The Mafia's Son III

Chapter Twenty Six.

Hailey's POV

Isaac clings onto my hand, tightly might I add, as we sit in the back seat of the SUV driving back to the estate.

It's Tuesday afternoon. He extended our trip an extra day, we were supposed to be home yesterday but after a sudden phone call his whole demeanor changed.

My relaxed, calm, carefree husband was gone and the Italian, moody, mobster was back.

I was over the moon happy to hear that Isaac had extended our stay one more night because honestly I wasn't ready to go back home, I was too busy enjoying our alone time.

Enjoying what our lives could be had Isaac not been born into a certain lifestyle, not that we'd actually cross each other's life in such a parallel universe. I'd probably be that same sad broken anxious girl he first met, he'd saved me, he changed me, I'd be back to square one without him, he's who I often wonder who he would be if he had been born into a normal life.

Would he still have the same temper? Would he still be fearless? Brave? Would he still be socially liked? Popular still? Would he be into sports? Clubs? The mental picture is enough to make me snort in my seat, earning a small side eye from him.

"What?" His lips curve to the side.

I shake my head, "it's nothing, I was just thinking."

He smiles softly, shifting his attention towards me, "what's going on in your head?"

"Do you think you would've played sports if you had a different 'destiny'?"

"Sports?" He frowns as his lips grow wider. "As in school sports?"

I nod, "you know- if you hadn't been the heir to an Italian mob; do you think you would've been a jock? A Nerd?"

He chuckles and shakes his head, "neither, I'd probably just be your average keep to himself guy. Dion, Ric, Ang, and I actually used to talk about this a lot. Ang said she'd probably end up being a cheerleader because of how girly she is, that definitely wouldn't have changed in any lifestyle."

"No it wouldn't have," I smile agreeing.

"Ric definitely would've been the athlete still, Dion a little stoner; burnt out."

My smile continues to grow as I think about Isaac and his friends in another life, "yeah that actually sounds about right, only you'd be right along Dion's side still, a little burnt out as well."

"You know who I always tried to picture differently? Who I'd always tried to imagine?"

"Your dad?"

He nods, "it's hard trying to picture him anything other than a mafia lord. It's hard seeing this broken, beat up side of him. This man is weak, he's vulnerable, if someone like him can be broken then I don't stand a chance out there."

I reach for Isaac's hand on the seat, "baby-"

"Who's Isaiah gonna look up to if the men in this family end up worthless?"

I quickly scoff, something I rarely do, giving his hand a gentle reassuring squeeze. "Worthless does not exist in The Matteo vocabulary. Isaiah has nothing but extraordinary men to look up to. You don't live in your dads shadows just like our son won't live behind yours, you're each your own individuals. What your dad lacks you exceed. He was able to learn from his mistakes and integrate them into you. He's not weak, baby, he's tired, he's exhausted."

Isaac frowns.

"Your dads one of the strongest, most stubborn, men that I've ever met in my life. He doesn't ever ask for any help even when the world is crashing down on top of him. He finds a way out, he finds a way to survive, a way to provide and protect his family, even from the fucking dead."