My Mafia Romance

Capitolo Dodici

"Apollonia," he was seething with anger. "Domenico," I said barely above a whisper.

"Who is all this for? He stared me down not seeing the sleeping toddler laying down in his crib. "It's for your son," I blinked back tears. I had never seen him so angry, I momentarily thought he would have gone back on his word and slapped me right across the face.

"I told you no Apollonia," he picked up a toy train and threw it across the room letting it his the side of the dark wooden dresser. The loud bang caused a whimper and then a loud cry to come from Daniele. I whipped around to pick up the sobbing boy who buried his head in my neck.

"Is that him?" Domenico gazed wide eyed.

"Yes Domenico, this is your son." I slowly walked to stand in front of him. "Do you want to hold him?"

"No," he said. I looked up at him with pleading eyes.

"Maybe if you hold him then he'll stop crying," I offered. "Please Domenico."

When he didn't say anything against holding him I stood next to the cushioned rocking chair and motioned for him to sit down. Once he did I placed the still crying toddler into his awaiting arms. Daniele noticing the change looked up with teary eyes into his father's face. The father son pair stared at each other mirroring the same wondering looks. After Daniele had decided that he had enough of looking at his father he snuggled up to him, yawned, and turned to go back to sleep. Domenico stood up and placed his son in the crib and covering him with the blanket that Francesca had purchased for him.

"We need to talk," Domenico's gave me a chilling look as he brushed past me on the way to the bedroom. I followed a safe distance away just give us some space.

When I entered our bedroom he was pacing around the carpeted floor. I closed the door to our bedroom even though no one would dare to eavesdrop during this conversation.

"You're still mad," I said keeping my eyes on his tense form. "You're damn right I am," he seethed through gritted teeth. "When I say not to do something I mean not to do it. I don't know what the hell is the matter with you."

"I just thought-" I began. "That's the problem Apollonia! You don't think," he shouted. I knew what he was saying was just out of anger but it still stung. I felt like I was back in New York living with my own father.

"I do think!" I retorted. "I was thinking about you and your son when I went all the way to Chicago to get him!" Tears were leaking out of the corners of my eyes and my voice was breaking.

"Didn't you feel anything when you were holding him?" I neared Domenico in my weakened state. "Isn't there some type of connection between you the two of you? There must be if he took to you so quickly, considering he was screaming his head off."

Domenico couldn't look me in the eyes. "Of course I do. But Apollonia that isn't the point, I said no and you did it anyway."

"I'm sorry that I went behind your back but it was for your own good and from what I saw it was in Daniele's best interest as well."

That got his attention as his head snapped up. "What do you mean?"

"He wasn't in a good environment. They barely had any furniture and nearly everything Danny has now is because your mother and I bought him those things," I said crossing my arms over my chest. "Why don't you want him here?" When he didn't answer back I pressed on. "Were you in love with her? Is that why? Do you think it would be too difficult to see him?"

"I was never in love with her Apollonia, but I did care for her. She was special. She was caring and considerate and stubborn as hell. But that isn't why," he sighed running a hand through his hair. "Emilio hunted Francesca down like a dog, I don't want him to do the same thing to Daniele."

To say that I felt like an idiot would the understatement of the century. I felt stupid and impulsive beyond belief.

"I'm so sorry Domenico," I was near tears once again. "I never meant to put Daniele in harms way."

By this point I turned my head away so that he couldn't see me crying face. All he wanted was to keep his son safe and all I did was screw it up.

"It's over with now Apollonia," he sighed reaching to grasp my dainty hands in his much larger ones. Then he looked down in confusion at my ring finger.