His Tesoro: An Arranged Marriage Age Gap Mafia Romance (Empire of Royals Book 1)
His Tesoro: Chapter 60

Dr. Amato brought me dinner on a tray along with a large mug of hot chocolate. Before she left for the night, I asked her to send Angelo in.

I’d spent the last hour thinking things through and had come up with a plan. It was crazy, risky, and would require me to trust at least one person.

Angelo stood at the foot of my bed, his shoulders set, hands clasped in front of him.

“Did you mean what you said?” I asked. I was proud that my voice had regained some strength. I needed to be strong for my baby. “That you’ll do anything to protect me?”

“Yes,” Angelo said without hesitation.

“You’ll help me? Not Matteo?” It physically hurt to speak his name.

“My loyalty is to you, Sofiya. I swear it.”

“Okay.” I fidgeted with the blanket, wishing I had the strength to stand. It was hard to exude power and confidence while bundled up in bed.

I took a deep breath and squared my shoulders. “Then you will help me escape.”

His eyes widened. “What do you mean?”

“We need to leave. I’m not safe here. And…” I looked at him closely, desperately hoping I wasn’t making a mistake. I wanted to trust Angelo. I needed to believe I still had someone on my side. “And I need to protect my baby.”

Angelo grew pale, and his eyes flitted between me and the door. He took a hesitant step towards me, waiting to see if I would protest or if Noodle would growl. When we were both quiet, he sat down gently beside me.

“You’re pregnant, bella?” He placed his hand gently on top of mine.

I quickly wiped a rogue tear as I nodded.

“Does he know?”

“No. I just found out. Dr. Amato said she wouldn’t tell him yet. But we can’t wait. He’ll replace out soon, and I need to protect this baby from him.”

“Sofiya, he would never hurt your baby. The Boss was shown evidence that you had betrayed him by making a deal with Arben, and he felt he had no choice but to act. He didn’t mean for you to be in that cell so long.”

Anger flashed in my chest, and I pushed away Angelo’s hand. “Oh, so I should be grateful he only wanted me there for a short time? Just long enough for Il Diavolo to tell me all the ways my husband would torture the information out of me?” I spit the words out, my hands shaking. Noodle whined and laid across my lap.

Angelo’s eyes were wide. “The Boss would never torture you.”

“He already did,” I said, seething. “Are you on my side or not?”

Angelo swallowed and glanced at the door again. A pit of dread formed in my stomach as I waited for his answer. Had I miscalculated again?

“I’m on your side,” he finally said. “Always.”

I let out a shudder of relief. “I need a phone that isn’t traceable.”

He pulled out a flip phone from his pocket. “What’s your plan? You can’t go back to Chicago.”

“No,” I said, taking the cell phone. “Not Chicago.”

I grabbed my purse off the nightstand and slipped Leona’s card out from the hidden pocket with shaky hands. If her mother had escaped the Italian Mafia, maybe Leona would be willing to help me. I hated to trust yet another person, but what else could I do? I wouldn’t involve Mila, the Pakhan would never be on my side, and I couldn’t trust anyone else in the Family.

She picked up on the third ring. “Hello?”

“Leona?”

There was a long pause. “Well, this is a surprise. I didn’t expect to hear from you, Mrs. Rossi. To what do I owe the pleasure?”

“Who are you loyal to?” I asked, trying to sound fierce.

She snorted. “What is this, a Gallup poll? I’m afraid I don’t have the⁠—”

“I need to know,” I snapped. “Who are you loyal to? The Italians or the Irish?”

I was half expecting her to hang up on me. She had no reason to talk to me, but maybe she heard something in my tone, because after a few torturous moments, she responded.

“Your husband’s uncle murdered my mom. What do you think?”

“Good,” I said. “Because I need your help.”