The Mafia’s Forbidden Desire

ANTONIO.

After leaving Rosalinda’s bedroom, my next stop was Carlo’s. It’s been a while since I saw him, and I missed him. Slipping inside his room, I found him on his bed, absorbed in cartoons on his iPad, unaware of my entrance.

“What are you watching, boy?” I asked, chuckling, as I approached the bed.

“Uncle Antonio.” He beamed, his face lighting up with excitement as he hoisted his head to look at me.

I picked him up and threw him in the air before swiftly catching him back in my arms. His giggles filled the room, and that warmed my heart.

“How are you?” I asked as I dropped him back on the bed and sat beside him.

“I am fine. I missed you.” He pouted, wrapping his tiny arms around me.

Patting his back, I muttered. “I missed you too.”

“The last time you were here, you promised to take me to an amusement park.” He reminded me, his face lighting up. “Is it today?”

I totally forgot about my promise to him. But unfortunately, I couldn’t fulfil that promise with Diego suspecting that I blew up his car. He might decide to retaliate, and with that in mind, going out with Carlo could be dangerous. I couldn’t risk his life.

“Carlo.” I called, pressing my lips together as I regrettably said, “Uncle Antonio can’t take you to the amusement park for now.”

“Why?!” His voice screeched, and before I knew what was happening, tears started streaming down his face as he threw tantrums, demanding I take him to the amusement park.

Just like his mother, he was a drama king. The apple never falls far from the tree, they say.

“Carlo, stop.” I groaned in an attempt to get him in check, but that only intensified his cries.

“I want to go to the amusement park. Please.” He cried.

“Okay, fine!” I groaned, the words leaving my mouth before I could even stop them.

He was so precious to me, and I wanted to give him everything he wanted. If he wanted to go to the amusement park, fine. I would grant his wish. All I had to do was call for backup for protection while he had the time of his life.

“Okay, boy. Let’s go and ask Grandpa for permission.” I told him as I yanked him in my arms and leapt to my feet, trudging out of the room and making my way to Roberto’s office. Carlo giggled and wiggled in my arms in excitement.

As I walked inside Roberto’s office, the first thing I noticed was Rosalinda and the somber expression on her face. Worry washed over me as I came to an abrupt halt, my brows furrowing together.

What was wrong with her?

“You are still around.” Roberto’s voice cut through my thoughts, and I turned to look at him.

“Yes, uhm…” I cast my gaze at Carlo before returning it to Roberto. “Carlo asked if I could take him to an amusement park. So, I came to ask for your permission.”

My mind still troubled by Rosalinda’s downcast look, I briefly darted my gaze at her before returning my attention to Roberto again.

“You know you don’t have to do all these anymore. After all, we aren’t families anymore.” Roberto told me, sighing.

“You know…” I inched closer to his desk, pressing my lips together before continuing. “I am fond of Carlo, and I see him as a son. No matter how the arrangement goes, I will always be fond of him.”

Confusion spread across his face as he tried to understand why I was still fond of Carlo despite the failed engagement. Well, that was something he might never get to know. He might never get to know that Carlo was my biological son, and I would love and protect him with all I’ve got.

After a while, he leaned in his seat and sighed. “You can take him to the amusement park, but only if you promise to protect him.”

“Don’t worry about protection. I’ve got that covered. He’ll be safe with me.” I assured him.

“Fine, then.” He said, nodding. “You can go.”

“Yay!” Carlo beamed, a wide smile spreading on his face. He turned to look at his mother, who had been silent all along.

“Mommy, you are coming with us, right?” He asked.

Rosalinda swallowed. “No, baby. You can go ahead and have fun with Uncle Antonio. Mommy’s not in the mood.”

“Please.” He pouted.

He urged me to put him down, and when I did, he scurried to his mother, wrapping his tiny hands around her leg.

“Please mommy.” He begged.

Rosalinda sighed before crouching down beside him, wrapping her arm around him. “Do you really want me to go with you?” She asked, a small smile touching her lips.

He nodded vigorously. “Yes mommy.”

“Okay baby.” She sighed. It was evident that she wasn’t in the best mood to go to an amusement park, but she loved her son so much that she’d do anything for him. Just like I would do anything for the both of them.

***

I could count the number of words Rosalinda has said since we left their mansion. She was quiet all the way to the amusement park, peeking through the window as she dazed into nothingness.

She was clearly disturbed about something, and so was I. I needed to know whatever was troubling her and possibly help her get through it. Her pains were also my pains, as she was inarguably one of the most important people in my life.

“What is wrong?” I asked the question I had been meaning to ask since I stepped into Roberto’s office.

The queue on the Ferris wheel was long, and we were waiting for our turn to hop on it. That was the first ride Carlo showed interest in jumping on.

“Nothing.” She said, which was clearly a lie. Something was definitely wrong.

“You know I won’t believe that, right?” I muttered as I placed both hands on her shoulder, forcing her to face me. “What is wrong, Rosalinda?” I asked again, my voice firmer.From NôvelDrama.Org.

“Nothing-” She tried to lie again, but I cut her off.

“Do not lie. Tell me the truth.”

Knowing I wouldn’t relent until I got the truth from her, she sighed, finally giving in. “Papà told me that I’d be engaged to that pervert soon.”

My jaw clenched at the displeasing news, and rage began to burn within me.

“Who?” I asked with a low growl.

“Lorenzo Ricci.” She told me, and the anger rising up within me intensified, boiling through my every vein.

Roberto didn’t just give her to another man; he fucking gave her to someone I despised so much.

“Liam would have been a better option than Lorenzo. I hate that man.” She gritted out, her pain laced in every word.

No. Liam was never a better option, nor was any other man. I wanted her to myself only.

“We’ll find a way to end the engagement.” I groaned.

“No. Don’t do anything, please.” She shook her head vigorously. “I’ll speak with Papà; hopefully he’ll reason with me. I don’t want you to end up doing something dangerous for nothing again, just like with Liam.”

My forehead creased as I asked curiously. “What do you mean by something dangerous for nothing?”

“Papà told me that he never intended to give me to the Romanos.” She revealed, sighing.

My brows furrowed furiously as I processed that information. So, blowing up Diego’s car was indeed for nothing, and to make matters worse, Diego had caught me on my atrocity and would definitely retaliate. I didn’t know how or when. But I knew he would. I was on a ticking bomb, and all that was for nothing?!

“I want to play that!” Carlo beamed, cutting through my torrent of thoughts, and I turned to look in the direction he was pointing.

It was a target shooting game stall.

“But you said you wanted to hop on the Ferris wheel.” His mother reminded him, stroking his hair lightly.

“I want that one too. I want to win the teddy bear.” He pouted.

“But we-” Rosalinda started, but I cut her off, sighing.

“It’s fine. We can go and play before it reaches our turn to get on the Ferris wheel.”

I couldn’t get my mind off the news Rosalinda just divulged as we made our way to the target shooting game stand. My intention was to help lighten her mood, but now, after hearing the saddening information, I was even more downcast than she was.

When we got there, we paid for a few rounds, and Rosalinda and I were to play against each other.

Carlo couldn’t shoot, so automatically, his mother and I were prompted to win the prize for him. And we had to win the fluffy blue teddy bear he wanted unless we were ready to entertain his tantrum.

Clearly, we both were not interested in playing at the moment, but we just had to brace ourselves and do it for Carlo. His happiness mattered to us the most. Under another circumstance, this would have been one of the happiest days of our lives.

“Mommy, you are bad at it.” Carlo giggled when Rosalinda failed to shoot the target after a few tries.

“Mommy is trying her best.” A small smile touched my lips as I watched Rosalinda struggle to shoot the red dot on the target paper. But failed each time. She truly sucked at it.

“No. She’s very bad at it.” Carlo said innocently, giggling at his mother’s losses.

“I am not!” Rosalinda denied the obvious as she dropped her riffle frustratingly.

As it was my turn to shoot, I raised the rifle, targeting the red dot. And in a swift move, I effortlessly shot at it three times, all three bullets piercing through the red dot.

“Yes!” Carlo beamed, dancing in victory.

I darted my gaze at Rosalinda and smirked. “Your turn.”

“Show off.” She scoffed, glaring at me.

“I am sorry. I’ll try to miss next time. But there’s a little problem…” I teased, winking at her. “I never miss.”

Rolling her eyes, she raised her riffle and shot for her turn. But missed all three shots. Again.

Her frustration was palpable in the way she violently stomped her foot on the ground.

“You know, if you ask, I could teach you.” I chuckled softly as I raised my rifle to shoot for my turn.

But my phone suddenly started ringing, and I lowered the riffle to quickly take the call. Knowing how dangerous this outing was, I couldn’t ignore any calls.

Vito was the caller.

I had Vito, Marco, and Luca follow us to the amusement park to keep an eye on everything happening around us. After the call Diego made yesterday, I couldn’t take them out without backup for protection. I knew Diego could retaliate at any damn moment.

“Boss, two men had been following you everywhere. To your left. Black and blue shirts. And I don’t think it’s just them. They seem to be communicating with others, but I can’t pick up where they are.” He told me from the other end of the phone, and my brows drew together furiously.

“Keep an eye on them. We are leaving this place now.” I instructed and ended the call immediately.

I turned to look at Rosalinda, and her gaze was on me, confusion spreading across her face.

“What was that about?” She immediately asked, and I sighed.

“We are being followed.” I told her, and when worries began to saturate her features, I placed a hand on her shoulder, calming her. “Act natural. We don’t want them to suspect we know about them.”

“But what are we going to do?” She asked anxiously.

“Follow me. We are leaving here.” I said with urgency, picking up Carlo and cradling him in my arms. “Now.”

Rosalinda quickly understood and followed me as we made our way to the car without asking further questions.

The further we moved, the more I noticed the different men following us. The ones in black and blue shirts, as Vito had noticed, and many more, scattered around us.

For the very first time ever, fear threatened to course through me at the sight of danger. Not for myself, but because the lives of my son and that of the woman who had my heart were at stake.

I would protect them with everything. Even if it meant doing that with my own life!