Pregnant With The Mafia's Baby

Chapter 11: Threads of Control

The air in the penthouse felt heavier than ever after Damon’s departure. I watched the city lights blink and fade in the distance, trying to steady the growing unease in my chest. Damon’s words kept ringing in my head.

"This isn’t just about me anymore. It’s about us."

But what was “us” supposed to mean in a world like his?

The knock at the door broke my thoughts. I turned, expecting to see Vinnie standing guard, but instead, it was Rachel. She strode in, her short blonde hair bouncing with every step, the bright pink highlights a small reminder of the carefree life I used to have.

“Don’t you ever text me back?” Rachel huffed, plopping onto the couch.

“Rachel?” I blinked, surprised to see her here. “How did you—”

“I told your intimidating bodyguard I wasn’t leaving until I saw you. He must’ve called Damon because the next thing I know, he’s grunting, ‘Fine, come in.’”

I stifled a laugh, picturing Vinnie’s gruff expression. “You know Damon’s going to hate that.”

“I’m not scared of Damon,” Rachel replied with a wave of her hand, though I caught the faint edge of nerves in her voice. “But you should be scared of me. You’ve been dodging my calls for days. What’s going on, Neeah?”

I sank into the armchair across from her, rubbing my temple. “It’s... complicated.”

Rachel tilted her head, her expression softening. “You mean more complicated than being pregnant by a Morano?”

Her bluntness startled a laugh out of me. “When you put it like that...”

She leaned forward, her expression serious now. “You don’t have to go through this alone. I mean it. Whatever mess Damon’s gotten you into, Alex and I are here.”

At the mention of Alex, I stiffened. The last time I saw him, he’d been standing toe-to-toe with Damon, warning him about Marco’s plans.

“How is Alex?” I asked, carefully avoiding Rachel’s gaze.

She sighed. “He’s worried about you. He won’t admit it, but I know he feels guilty. He thinks he dragged you into this by introducing you to The Docks in the first place.”

“That’s ridiculous,” I said quickly. “None of this is his fault.”

Rachel shrugged. “Try telling him that. He’s been looking into Marco, trying to piece together what his endgame might be. It’s... dangerous, Neeah. I wish he’d stop.”

The thought of Alex digging into Marco’s world sent a chill down my spine. Damon’s warnings about Marco’s ruthlessness weren’t just words—they were fact.

“Tell him to be careful,” I said quietly.

“I will,” Rachel promised, though the worry in her eyes didn’t fade. “But what about you? Are you okay here? Do you feel safe?”

I hesitated. “Safe isn’t the word I’d use. This place is more like a gilded cage. And Damon—”

Rachel raised an eyebrow. “What about Damon?”

I opened my mouth to answer, but the door swung open before I could get a word out. Vinnie stood there, his massive frame filling the doorway.

“Boss wants a word,” he said, nodding toward me. Then, his gaze flicked to Rachel. “She needs to leave.”

Rachel bristled, standing up and planting her hands on her hips. “Excuse me?”

Vinnie’s expression didn’t change. “It’s not personal, lady. Just doing my job.”

“Your job,” Rachel shot back, “is to make sure she’s safe, right? Last I checked, a conversation with her best friend doesn’t count as a security threat.”

“Rachel, it’s fine,” I said quickly, stepping between them. “Go. I’ll call you later.”

She looked like she wanted to argue, but after a moment, she sighed and grabbed her purse. “Fine. But if you don’t call me, I’m storming back in here, bodyguards or not.”

Once she was gone, Vinnie closed the door and turned to me. “Boss wants you to meet him downstairs.”

I frowned. “Downstairs? Why?”

“He’s got something he wants to show you,” Vinnie replied cryptically.

The Garage

When the elevator doors opened, the scene before me was nothing like what I expected. Damon stood by one of his sleek black cars, his tie loosened and his sleeves rolled up. Beside him was a man I didn’t recognize—tall, wiry, with sharp eyes that darted nervously around the room.

“Who’s this?” I asked as I approached, my voice cautious.

Damon didn’t look at me. His focus remained on the man in front of him. “This,” he said, his tone ice-cold, “is one of Marco’s informants.”

My stomach dropped.

The man flinched under Damon’s glare, his hands trembling. “I swear, Mr. Morano, I wasn’t gonna do anything. Marco—he’s got people everywhere. He’ll kill me if I—”

“Stop talking,” Damon snapped, his voice like a whip.

The man immediately shut his mouth, his eyes wide with fear.

“Damon,” I said hesitantly, stepping closer.

“What’s going on?”

He finally turned to me, his expression unreadable. “I thought it was time you saw a little more of the world you’re part of now.”

I glanced at the trembling man, then back at Damon. “And what does that mean?”

“It means,” Damon said, stepping closer to me, “that Marco isn’t just a rival.

He’s a threat to everything I’ve built. My family’s empire, my business, you, our child—everything.”

The weight of his words hit me like a tidal wave. “So what are you going to do?” I asked, my voice barely above a whisper.

Damon’s eyes darkened. “What I have to.”

Later That Night

Back in the penthouse, I couldn’t shake the image of that man trembling under Damon’s gaze. I didn’t know what Damon planned to do with him, and I wasn’t sure I wanted to.

Rachel’s words echoed in my mind. “You don’t have to go through this alone.”

But wasn’t I already alone? Damon’s world was one of power plays and ruthless decisions. Could I ever truly be part of that?

As I lay in bed that night, staring at the ceiling, I realized something. Damon wasn’t just trying to protect me—he was trying to control me. And if I wasn’t careful, I might lose myself in the process.