been stuck in baby land.”

“Leo’s coming,” Marco says. “Did I tell you?”

I shake my head. “No, but it’s okay. I included him in the catering so there’s space for him.”

“He’s bringing a plus one.”

I pause with milk running down my wrist. “Leo is?”

Marco nods, smirking. “Yup.”

“Wow. I feel so out of the loop right now.”

“You and me both.”

We carefully exchange bottle for baby, and then we settle into the familiar routine of feeding our children. Freya is already tucked up in bed fast asleep as we near nine o’clock at night and with any luck, the twins will go down just as easily after their feed.

Learning I was carrying twins so late in my pregnancy was a huge shock, but having this new home to come back to was amazing. And getting to watch Marco soak up all the aspects of baby care that he missed with Freya has been an extra special gift. The only downside is how fast time moves, and I’ve missed Tara and the others immensely. They visited from time to time, but baby brain was mostly in control then.

This is the first night I’ll get to feel like myself and I’m so excited.

Luckily, Emil and Sanzio drink eagerly and fall asleep within minutes of burping. We set them down in their cribs and rock them into a deeper sleep just as guests start to arrive, and soon the night is in full swing.

“So,” Marco says, tilting his wine glass and staring down the table at Leonardo. “How did you two meet?”

Leo reaches across and takes the hand of his date, Carmilla. From their brief introduction, his new girlfriend isn’t from our world but she’s taken to it pretty easily.

“A book signing,” Carmilla replies, smiling sweetly.

“Who was doing the signing?” I ask between mouthfuls of delicious pasta.

“She was,” Leo says and a dusting of pink rises over his cheeks.

“Oh?” Marco’s brow shoots up. “You’re a writer?”

“Is it spicy?” Fawn asks from further down the table, wiggling her eyebrows. “Because I’m in the market for a pick me up.”

“Simon didn’t pan out then?” I ask, peeking past Tara and Cherry to Fawn.

“Nah,” Fawn replies. “Couldn’t handle a strong woman.”

“Fuck him,” Cherry snorts, stealing a roasted potato from Tara’s plate. “You deserve a King not a boy.”

“Too true,” Fawn agrees.

“Anyway,” Marco mutters, scolding slightly as he looks back at Carmilla. “You write?”

“I do. Action-adventure novels actually,” she replies and her cheeks darken. “It was a hobby that sort of exploded and the next thing I knew, this cute guy was telling me the story was good, but my gun descriptors were off.”

“Not in a mean way,” Leonardo clarifies. “Just glaring enough that only someone who’s fired a gun would notice.”

“That’s how you flirt?” I ask, pointing at him with my fork. “You point out literary inaccuracies.”

“It worked, didn’t it?” he smirks. “I got her number and now look at us.” Leo’s thumb slides over Carmilla’s knuckles and she looks at him with such adoration that I’m convinced it’s genuine. And I know he must feel the same otherwise he wouldn’t have brought her to family dinner.

“So do I need to write?” Fawn pipes up. “Is that how I will find a man?”

“You could always beat someone up and spend six years making them fall in love with you,” Cherry remarks with a sly glance at Tara. “Worked for me.”

“Maybe I’ll try that,” Fawn sighs dramatically, then she leans forward. “Speaking of, can we talk business?”

Marco nods. “So long as it’s good news because this is the first meal and real conversation I’ve had since the twins were born and I don’t want to hear about some asshole getting too big for his boots.”

I laugh with him, diving in to another scoop of pasta and having to wrestle the parmesan away from Tara.

Fawn is making leaps and bounds in charity work, having taken over Marco’s role in protecting women in need. With her skills and her contacts, the Russians haven’t gained another foothold in the city, and she’s been quick to stamp out anyone who sees people as products to be sold. Something that should be obvious to decent people, but it’s alarming how many scummy cockroaches creep up, eager to move people like cattle. It’s clear she enjoys the work, and the Simone and Barrone names are now spoken with heavy respect. Fawn is someone who is safe to reach out to, and everyone knows it.

Tara and Cherry have become an item and are finding new ground and stability within the Mafia. They are doing what they can to keep the drug money clean and ensure that they aren’t killing the market. Given their history, no one would have been surprised for them to eternally hate one another, but their work with Fawn brought them close. Since then, they’ve been making leaps in the drug trade, and the money pours in.

Leonardo is in an equally big place, with only a few sharks nibbling at the edge of their territories. After the crimes of the Ricci family, Leonardo absorbed a few of the smaller families that were left leaderless after that fiasco. Not everyone is happy about it, but Leo’s done a phenomenal job of ensuring everyone knows who’s boss.

There hasn’t been an explosion in the city since that nightclub so that’s a vast improvement.

“And you?” Tara asks as she eyes Marco and me. “What have you two been up to?”

“Other than juggling twins, changing diapers, bottle feeding every four hours and doing everything to make sure Freya doesn’t feel left out?” I chuckle softly. “Uh … snatching sleep when we can and⁠—”

Leonardo stands suddenly, his eyes on his phone and then his head snaps to the door just as Anton rushes in.

“Boss,” he says to Marco, then he pauses and glances at Leo. “Other boss.”

“What is it?” Marco’s hand tightens on mine.

“Perimeter breach.”

“Gianna, go to the twins,” Marco orders.

He doesn’t need to tell me twice. As I hurry from the room, Leonardo and Fawn dart out with Anton, followed swiftly by Marco. Tara and Cherry follow me to the twin’s room, where they remain sound asleep; then Cherry slips away to fetch Freya.

“What’s happening?” I whisper, trying to keep my voice down as my heart races so fast in my chest that the taste of copper tangs in the back of my throat.

“I don’t know,” Tara says, clutching my arm. “But we will keep you safe.”

I have no doubt about that, but a cold curl of fear settles in the back of my mind. We’re away from that life, as far as we can get, but Marco is still Marco Barrone, and we’ll never fully be out of the life.

Given how involved the rest of our family is, I’m not sure I even want to be given how quickly people swarm to protect us.

Cherry appears with Freya in her arms and I immediately cuddle my daughter to me, standing between the two cribs. Whatever is happening outside I know Marco will handle it.

And yet, says a small voice, what if he doesn’t? What if this time will be the last time?

Are we really doing this family a favor by staying on the sidelines? My mind runs with a hundred possibilities, each one worse than the last and my heart continues to race.

“Mommy,” Freya whines. “I’m tired.”

“I know baby,” I soothe her gently, bouncing her on my hip. “We just had a scare, that’s all. Daddy’s gone to check.”

Cherry lingers by the door, keeping her shoulder against it while Tara takes the window and I strain my ears to hear any signs of fighting.

I hear nothing.

The longer the silence drags on, the more anxious I become until finally, Marco comes through the door and makes a beeline for me and Freya.

“Marco, what’s going on? What’s happened?”

“Cherry, Tara. Fawn needs you. I got this.”

They both leave and Marco cups my face, kissing me softly. “It’s okay. I promise.”

“What happened?”

“Let’s get Freya back to bed first.”

After she’s settled and we’ve checked on the twins, Marco fills me in as we slowly head downstairs.

“They were after Leo. Some small family wanted a chance at taking down the big dog and heard he was leaving town. They assumed that made him an easy target.”

“Oh my God.” I place one hand over my still-racing heart. “Is he okay?”

“Absolutely. They didn’t stand a chance against Fawn.”

“Damn. But everyone’s okay?”

Marco takes me in his arms at the bottom of the stairs. “Everyone is fine. Are you okay?” He studies my face. “Did that scare you as much as it scared me?”

“I think so,” I laugh softly. “I was wondering what I would have to do to protect our three babies.”

“Luckily, we have a trusted family for that now,” Marco says. “We’re not in this alone.”

He kisses me softly and leads the way back to the dining room, where we walk in on Leonardo telling Carmilla how amazing Fawn was at tackling one of the intruders. Spirits are high and the room is brimming with warmth.

Marco is right.

We’re safer now than we’ve ever been.

This is not the life I would have chosen, and it was a painful road to get here, but I have a true family and despite our differences, we all would kill for one another.

Woe to anyone who messes with us.