Captured by the Mafia (Completed)

Chapter 17

Pete

When we return home from Las Vegas, I and Vegas get into a normal routine, or as normal as being with a criminal can be. I start to feel less like a prisoner and more like a member of his family. He treats me with the same respect he gives his brother and even leaves me with his son here and there. I start to get comfortable with the idea of being his and maybe us being together but there are so many unknowns to our situation. Vegas comes with a heavy price tag... one that could cost me my life, and after Vegas, I'm not certain I'm prepared to go against any of his future enemies. I eye the adorable little boy sitting on the floor in front of me. He just hit the six-month mark the nanny told me when I came in to feed him this morning. He was trying to bend upward like he wanted to sit up, so I put him on the floor and surrounded him by five pillows in case he falls over. Now he's giving me a slobbery toothless grin, and I can't help but smile back at him. He's adorable, looking like a complete miniature version of his father. He would be worth staying and being with Vegas for, but the fear of never finding my brother again or dying at the hands of Vegas's enemies is real and I can't shake the thoughts from entering my mind. "You're just as handsome as your father," I coo at V. His dark eyes sparkle with happiness, as he flings his chubby hands around. I think about all that Vegas has done to protect his son, what he will continue to do. "You think I'm handsome?" Vegas's deep honeyed voice startles me and I jump, turning and craning my neck toward the door. I take in his devilishly handsome features. His black hair is slicked back, and his eyes look more brown then black today. "It's not polite to eavesdrop." I smile. "You and I both know that politeness isn't one of my strong points." He snickers and walks into the room. Immediately, he has V's full attention and gives him a breathtaking smile. The love he has for his son shines through in everything he does and V starts giggling and cooing while reaching for his daddy, opening and closing his tiny little hands. "I'll be leaving soon."

"What do you mean, you'll be leaving soon?" I inquire. Vegas's eyes remain on his son. "I'm leaving, Mouse. That's all you need to know." My teeth grind together in anger. So, now we are back to this again, him not telling me what is going on. "What do you mean that's all I need to know?" I shove up from my spot on the floor, coming to stand directly in front of him. The nanny walks in a second later, her eyes wide hearing our raised voices. I didn't want to argue in front of V, and I assume Vegas doesn't either when he grabs me by the arm and pulls me in the direction of his bedroom. "I do not appreciate your attitude, or the fact that you raised your voice in front of my son." Rolling my eyes, I respond, "Well, I don't appreciate you not telling me what the hell is going on, so I suppose we're even then, right?" Vegas's grip on me tightens, his gaze blazing with fire. "You're rather mouthy, Mouse. Maybe I need to cuff you back to the bed and put something in your mouth to make better use of it." Fear and arousal snake up my spine. "I... I don't mean to be rude, but I thought we were past keeping secrets. I thought you trusted me." My gaze falls to the floor, and my lungs deflate. I was so hopeful that Vegas would help me find my brother, hopeful that he'd treat as more than just another boy, and maybe that was the problem with all of this. I was hoping for things that would never come true. Vegas's gaze drops to his hand on my arm and he releases me, taking that same hand and running it through his hair in frustration, ruining the perfectly slicked-back hair. "I... I..." He stumbles over his words, his jaw clenched. "I'm going to meet with someone who knows where your brother is now. Benny gave me some information before I killed him. Macau found this guy a few days ago, and I set up a meeting with him. I'm hoping I can get the info on my father and find out where your brother is all in one go, but I didn't want to tell you because then you'd want to go." 

"Of course, I'd want to go," I all but yell. "And that's the fucking problem, Mouse. I can't have you going. Last time we were in Vegas, shit went down that shouldn't have." He leans in real close, his fingers ghosting against my cheek. I want to lean into his touch, but he pulls away before I get the chance. "I can't risk losing you again. We came much too close last time, and I refuse to put you in danger again." "I appreciate your concern, Vegas, but it's my brother we're talking about." I'm determined to find him, to rescue him from the web he's gotten herself tangled in. Vegas smirked. "And that's precisely why you will not be going. You cannot think clearly when you put emotions into a situation such as the one we're in." I want to stomp my foot on the floor, to beg and plead with him to go but it would do me no good. The look in his eyes tells me he isn't going to budge on his choice, and I don't particularly find the idea of being cuffed to his bed the entire time he is gone very exciting. "Fine. But if you find her, can you at least have him call me? I just want to talk to him and make sure he is okay." Relief fills Vegas's features. "I will do my best. I cannot guarantee anything though, as I don't even know if the man I'm going to meet knows where your brother is. Benny could've been lying for all I know." That was the truth; he could've been. But from what I remember that night, Benny had told me I didn't want to go with that man. I wonder if that man he called Ivan is the same person Vegas is going to go and meet. An image of my brother's face as he was carried through that door appears in my mind right then. Despair, sadness. He looked like he was exhausted and, once again, I was just a little too late. And just like our parents had let us down, I was letting him down. "Everything is going to be okay, Mouse." Vegas's gentle voice enters my mind and I blink back to reality. "That's hard to believe when your sole purpose for living could possibly be dead." Tears well in my eyes, threatening to escape.