Mob Ties

Chapter 30

Lia had finally settled into her suite at the hospital, but the unease within her was palpable. She couldn't believe her water had broken so early; she was only five centimeters dilated. The nurse, a woman with a calm demeanor, approached her with a sympathetic smile.

"Mrs. Luke, I can give you some medicine to stop the labor. We need to keep the baby baking for a little while longer; it's still early."

Lia nodded, her voice barely above a whisper. "Okay, thank you." She tried to focus on the monitors she was now hooked up to, the rhythmic beeping a stark reminder of the fragile life inside her.

East stood by her side, his exhaustion evident in his every movement. He was mentally and physically drained, the events of the past few hours weighing heavily on him. "Babe, you alright? Need anything?" he asked, his voice filled with concern.

Lia looked up at him, tears brimming in her eyes. The enormity of the situation was crashing down on her. "Baby, what just happened? Why is this our life?" she cried, trying to hold back the sobs that threatened to overwhelm her.

East's own eyes filled with tears as he looked at his wife, feeling helpless. He took her hand in his, squeezing it gently. "I don't know, babe. Just as much as your life was a lie, so was mine," he admitted, his voice breaking.

The past few days had been a whirlwind of revelations and tragedies. Lia had witnessed her father-in-law's murder, only to discover that he was actually East's uncle. The layers of deceit and betrayal were almost too much to bear.

"I'm so scared, East," Lia confessed, her voice trembling. "What if something happens to our baby? What if something happens to us?"

East sat down beside her, pulling her into a gentle embrace. "We'll get through this, Lia. We have to. For our baby," he said softly. "I promise you, I will do everything in my power to keep you both safe."

Lia buried her face in his chest, drawing strength from his presence. "I love you," she whispered.

"I love you too," East replied, his voice choked with emotion. "We're going to be okay. We have to be."

As the night wore on, the medicine began to take effect, and Lia's contractions eased. She drifted into a restless sleep, her hand still clutching East's. He watched over her, his mind racing with thoughts of the future and the challenges they would face together.

For now, all they could do was hold on to each other and hope for the best. The storm was far from over, but at least they had each other to weather it.

Maria Gotti stormed into Frank Luke's office, her heart pounding with frustration and fear. The relentless calls and texts to Frank had gone unanswered, and something deep inside her gnawed at the possibility that something was terribly wrong. She hadn't expected to see Evelyn Luke sitting calmly behind Frank's desk, her demeanor a mask of calm despite the undercurrent of tension that rippled through the room.

"What are you doing here?" Maria demanded, her voice slicing through the silence like a blade.

Evelyn looked up, her face pale but composed. The exhaustion behind her eyes was unmistakable, and there was something else—an air of finality, as if a decision had been made that could never be undone. "How can I help you?" Evelyn's voice carried a hint of annoyance, though it trembled at the edges.

Maria's eyes narrowed, her patience thinning. "Where's Frank, Evelyn? I've been calling him for the past two days. Where is he?" The anxiety that had been gnawing at her now sharpened into a jagged edge.

Evelyn's lips pressed into a thin line as she looked away briefly, as though gathering the strength to speak. "He's long gone, Maria," she said softly, a single tear escaping and trailing down her cheek. "He's dead."