Mafia Don's Regret: His Heir Never Existed

uarded penthouse with his pregnant childhood friend and demanded a divorce to p

gid thing at the long

t hours preparing had drowned, leav

ruined confection, Chr

before his twenty-fifth birthday, whose name was a quiet command that could make hardened men lower the

t the man breaking my hea

him, her hand a pale guard

o had spent the last few years in Europe. Now she was back, preg

at was a crime pu

e hollow of my collarbone. In the dim light, his

nsgression. The only way to shield her was to give her c

d to my own

to share tonight-the tiny heartbeat I had i

al clarity sett

eant for his father. In return, I had been made a ward of the estate. A decade of devotion, bartered for this. I had folded my medical school acceptance letter and

ion would eventually t

s wr

sity of the divorce. He said i

mirk that flickered for an instan

inter inward from a sniper's bullet-would be a life sentence. My baby would be born

now, his child would foreve

e free. Neither

stomach and folded it over

usband's eyes, and I told h

pte

stia

forward mome

d architecture of his authority seemed to

himself for shattering porcelain, or

at there, her face a pla

said, her voice unnervingly steady

the thick, deliberate drip of melted

let out a small, pathetic sigh

fened. He regained his c

against the Family or Serena

n't waver. "The p

ed suit jacket. He pulled out a thick manila envelope

drew them up t

ad planned this long before he

them. He reached down and gripped her hand. His touch usua

re him," he vowed, "that once Serena's child is born an

anged. She did not pull away. She

not read

tirred in his chest, b

r three years ago to soothe his ego after Serena had fle

t was what he

for now," Christian s

is arm. "Christian, we need to leave

ders, his voice devoid of emotion.

alled, grinding into the rug for a half-second. He opened his mouth, then

ut the door with Seren

untouched birthday feast spread across th

behind him, the bolt sliding home

a's hand return to her stom

ee her eyes