Balotelli Bale Series Book #5: The Other Man Part 2

Chapter 64: Love

Nick's POV
Words cannot begin to describe the anguish I'm suffering from. If every second that has passed since Kei left Italy could slash through my heart then there's nothing but a feeble heartbeat left. I have been angry, I have panicked and I have been scared. I have nearly lost my mind. 

The emptiness of her house is a loud response to the questions in my head. She was never here. Kei didn't come home. Where is she? The nursery is completely set up for the twins. I didn't get to see her through her first pregnancy. It was her fault for lying. This second one is my fault for being stubborn but also her fault because she left. She's so close to giving birth. Where is she?

I'm squeezing a teddy bear in my hand, feeling hopelessly not a in control. I'm frustrated.

"She's not here." Mom whispered the obvious. I  am especially mad at her. There is no way Kei would have gotten past her with that lie. "I was not home because I went to meet Mancini."

She is finally answering my question about where she was.

My head snapped around fast. What is this man doing to the women in my family? "Why?"

"It's personal."

"Personal? He's this family's biggest enemy! We do not have personal relationships with our enemies mother!"

"Can you shut up and listen? He came with me to the hospital and then I couldn't find him after. I can't even reach him on phone."

"You speak to him directly?"

I have to go through Russo and Russo is a pain to deal with. He takes me round and round in circles before I get a chance to speak to Mancini.

"He gave me his number." She shrugged.

My eyes will pop with disbelief. Mancini is just doing this to trigger me!

"Does dad know about you two?"

"Ew Nicko! Why would you say that?"

"Because it's concerning that first it was Kei and now you! He's a predator! Why can't you two see that?"

"He is..." She let that line of thought due. "...the point I'm trying to make is that maybe they are together!"

"She ran away from me, the little guy in the mafia to chase after the big wolf?"

"Can you stop thinking about yourself for a second! This thing isn't about you! Mancini isn't after Kei to piss you off. He genuinely wants her. You are just in his way-"

"He told you this?" I closed in in her in a threatening way.

"Nickolas. Ease up." My father warned me. "Do not speak to your mother in that tone."

I took a step back and sighed softly. "Maybe she really just wanted to get home but he intercepted her. What you should be doing is calling your mafia buddies and asking if anyone has seen Kei!"

"I asked Bianchi. He's looking into it."

I dropped the stuffed bear.

If Mancini is in love with Kei, it's much worse than I thought. Being in love makes a man foolish. Being madly in love makes a man reckless. In a way it makes Mancini vulnerable but it also makes him recklessly dangerous. He may do anything to get me out of the way. But I can also use his affection for Kei to get rid of him. It's a double edged sword.

My mom left after my father whispered something to her. He came to stand beside me, next to the white crib by the window.

"Nickolas, I'm not one to speak but you need to start making better decisions where Keira is concerned." He looked me dead in the eyes. "This woman is the mother of your children. Four of them. If you want to be part of your children's lives, then you need to stop fighting with her."