STUCK BETWEEN THE MAFIA BROTHERS

SOFTENING

OLIVIA

I darted my eyes through the dim room. Beside Adrian's bed a man stood over him glaring at his sleeping figure.

I tried to get up but my body won't let me. My heart slammed against my chest when the man glanced over his shoulder.

It was him.

He bent down and lifted my son into his arms turning towards the door.

"Stop!" I tried to scream but nothing came out. Nothing, not even a muscle could I move. It was as if a huge rock was placed on top of me, suppressing my body from moving.

Panic clawed at my chest as he approached the door.

"Put him down!" I was screaming in my head but he couldn't hear me.

Tears filled my eyes as frustration from not being able to stop him took over.

“Please…" my lips trembled.

“Don't take my baby…" he didn't stop. He forged ahead coldly connecting with the dark as he stepped out of the room.

"No!" I tried to move again. Forcing every muscle in my body yet I couldn't even lift a finger.

“Adrian! Baby!!"

I screamed with every ounce of strength I had but my voice was still buried deep inside me, choking my breath away.

"Mommy!"

My eyes flew open. I gasped for air springing up in bed. I darted my eyes through the room adjusting my sight to the darkness.

My chest rose and fell rapidly, my heart pounding so hard I could hear the beat in my ears.

Throwing the covers off my body I jumped out of my bed and rushed to Adrian's room, panicking that something must have happened to my baby.

I ran out of my room down the hallway, my bare feet hitting the cold floor as I rushed towards his room.

I pushed open his door so hard it slammed against the wall. Inside Charlie was carrying Adrian in his arms. He froze for a second, his eyes widening in shock with the way I burst through the door.

“Charlie." Thunder boomed outside as rain splattered against the window.

“He was crying. I had to make him stop," he said with an unbothered look. Then caressed Adrian's hair with a gentleness that stunned me.

I crossed the room over to him. “I am sorry for the inconvenience," I said, trying to take Adrian from him.

"Don't worry. You look tired. Go back to sleep," he muttered, focusing on keeping Adrian asleep.

Watching him treat Adrian so patiently without being irritated flipped something inside me. I couldn't bring myself to refuse his care or stop him from doing what he was doing.

So I stayed in the background. Waiting quietly by the side of the room until he finally put Adrian in bed.

We stepped out to the hallway, closing the door quietly behind us.

"Thanks for calming him down," I mumbled with a low voice.

“I didn't want you to be stressed out tomorrow, staying up all night tending to a child. You are important to me, Olivia. If there is something bothering you let me know. There’s nothing I can’t handle." he said.

My shoulders dropped as I let out a sigh.

“I…I get scared when I am with him. Sometimes I fear that his father will come one day and take him away from me," I said, my voice cracking at the thought of being separated from my son.

“Even when I know no one is coming to take him. But still I have to be cautious of everything. His Dad used to be different until he betrayed me. You can imagine being hurt by someone you trusted so much. He takes everything from you just to make someone else proud. I haven’t been myself since then."

I searched his face for the slightest form of deceit but found genuine concern in his eyes. Maybe, I was being too worried over the rumors about him being dangerous.

The man in front of me was far from what they described him to be. He stood by listening to everything I had to say without interrupting for once.

“Adrian means a lot to me. I would do anything to protect him even if it means I have to stain my hands. I know I am a terrible mother. But I will make sure he lives a good life, you know. I don't know if you have ever felt the need to crush something yet you can't even fold a finger. That's how I get when things become this way. Charlie, what I am trying to say is that my son cannot be used as a leverage against me." I stared straight into his eyes disregarding all forms of warning in my head. “You are good to me and as long as you remain good to me, I will do my best to make sure your relationship with me is solidly based on trust and loyalty."

He nodded without asking questions which I least expected. I just threatened him and all he did was nod.

"You have my word Olivia. I am surprised to say this but I think you and I are similar. We want the same thing and have one mind set when it comes to building trust and loyalty," he said, leaning off the wall in one push.

“I am glad we can align."

He patted my shoulder gently as if he was leaving a warning as well.

“Olivia, I just want you to know that as long as you and your son are under my roof. Whatever it is you are running from won't pass my territory. Nobody touches what belongs to the Thames. Get some sleep," Charlie assured as he started down the hallway.

My brows furrowed together at the mention of that name. I tried to stop him and asked the very question that had been bothering me. But seeing how tired he looked, I wailed the thought off.

Any family could answer Thames as their last name. I am just thinking too much.