Signed To The Mafia King - Chapter 113: Chapter 113

ALINA
The note was short and straight to the point. It was in Luca’s handwriting.
Don’t leave the house today. I’ll handle everything today. Don’t talk to anyone either. Please, Alina. Trust me.
Was there a reason he'd left the house without waking me? Had something happened? And why was he asking me to not speak to anyone?
Anyone like who?
I sat on the edge of the bed, and read the note again, slower this time but it didn't change the hard knot curling inside my stomach.
I got up, tossed it on the bed and headed to the shower. I didn't want to think anything bad has happened, but again and again, the image of Luca’s hard eyes flashed behind my eyes.
I threw on a matching lounge wear set and opened the door, almost bumping into Matteo whose fingers were already lifted to knock on the door..
Luca's father was in a black shirt, his sleeves rolled just high enough to expose the veins on his arm. His rolled his eyes over me dismissively and nodded into the room.
“Where's my son? I need to speak to him.”
I didn’t blink at him. I scooted around him until he was backing the door.
“Good morning, Matteo,” I said, my voice as cold and flat as I could make it. I didn't smile, nor did I feel any urge to take his disdain for me.
His lips thinned, a nasty look creeping into his eyes that scared me. “Matteo? Even my son does not address me by my first name, Alina Costa!”
I straightened my shoulders though my body wanted to shrink away from the man towering over me.
“You lost the right to my respect when you hit me, Matteo.”
His hands balled into hard fists at his sides as he slanted his head to glare right into my face.
For a second, I thought he might do it again, I thought he might hit me, and I stood very still.
If he hit me again, I would hit him back. I wasn't that girl anymore.
“You know,” he said finally, “I was willing to let you stay. I thought maybe Luca could break you in. But then Victoria ends up dead, and guess who everyone will think did it?”
I didn’t flinch, but sweat broke out on my hairline. How the fuck did he know?
He stepped forward, invading my space, his dark eyes burning like coal. “You. You're the jealous wife. If I spin this the right way, I think you life's gonna be very miserable, Alina. And so will Luca’s.”
I stiffened which made him grin. “I won't protect him anymore. If he wants to go down with you, then so be it.”
Matteo stepped back, satisfied. “I suggest you behave, Alina. Keep your head down, and play nice. And maybe I'll pretend to forget all about this.”
Then he walked away, whistling while I stayed rooted to the spot.
Cold air swept through the corridor when he opened the door and closed it behind him.
I didn't go after him, instead I walked away from the door, shaking like a leaf thrown around by the breeze and stepped into the children's room.
The kids were still asleep. Maya was curled around a stuffed tiger and Leo’s thumb was inside his mouth.
I sat beside them, staring at them like I could command the world to allow us breathe.
Had Luca found out that his father somehow knew about Victoria? His father was a loose end we couldn’t afford to have.
And now, not only was he pissed at me, he was angry at his son?
I knew there would be no mercy. As I say there, my phone rang. I picked it up, and answered.
“Campbell,” I said quietly.
“Alina,” he answered. “I’ve submitted the first round of paperwork for the adoption. Everything’s in motion now.”
I felt my shoulders relax. “Thank you.”
“But,” he continued, and my stomach tightened. “There’s resistance. The police department flagged the file, they're still investigating Valerie’s death and…”
“And the alleged kidnapping,” I finished. Officer Riley had been pretty clear when he'd said he wasn't letting it go easily.
“Yes,” he confirmed. “Until those issues are closed, the court won’t grant you parental rights. Even temporary guardianship could be challenged.”
I stood up, moving toward the window. Luca and I were supposed to go on vacation soon. “So what? I can’t leave the country?”
“If you travel internationally with them right now, you’re technically committing a federal offense. It’s kidnapping, legally speaking. Riot could slap you with a bigger case.”
My stomach dropped into a large void. It felt like a mountain was pressing against my chest, cutting off the air rushing from my lungs.
I looked over at Maya and Leo again, and I looked away again, shaking away the headache I could feel brewing in my forehead.
My hands were shaking when I put the phone down. It wasn't fear, but how badly I wanted to breathe without feeling like I would drown.
I turned away from the window and headed into my bedroom.
The diary was where I’d left it, and I started reading again. I was looking for more information on Riot. There must be something bad enough to get him off our back.
I kept reading until I found it. And when I did, I sat back, pressing my back against the foot of the bed, a smile on my lips and dialed him.
His voice was smug, and devious when he answered. It made my skin crawl.
“Alina Costa,” he said. “I have to admit I didn’t expect to hear from you so soon.”
I swallowed the bile of vomit rushing up my throat. “I have something you want.”
“Oh?” He laughed. “Did you find a soul?”
“I have information,” I said, jaw tight. “On your brother. You want to run the Alvarado Cartel? I can get that for you.”
I was banking on the fact that he was as greedy and disloyal as he was evil.
There was silence on the line while I sat with my fingers squeezing the phone hard enough to break it.
Then he bit the line just like I expected. “You’re bluffing.”
“No,” I said. “And I’m willing to trade it.”
“For what?”
“The children. You back off, you stop interfering, and you remove your name from their files.”
He chuckled. “You want me to just give them to you? That’s not how this works, princess.”
“They’re not yours,” I snapped. “You know it. You’ve always known it.”
His voice was colder now. “What the fuck do you mean they’re not mine? I legally adopted them.”
That was impossible. I could feel the nausea rushing back up my throat as I listened to him chuckle.
“You didn't know huh?”