Mia Figlia

Chapter 49 ✔️

Pov Riccardo

I wrapped my arm even tighter around my wife and pulled her to my chest. Her scent of coconut reminded me of our honeymoon. The secrets she told me there made my blood boil now, too. What would I give to kidnap her stepmother and slowly torture her to death! She was cut from the same rotten wood as my mother and drilled her poisonous splinters into innocent children. I now had an idea what a hell Stella's childhood and youth had been. In comparison, mine had been a bed of roses, because the harpy had left me alone from the moment, I learned to handle a firearm. Only later had she now and then made vicious remarks after she had noticed that I, as her son, did not have the heart to shoot her. Because I had hoped until the end that she would change and love me. How naive I had been!

My wife yawned heartily in front of me on the sofa. The advancing pregnancy was not as much the problem as the fact that most days she did light endurance training and, contrary to my wishes, took care of the family's legal business. What was I supposed to do? Forbid her? I shook my head. She loved and needed the task to scare away her demons. In that case, I could so beautifully provide relief! Grinning broadly, I imagined the beast trembling on the chair in the container in front of me. News from Europe had brought my father on the idea with the box. In the Netherlands the police had discovered one similarly equipped. I suspected that my father knew which mafia it belonged to. Our family was too widely scattered. It was easy for him to get information.

The living room door creaked lightly. Immediately after that I heard the tapping of delicate paws on the wooden floor. Something small landed on the sofa. Soft fur wiped along my hand. A wet nose sniffed at my index finger, pointed teeth nibbled at it on a trial basis.

"Don't do that Garfield," Stella scolded our daughter's pet. I peeked over her shoulder and frowned at the little ginger cat, who was glaring venomously at me from his green eyes. We had bought him for Isabella. Better said I because I had liked the tiny guy at first sight. But now I had to share my wife with him, since he was after her like the devil after the poor soul. A sharp pain went through my hand. Hissing, I looked at it. Two tiny red holes were emblazoned right in the soft skin between my thumb and forefinger.

"I guess I should have called you Diavolo," I muttered. Thoughtfully, I nuzzled the delinquent. If he reacted like that now, what would it be like when our baby was born?

"If you do not behave, you are moving to Lucius." The cat just yawned, snuggled up to my wife, completely ignoring her words, and demonstratively placed a paw on her pregnant belly.

"Typical Italian," Stella grumbled. I grinned broadly behind her back, knowing too well what she was alluding to. After all, I was just as possessive. To demonstrate this, I put my hand next to the cat's paw. I did not dare push it away, knowing full well that the little bastard would bite me again.

Garfield had seen the light of day, as befitted a red tomcat with his name, in the backyard of a pizzeria. One of my restaurants. The manager had immediately thought of Isabella when he discovered the female and her three kittens. One was now living with us, a black one with Francesca and the snow-white sibling was romping around this property as well. In the house, into which my father had moved after the death of my mother. First because I was in a coma, and he ran the family business. Now mainly to be close to his granddaughter and soon his grandson. He had set up a little gaming paradise for Isabella, and thus Chiara. The two were inseparable. Game consoles, computers, tablets, in abundance, which the girls used extensively. Much to the chagrin of my wife. She did not like our little one sitting in front of the screen for hours on end.

"When our son finally arrives, my father will start training Isabella," I shared my thoughts with her. "First, endurance, flexibility and strength. Later, martial arts and training with melee weapons will be added."