Crossfire Queen

25.

Standing at Lorenzo's door I cringed. I could hear him shouting angrily on the other side, it didn't take a genius to realise Louisa was also in there. "You ready" Luca asked as I gulped slightly. I responded with a small nod as he turned his attention to the door and knocked. "Unless you're luca, fuck off" his voice boomed making me flinch. "Good job it is me then, I have Sofia too" luca said with a bravado that made me want to cringe again. I doubted his mocking tone was right for this situation. "Come in" Lorenzo said to us firmly. "Both of you" he added a little softer.
Luca opened the door open further to allow me access, walking in I waited for him to close the door before proceeding. I didn't know what to do in this situation, Was I meant to stand awkwardly and wait to be spoken to or?
"Take a seat Sofia" Lorenzo ordered as he gestured to one of the arm chairs opposite his desk. "Thank you" I said quietly. "Louisa was just telling me that she was at a club downtown" Lorenzo said firmly. "A non mafia owned club" he added looking at me. "I never said that Marco owned it. I just know they work together on something there" I tried to explain as Lorenzo put his hand up to stop me. "I want to hear it from her" he said as he looked at Louisa.

"Like she just said. Marco doesn't own this club. None of the Di Rossi do. I was asked to help run medical checks on the women there." She explained as Lorenzo nodded. "So how come Sofia can ring him, and he knows your there. Knows your exact where abouts. That's a huge fucking risk." Lorenzo roared making me flinch. "He's a man, he frequents the place. Not on business but pleasure. He has no need to hurt me." She said firmly. "And yet he knows your schedule. Very well clearly" luca snapped. "And you don't take your phone so we can't trace you, you have to know that raises suspicion" Lorenzo mused as she chuckled. "I don't take my phone, because then if they did ever hurt me, they wouldn't have access to all our phone numbers. Can I just say that personally the more concerning thing here is the fact that she has them on speed dial" Louisa protested as she pointed at me accusingly. "Thank fuck she did, it's the only reason Ro is alive" luca snapped as I glanced at Lorenzo. I hoped he would agree with his son, but I knew how much he hated the close relationship I had with the Di Rossi. "For the record, Alessia isn't on speed dial. But I obviously have her number saved. I don't have any of the others before you even ask" I sighed almost waiting for this to turn on me. "Alessia's number is better than no one's though right dad" Louisa smirked as I felt my blood boil. If they really used this to their advantage I'd be livid.

"She's out of bounds" Lorenzo said firmly as I felt relief flood through me as Louisa let rip at her father. "You won't let me work in a neutral venue doing STI checks but you'll let her keep a di Rossis number." Louisa scowled. I couldn't help but feel my heart plummet at the thought of the bar Marco clearly frequented, where Louisa was employed to do regular STI screening. "Myself and Sofia agreed to some terms. I stand by them. Alessia is out of bounds. She was honest with me from the start. I have no reason to doubt her trust" Lorenzo said firmly to his daughter as she scoffed whilst I tried to shake the thoughts of Marco fucking someone else. "She's a Russo. I think that's enough in itself" she scowled at me. "Enough" Lorenzo said sharply making me flinch as I felt luca put a hand on my shoulder.

I didn't know if it was meant to be reassuring or not, but somehow I felt my pulse rate slowing.
"I need you to be honest with me. Tell me what part you play in this little scheme. I want details and I'll give you 24 hours to tell me them." Lorenzo said to his daughter. "Now leave. I need to speak with these two" he added authoritatively as she huffed before hauling herself from the chair and stomping out dramatically.
At this stage, I wanted to say that she deserved everything coming for her, but I'd learnt in the last few weeks that the world could be cruel and some of the things I'd witnessed I wouldn't have wanted to inflict on my own worst enemy, so instead I'll settle with 'the truth will out'
As the door clicked shut I turned my attention to luca who had now replaced his sister in the opposite armchair to me as he waited for his father to speak. "Now, I need you to tell me everything you know about her involvement" He eventually said as I bit my lip slightly. "I really don't know much else, she once called the house. One of the maids went to Alessia to ask if they could disturb Marco who was in a meeting as she was on the phone" I shrugged as Lorenzo looked at me quizzically. "Did they?" He asked curiously. "No, Alessia said their meeting was too important for them to be disturbed." I shrugged again as the interrogation continued. "Did they seem surprised she was on the phone" Luca asked from besides me. "Not especially. But maybe Alessia didn't realise who it was. I mean it's weird right that she can call their house line? Even I don't have that number" I thought out loud. "It's certainly interesting. Did the maid seem flustered" He responded with curiosity. "Her voice was a little shaken, but she was like a mouse. And Alessia was in a foul mood so it could've been that" I said honestly as he nodded. "Sorry, I don't feel like I'm being much help" I sighed as he shook his head. "Anything you think of you tell me or luca" Lorenzo said with a warmth I hadn't seen before. "I will" I said with a simple nod of my head.

"Good, now should we discuss your latest venture" he asked as he sat at his leather office chair and pulled a document from his draw and slid it over to me. "Contract" was boldly written at the top. I gulped as I saw my name written on the bottom underneath Lucas. Flipping the page I began to read.
'The persons named in this contract will engage in and participate in consensual sexual intercourse in order to procreate an heir for the Marchetti family.
The heir will be entitled to the line of Marchetti and will one day rule over the family.
The heir will not need to be a male in order to take the line of succession. He or she is entitled to rule as a matter of birth right.
The persons identified in this document as being the maternal parent, Sofia Russo, will receive optimum opportunity to healthcare throughout the agreement, including fertility examination, pregnancy care and any subsequent care required whilst she remains within the Marchetti family.
The persons identified in this document as the maternal parent, Sofia Russo, upon exiting this family relinquishes the right to call the heir her child. She leaves all parental rights with the person identified in this document as the heirs father luca marchetti, who will oversee the care of the child until he or she is 18 years old.
The person identified as being the mother to the heir, Sofia Russo is bound to the Marchetti family until the heir is born. At this point she is free to leave the family with no further consequences. She is unable to leave the family with the heir.'
And so it continued. It wasn't anything I hadn't already known, other than the fact we now had it in writing that I didn't have to carry a boy to make an heir. Within 10 months I could be free of the ties to this family. I could go back to Marco and Alessia. I could go back to being just a Russo, in a world where being a Russo was more than enough.
I signed on the line and agreed to the terms. Sex at least once a day as directed by Luca. I had to do it At least daily, anything over that I could say no to. I wouldn't though, I needed this baby. My business was also protected in the deal, I could walk away with the investment Lorenzo had made, with his grandchild being more than enough payment. It almost sounded easy, but I knew it wouldn't be.
Pregnancy was no laughing matter, nor child birth. I had to try and keep myself detached from the tiny human that would inevitably grow inside of me. Harder still I'd have to stop myself from truly being intimate with Luca. The last thing I needed was to catch feelings when all I really was to him was a surrogate.
"Thank you" Lorenzo said as I placed the pen down signifying that I had indeed signed the contract. "Did you speak with Alessia about this" Lorenzo asked curiously. "No, I haven't had the time to. With the wedding and everything" I explained as he nodded. "I probably wouldn't. I don't want them putting a target on your back." He said firmly as I gulped. "I don't think they would. They know I'm bound to you. They don't punish me for it" I explained as he wet his lips. "Sofia, they will despise the fact you're about to mother the heir of Marchetti, no matter the circumstances. We don't want you or the baby harmed. I know they have vowed that they won't ever directly harm you, but I don't know for sure that they won't harm the baby" Luca sighed sadly as I nodded.

It made sense, whilst I was practically under Marcos protection, my Marchetti offspring wasn't. At least he or she probably wouldn't be. Marco certainly wouldn't be claiming step father of the year or wanting to call he or she his own. Let's face it, given the fact it sounds like he goes to a brothel fairly regularly, I'm sure he'll have a child of his own in no time. "I won't tell her, but won't it be obvious when I suddenly pile on the pounds" I queried as Luca glanced at his father. "We'd request that once you start showing signs of pregnancy you don't see Alessia directly." Lorenzo said. "It's usually only around 10 weeks" he added as I gulped. "What will we tell her?" I questioned huskily. "You're ill? You're on holiday? Etc. we will make it plausible. The likelihood is she will also be pregnant Sofia, Leo won't mess around. She probably won't want to leave the house either" Lorenzo advised as I nodded. It was all plausible. Entirely fucked up, but plausible.
"Try not to worry to much Sofia, stress can be a deterrent to fertility" he added as I nodded. I guess the race for an heir was well and truly in motion. "Now, if you'll both forgive me, I have some more work to see too." He continued, all but throwing us out of the office. Nodding I rushed to my feet and followed Luca out the room.

As he shut the door behind us, I lingered not knowing what to do. Would he take me upstairs now and make me fuck him? "You don't need to look so worried Sofia" he chuckled. "Don't I" I stammered. "You'll be fine, I'll be with you the whole time" he smiled wildly at me. I think it was meant to reassure me, but it only seemed to make me more nervous. "How about tonight, we just lie in bed next to one another and get to know each other" he said. "No sex." He added as I nodded not really feeling like I had much choice to do any different. At least he was trying to be nice, even if it was unsettling me.