The Mafia and his Nerd

Chapter 39

Ava's POV

When I came back from Italy two months back, I thought all the shenanigans in my life were over. But no. There is always something lurking in the background that comes back unexpectedly. I was rocking Alex back and forth and he was almost asleep when I intended to put him in the crib but he was not having it.

"Why are you so fussy, bubba?" I asked Alex.

He snuggled closer to my chest and held onto me with a vice grip. "You want to sleep on Mama, huh?" I said sighing already exhausted from the day. I picked up a blanket and wrapped it around him and went towards my kitchen/dining space. He looked up noticing me enter.

"He doesn't want to be put down," I said sitting down on the chair.

"You want me to make you dinner?" He asked.

"Nate you didn't come back all this way to make me dinner. Speak up what you want to and let's get this over with." I said.

He nodded. He runs his hand through his hair and sighs. "I don't know where to start," he said. I rock Alex a little more when he fusses again and said, "I don't know Nate. I know nothing about what went in the time-lapse of two years. My loved ones disappeared from my life. I got a child. Then I got kidnapped and eventually found you but you were not you and then I....... um came back."

"You don't have to hide it from me. I know." He said. I gasped.

"You know what?" I asked feigning not knowing what he was talking about.

"I know about you and Amadeo." he said.

"What is there to know about?" I said

"Don't be so coy Ava. It was pretty obvious. I know that you are hurt and I'm partly responsible for it too."

"Isn't he your enemy?" I asked.

He scratched his neck and said, "It's a long story. But first I owe you my truth." he said. I nodded.

"I'll start from the beginning. I went out one night to get Chinese food for Catherine and I. You know the alley behind the takeout place?" I nodded as he continued.

"I heard a scream followed by a thud. I saw a few people surrounding a man who was probably the one screaming as he lay in a pool of his own blood. I was fucking terrified by the scenario and my first instinct was to run. They probably heard me and yelled at me. I went straight home and never mentioned it to anyone, not even Catherine." He said as he glanced at Alex in my arms. He kept looking at him blankly. His stare wasn't hostile but my mother's instinct kicked in and I tightened my hold on him. Unfortunately, he noticed that and he looked away clenching his jaw.

"I'm not here to hurt you guys Ava. He just looks so much like her," he said with a sigh. His words made my heartache. I was so focused on protecting my child that I forgot that Alex was his son too. I almost gave in to the feeling of comforting him but the memories of him threatening Alex's life came back. I cleared my throat.

"His eyes are like yours," I said carefully.

He looked back at me. "I pray is that it's the only thing of mine he has."

He continued his story, "A few days later a man named Salvador Bocelli approached me at my workplace. He and a few of his men cornered me. They were from the alley. The murder I witnessed. At that time, I didn't know any of their faces so I failed to recognize them. I thought they would kill me then and there which they ultimately threatened to but they made me a counter offer. There is something else I have kept from you and our parents. I have worked with some anonymous companies before in exchange for money."