The Family Secret E-Book

Jamila Jasper

• Herausgeber: Publisher s23991
• Kategorie: Gesellschafts- und Liebesromane
• Sprache: Englisch

Veröffentlichungsjahr: 2017

Beschreibung

Eve never thought she'd fall for a guy in the mafia. But she did -- and now they have a beautiful baby boy.A tragic event devastates their family.For their love to survive, Eve and Nico will have to fight against something bigger than both of them....And more importantly, they'll have to save their son's life. This BWWM novel is an extra-steamy read so hot it might melt your Kindle. Book #3 coming soon in June 2017.Book #1: Mad Mafia LoveBook #3: Out of Bondage

Leseprobe

copyright

Copyright © 2017 Jamila Jasper Romance

All rights reserved.

STOP! Read Below!

“The Family Secret” is Book #2 in the Becoming A Riccardi Series. If you have not read Book #1 entitled Mad Mafia Love, you will want to read it before continuing with this book.

For your convenience, Mad Mafia Love will be discounted 50% off through launch week of this book. This read is also FREE with Kindle Unlimited

CLICK HERE TO READ BOOK #1 FIRST!

Mad Mafia Love Synopsis

Book #1 Synopsis [Spoilers]

Eve, an African American candy store owner meets a teenaged boy escaping from a dangerous man. Closing time approaches, and a man named Nico, who she presumes to be the dangerous man enters her store, searching for a boy exactly like the one who’d entered her store earlier. Despite his intimidating energy, Eve feels drawn to this tall Italian man with dazzling blue eyes. Failing to find the teenaged boy, he leaves her to close up shop.

On her way home after closing, Eve gets kidnapped by a fat Italian man named Giuseppe. This man is also looking for the boy -- the only difference is he’s far more terrifying than Nico, the man she met earlier. Giuseppe warns her against trusting Nico.

When Nico shows up in Eve’s life again, she can’t resist him. She finds that he is no threat and the attraction between them is difficult not to act upon. As she falls deeper in love with Nico, she must avoid upsetting his mafia father who believes he has her loyalty.

When their relationship is discovered, Giuseppe tells Eve some shocking news about Nico -- claiming that he killed his twin brother back in Italy. Again, Eve isn’t sure who to trust.

Nico comes to her with the truth about everything and with more evidence that he’s exactly who he says he is. Giuseppe grows angry and both of their disloyalty and seeks to punish them. In a blow out fight, Eve and Nico manage to escape. However, the city of Boston is no longer safe for them and they must return to Italy.

Before returning to Italy, Nico proposes to Eve and Eve reveals that she’s pregnant with his child -- a boy who they plan to name Matteo.

Matteo

March 1st, 2019

Dear Diary,

I worry that I’m starting to tire of Italy. At first, things seemed great. And of course, Matteo has been the best thing to ever happen to me. It’s been amazing watching him grow and now that he’s six months old, I’m starting to realize that he’s ours. Despite everything that’s happened between me and Nico, we’ve created something beautiful.

Matteo right now has gained weight and he’s at around 18 lbs. Look at me. I would have never guessed back in Boston that this is where I would be right now. I would have never guessed that I’d be writing at my desk, facing a gorgeous pavilion, waiting eagerly for Nico to return.

Matteo is sleeping in the room, occasionally gurgling and I feel strong love flowing through my veins every time I hold him, look at him or feed him. I understand what it’s like to be a mother now. I never understood why women made such a fuss over husbands and babies but now, here I am — soon to be married and mother to a beautiful biracial child.

As I haven’t described him yet — Matteo has skin the color of caramel and his hair is a mixture of dark brown with streaks of blond. He has more hair than most babies and of course, I’m reluctant to cut it. I’ve sent pictures of him to all in the family and they rave about how much he looks like me. Personally, I hope that he ends up looking more like his father. I would love for him to have Nico’s strong jaw, his firmness and his sweetness. I suppose all of that is all up to chance either way. There’s nothing I can do about it.

Since moving to Italy, I worry about Nico more. At first, he seemed content with the way we were living. Everything was calm. Perhaps it was too calm for him. Then, I suspect he got pulled into business again. Though I have no real evidence of this, I noticed a change in the man I loved.

After everything that happened in Boston, I find myself wary of any of his business dealings. He promises me that nothing dangerous is happening and that he loves me and Matteo both. He promises me that nothing will go wrong — that he is simply doing what he has to in order to ensure we remain safe.

So far, it seems like Giuseppe is out of the picture. He doesn’t plan to return to Italy and I don’t think he’s willing to take on Nico again. He knows his son is strong enough to finish him. Nico was merciful in Boston, and I’m grateful for that. While Nico’s life comes with its fair share of thrills, I’m reluctant to be cavalier about crime.

We haven’t heard much about what is happening over in the United States but I get the sense that Giuseppe may be in prison — but I don’t know what to believe. Nico has ears everywhere, but I try my best not to get involved. I don’t think our relationship could handle more of that sort of thing again. How can we be expected to?

And now, things are different. I expect more from Nico and he knows it. Now that we have a son we cannot become deeply involved in his previous business dealings. I don’t care how much money is involved. That’s not the sort of life that I want for Matteo and it’s not the sort of life that I want for myself.

I haven’t returned to Boston, but my family has come here to visit me. It’s been rough not seeing them and I miss just hearing English all the time. But I can’t complain too much. We live in a gorgeous home and Nico is thinking of upgrading again. I have everything that money could buy. My closet went from J.C. Penney to Dior overnight and that’s all because of Nico. He’s provided for me in exactly the way a good man should and I’m beyond grateful for everything he’s done for me.

In this new place, we have two cooks, two maids and I have a personal assistant. Nico wants me to focus on the baby, but I’ve been itching to get back to work soon too. I have so much creativity and so many good ideas. I was thinking that maybe I could start catering baked goods or making candies again. Perhaps it is all too soon as Nico thinks. But I don’t feel as if I need more time to settle. Everything is stable — and I like it that way.

I love my home, I love my baby and I love Nico. What more could a girl ask for?

I’ve been thinking about discussing a second child with Nico too. I know that it might be too soon since Matteo is only six months old. But each time that I see his beautiful face, I imagine what it would be like to have a daughter. One boy. One girl. That isn’t too much to ask, is it?

I must close this entry now because I think I hear Nico at the door downstairs and I’m certain Matteo will wake up. Isn’t it awfully quaint to be writing in a real diary? This one is nice and leather bound too — a gift from my fiancé. Nico has been encouraging me to document my feelings since moving here and the process isn’t entirely painful — though it feels corny.

It’s definitely Nico. So long.

— Eve

Chapter 1

Happy Family

Nico opened the door to the home he shared with Eve. He could imagine her already, sitting upstairs and writing in her journal. He’d been encouraging her to write ever since she got to Italy, if for no other reason than it would keep her occupied. Nico’s mother had always kept a journal and when she passed away, Nico had pored over the pages over and over again until his father had flung them into a fireplace a cold Christmas Eve morning.

Nico had news for Eve and he had a feeling that she might not like what she heard. He realized that Eve was smart; she’d noticed all the time he was spending out of the house and she’d noticed his renewed interest in business dealings. But in Italy, and especially considering his last name, business often came with a price.

And he could hardly be expected to conduct regular business. With the last name Riccardi, Nico had always attracted attention here. Certain sorts of people presented him with offers that he would be foolish to refuse.

He watched as Eve came down the stairs with Matteo wrapped in her arms. His son was half awake and bundled in a wool blanket.

“Hello my beautiful.”​

“Hey,” Eve said, tiptoeing to kiss Nico on the lips. Once she pulled away, he bent his lips to his son’s forehead.

“How is our little one?”

“He just woke up. I think he can sense when you come home.”

“Hey there little guy… Matteo…” Nico said.

He whispered in Italian and kissed his son on the forehead. Eve smiled watching him with the baby. Nico’s hardened external demeanor softened the instant he came into contact with his son. Just as motherhood had changed her, fatherhood had changed Nico. At least as far as Eve could see, that was the case.

“Hungry?” Eve asked.

Nico shook his head. He looked his fiancée up and down for a second. He knew that what they were going to talk about next would make her less than happy.

“Not really.”

“You look like you have something to say to me,” Eve said.

Nico shifted uncomfortably and ran his hands through his hair. She could always pick up on his subtle mood shifts, like some kind of mind reader. Women’s intuition.

​“Perhaps we should head to the living room — open the windows and have a tea.”

“Sure. Will you hold Matteo while I put on the kettle?”​

Nico took his son from Eve’s arms and watched as she walked towards the kitchen. She hadn’t lost all of her baby weight, but the extra weight looked sexy on her. Her hips and her thick buttocks added to her feminine sensuality.

Her dark skin had grown even darker in the Mediterranean. All the time in the sun had suited Eve well. Shopping and wandering the streets of Italy had added golden undertones and a deep glow to her skin. She now wore her hair in long two strand twists that hit down the center of her back. Everywhere she went, she smelled like a delectable mix of Shea butter and coconut oil.

Her sweet scent aroused Nico whenever he saw her. A long day of hanging out with men that smelled like cigars and German sausages made coming home a delightful reprieve. Eve was beautiful, soft, delicate — the sort of person that made Nico feel at home.

Nico turned his attention to his son. Matteo started to crack a smile as he looked into his father’s eyes. Nico kissed Matteo’s forehead and Matteo smiled even wider. As Nico looked at his son, he pondered everything he’d already done for him and how much more he wanted to do still.

As far as Eve was concerned, they already had plenty of money. And in a sense she was right. But life wasn’t just about money. It was about connections and opportunity. Nico had just received a big opportunity. If he got in on this deal, it could change things for him. He would have more connections and more of a chance to ensure his son’s comfort throughout his life. And this wasn’t just about comfort. Nico worried that his family’s safety in Italy might be short lived. He’d heard of no imminent dangers, but that didn’t mean the dangers weren’t coming.

While they had left the specter of Giuseppe behind for now, Nico was still concerned. Eve was naïve about his concerns — and Nico intended to keep her that way — but Giuseppe would never stop being a problem to him. What mattered now was maintaining that buffer and ensuring that Giuseppe stayed across the Atlantic while he built safety nets in his home country.

Nico rocked Matteo back and forth as he heard the kettle whistling in the kitchen.

​“Green tea?” Eve called.

“Black!” Nico replied as he continued to rock his son.

Matteo’s smiling turned into giggling and Nico couldn’t help but crack a smile himself.

“Ti voglio bene,” He whispered to his son before kissing his forehead again.

Eve walked into the room and watched as Nico rocked their son. He made an excellent father — a far better father than she could have ever imagined. He’d settled into the role well. Eve thought about the first time she’d met Nico. Back then, she never would have guessed that the tall, foreboding man who had entered her Boston candy store would ever be the father of her child.

​“I have our tea.”​

She set the piping hot mugs on their coffee table and moved to the couch.

“I’ll set him in the crib. Think he’ll start crying?”

Eve shook her head. She’d been blessed with the rare instance of having a baby who wasn’t particularly fussy. Even as a tiny infant, Matteo seemed to possess his father’s cool demeanor. Funny how that worked. Even early on, Matteo seemed to possess bits and pieces of both of them. He had Eve’s hair texture, but Nico’s hair color. He had his mother’s face, but his father’s demeanor.

Nico set Matteo in his crib and then joined Eve on the couch. She settled in closer to him. Nico put his arm around Eve and allowed her to rest her head on his shoulder. Unwinding from the day was always a slow, ritual. A cool breeze wafted through the room and their breath synchronized with the soft breeze. Slowly, slowly, the day faded off of them.

The living room smelled like clean cotton and possessed an almost Scandinavian minimalism with teak woods and bleached whites. The room felt like how classical music sounds — sweet, peaceful and homey. Eve had never felt so relaxed in Boston. Back home, there was always noise, always some frenetic city buzz. Here, there was just quiet and maybe the sound of birds chirping as they sailed past the window.

Eve inhaled, taking in her husband’s scent. His cologne mixed in with his natural body odors from the day and that raw masculine scent wafted into her nostrils, causing her to feel more at home than before.

“It’s crazy isn’t it?”

​“What’s crazy?” Nico said.

Since moving back here, his Italian accent had grown even stronger. His English was still good because that was what they spoke at home. But unlike while he was in the United States, Nico made no attempts to diminish his thick Italian accent.

“It’s crazy that we met in my candy store so long ago… It’s crazy that we have a son… It’s crazy how much life we have left to live together.”​

“Crazy… but amazing.”

Nico kissed Eve’s forehead.

“Your hair smells delicious,” He whispered.

He took one of her two strand twists and twirled it around his finger. Eve presented her forehead to him and he planted another soothing kiss on her forehead. Being alone all day wasn’t so bad when she got to end the day with her loving fiancé. Husband. He’s going to be my husband. Eve thought to herself.

Eve could tell he was getting mischievous. There wasn’t as much time for lovemaking since they’d had a baby. However, their desires for each other hadn’t diminished. It was just that the available time to act on such desires had nearly vanished.

“Down boy,” Eve smirked.

She reached for her hot cup of tea and took a long sip. Nico followed suit.

“Tea is much better black,” He mused.

“I hope you’d say that about a few things…”

“Naughty girl,” Nico teased, kissing her neck.

Eve leaned away from him, “You still have something to tell me, don’t you?”

Nico nodded, “Yes. But you aren’t going to like it.”​

Eve didn’t like the sound of what she was hearing. Nico never beat around the bush like this unless he was going to bring up something serious. She’d already suspected that Nico was growing more and more involved with some of his previous dealings.

“Well spit it out then.”

“I’ve been offered the chance to get in on a great deal with some business partners. Paolo believes that if this goes through, we will finally be able to make a connection to the Savellis.”​

“The Savellis?”​

“My mother’s family.”

“What kind of deal are you talking about?”

Now that he was facing her, Nico wasn’t sure he could really say it out loud. He knew that Eve perceived all these underhanded deals as unethical. And business matters that skated the tax laws were incomprehensible to her. She’d argue with him about doing things the “legal” way, forgetting that there were no real laws when it came to business. There were loopholes and ways to get around pretty much anything you didn’t like.

“Nico you can’t be serious. If you get back into that world…”

“It’s not about getting back into that world. It’s about my mother’s family.”

“Well why haven’t I heard a damned thing about your mother’s family until now?”​

“You know I lost my mother prematurely…”

“And they blame Giuseppe.”​

“Exactly. But… The Savelli family is my only chance at having a real family.”

“Well, what about your family right here?” Eve snapped, “What if you do this and then you’re back on the map. We’ll be on the run all over again!”

Eve could sense her blood pressure rising as Nico continued to pursue the subject. She was uninterested in green lighting one of his insane ideas just because he felt there was good reason for it. No matter the reason, the risk Nico would have to take to engage in his previous dealings would endanger their whole family.

Eve couldn’t believe he’d put their son at risk like that voluntarily.

​“I would never let that happen,” Nico said, taking Eve’s palm in his own hand.

She snatched her hand away, looking at Nico with fury.

“I can’t believe you’re actually considering this Nico.”

“And I can’t believe you won’t even give this a chance!”

“You are addicted to this crazy life Nico! Can’t you see that!” Eve huffed.

She could sense that she was getting shrill. But Eve couldn’t help it. After everything that had happened to her and to Nico while back in Boston, she couldn’t figure out why he was willing to risk it all again just to have the chance to see family members he’d been estranged from for years already.

Eve knew nothing about the Savellis but if they could agree to have their daughter marry a man like Giuseppe Riccardi, she didn’t have much faith already. Eve didn’t want to burst Nico’s bubble or deny him the chance to connect with those who shared his blood but she was worried.

These weren’t regular families he was talking about — they were mafia. And in the mafia, nothing was as it appeared. Loyalty was fickle and what might be a good business deal one day might be signing your death warrant the next. Eve knew enough to know that she wasn’t willing to send her fiancé into the fire. He couldn’t guarantee that he wouldn’t get burned.

“I’m not addicted Eve. This is family. In Italy, family is everything.”

“Well, can’t you just call them up? Talk to them? That’s what normal people do.”​

Nico shook his head, “The language of families like ours is business. If I prove I’m trustworthy in business, the Savellis might see me. They might give me a real chance.”​

“And what if this is all a set up. What if this is a part of some effed up plan.”​

“It isn’t.”

There was no way he could know that. As far as Eve was concerned, he hadn’t spoken to his mother’s family in decades. They could be anything. They could even be worse than the Riccardis in Boston.​

“Jesus Christ Nico! No! Okay? Just NO!”

“You’re going to wake Matteo.”

“Do not tell me to be quiet!” Eve yelled, “After all I’ve been through with you Nico, I thought you understood that I can’t do this! I can’t live the life that you live!”

“Well, you certainly don’t complain when I bring home the money!” Nico roared.

Eve lost her patience right then.

“Oh so you think this is about money?” Eve continued, “This is about our son. He’s a baby Nico. I can’t do any of this alone! If something happens to you I’ll be alone! I can’t do that. I can’t be that much of a bloody hero!”

​“No one is asking you to do it alone. Just let me do this one deal and I will sort things out with the Savelli family. We need them on our side.”

“Why?! Why do we need anyone on our side? Why can’t we just stay out of trouble and stay here?”

“It’s not that simple Eve.”​

“Right. You always say that. And I’m just supposed to be okay with that. I’m just supposed to be okay with living in exile.”​

“You are not living in exile.”​

“I’m not? Then why can’t we go back to the U.S.?”

“We can… Just not Boston.”

“Right.”

Eve rolled her eyes.

“This is serious Eve. I’m discussing with you but…”

“But I have no choice?”​

Nico lowered his eyes, “I’m sorry but… I’ve kept you safe so far, why can’t you trust me?”

​“Because I think you’re doing something foolish Nico. And hell, maybe you’ve already done it.”​

Matteo gurgled in the corner. Eve looked over at her son who was somewhere between awake and asleep. Why couldn’t Nico see how much pain it would cause both of them if something were to happen to him? Why couldn’t he see that nothing about the way he lived was safe? No matter how much he thought he was invincible, if he found himself on the wrong end of a handgun, they’d all be toast.

“Are we in danger right now?” Eve asked.

Nico shrugged.

“Oh my goodness…”

​“Listen Eve. I can’t say whether we are in danger or not. But I do know that the Savelli family has got wind of my return to Italy. I need to demonstrate that I am not my father’s son.”

“And of course, conversation won’t work.”

“You know this is not a world where problems are solved through discussion.”

Eve sighed, “And if something happens to you?”

​“Nothing will happen.”​

“HOW CAN YOU SAY THAT?” Eve yelled.

“Eve will you please stop bloody yelling?!”​

“No! I won’t stop yelling Nico! Because for things to get to this point, you must have lied to me. You promised me that you would keep us safe but you’ve been exposing us!”

Nico bit down on his lower lip. Eve was being difficult — as he knew she would be — but she did have a point. He’d only kept things from her because he knew she would have reacted like this. Plus, his role was to protect the family — not to involve Eve in every minor decision.

Some decisions were up to the man — the head of the household. That was the way Nico had grown up and that was how he expected things to work.

“I did this to protect you!” Nico shouted.

It was the first time he’d raised his voice at her and Eve was thoroughly taken aback.

She opened her mouth, preparing herself to yell something cutting back at Nico. Their son interrupted their fierce argument. Matteo began to cry; his loud piercing wails filled the room.

Eve glared at Nico.

“This is the person I’m worried about. Maybe you should try worrying about your son for a change.”

Eve stood up and walked to the crib, picking Matteo up. His cries grew louder and louder as she rocked him.

“I do care about my son Eve. The world just isn’t as simple as you think it is.”​

“But it could be. It could be simple. All you need to do is give up this life Nico. Don’t do anything that you’ll regret.”​

“Are you threatening me?”​

Eve sighed as she continued to bounce Matteo up and down.

​“No, I’m not threatening you. I just know that this is how relationships get ruined. It starts with small lies and then the lies get bigger. I want what’s best for Matteo and I need to know that’s what you want too.”

“Of course it’s what I want.”

“I need some space to think right now,” Eve muttered.

Matteo’s cries were growing louder and louder; Nico was eager to give Eve the space that she’d requested. He walked up towards their bedroom. Eve clung tightly to Matteo. He was starting to quiet down but he hated when they fought. Eve hated it too. Most of the time, she and Nico got along well.

But they always disagreed when it came to business. Nico had one way of doing things and Eve had another way of doing things. Eve craved the simplicity of doing business the way she’d always done it in the past. There was no subterfuge, no secret deals and certainly nothing illegal. All you had to do was work hard and stay out of trouble.

She couldn’t be sure Nico felt the same way. He seemed to think that business deals were made by getting into the largest possible amount of trouble.

Once Matteo had quieted down, Eve felt sadness gripping her chest. She had known who Nico was from the moment she’d met him. She’d wanted him to change so badly and for a while, she believed that he had changed. As Matteo approached 26 weeks old, Eve began to wonder if she’d just imagined Nico changing.

Perhaps men could never change — and certainly not men who had grown up like Nico. She’d learned most of his deepest and dirtiest secrets and she’d still decided to build a life with him. Perhaps anything that happened to her son would be her fault. She was his mother after all; she had a special biological urge to put her son before anyone, even her fiancé.

It would be her fault for expecting a man with mafia ties to really change. Eve knew she had to pray hard for nothing ill to befall them.

Matteo had quieted down and Eve felt calm about resting him in his cradle after a nice feeding. She knew Nico was upstairs and she considered heading up there to make peace with him. After a moment of consideration, Eve decided against it. Let him think about making a good decision first, then peace.

For now, she wanted to ensure Matteo was down for some more sleep. Eve sat on the couch and finished up her tea.

The tea had gone cold.

Matteo settled down and his gurgles turned into gentle snores. Eve recognized that perhaps she’d been too harsh with Nico. After some time to settle down, she understood where he was coming from. Nico had lost his mother and with her, he’d lost ties to a potentially loving and kind family.

Growing up with only Giuseppe as a parent had to be difficult. He wasn’t exactly a man known for his sentimentality. In fact, the opposite was true. The windows in the living room were wide open, allowing the cool breeze to float into the room. The evening air carried fresh scents into her home. As much as she missed her home country, there were some things about the Mediterranean that she wouldn’t have traded for the world.

The beautiful evening breeze was one of those things. The breeze carried with it the faint salty smell of the sea and all the calm that came with it. Eve wondered if soon she could at least convince Nico to take them all on a trip to Santorini…

The night yielded pure silence. There was the occasional chirping of night birds but other than that, the night maintained a sense of calm. Eve felt safe here. Even if she fought with Nico. Even if she had no clue how long they would be here or how long she even wanted to stay, at least she was safe.

That was her biggest worry about Nico’s deal. Eve had no desire for this safety to be compromised. She twirled one of her twists around her finger, lost in thought.

Upstairs, Nico had seated himself at his desk in their bedroom. He sent off the required communications. He heard his son’s crying cease but he didn’t hear Eve coming up the stairs. Nico knew she was pissed off but he didn’t think her anger justified. Eve had no clue what he had done for this family.

After a while, Nico grew exhausted. He despised fighting with Eve. In his childhood, fighting had always preceded intense theatrics. When he fought with Luca, his brother would respond with violence. That violence his late twin brother had learned well from Giuseppe.

At least here, Nico didn’t have to worry about Giuseppe. He understood Eve’s reluctance to be in Italy, but at least here he would be truly safe. The only threat… Well, Nico hoped to mitigate the only threat to their safety with this deal.

Perhaps Eve would come around to understanding. Maybe he’d just have to explain more of it to her.

In his exhaustion, Nico walked towards the bathroom. He washed his face, running his hands over his dark brown stubble. He noticed that his face was getting younger the more time he spent in Italy. His eyes had lost the dark circles that had seemed permanent while he was back in Boston. Like it or not, Eve had to admit that Italy was better for both of them.

She might miss Boston, but here she didn’t have to work. Here, she could be at peace and not have to struggle the way she’d struggled in Boston. Nico knew she was a hard worker at heart, but every hard working queen deserves some time off.