The Mafia And His Angel Part 3 (Tainted Hearts)

by Lylah James

  He poured his fear and anger on Ivy, who just shook her head.

  “Alessio, stop screaming! They’re going to kick you out!” Maddie snapped, her hands holding mine firmly.

  “They can’t kick me out! I own the fucking hospital!”

  Huh? That was news. Since when?

  I looked at him, confused, as another pain crashed through me. This time I bit my lips and tried the hardest to breathe through my nose.

  “Alessio bought the hospital a few weeks ago. To make sure it was safe and all for you and Princess. He was quite obsessive about it,” Maddie explained in my ear.

  Wow. Just wow.

  But I didn’t have a chance to be thoroughly wowed because Alessio was still screaming at Ivy. He looked like he wanted to shoot the woman. Or maybe he was plotting her murder in many different ways.

  Oh dear. Not good.

  “Natural birth is like this, Mr. Ivanshov. Please be patient. One more push and your daughter will be here,” she said calmly.

  His gaze turned to mine. “You should have accepted the drugs for the pain, Angel.”

  His eyes were begging me. Just like they did when a nurse came and asked if I wanted the drugs. I screamed a no, and they scurried out of the room.

  Alessio was hot on their tails, trying to bring them back to put the drugs in me. He almost forced them and dragged one of the women inside.

  I refused yet again.

  I regretted my decisions some hours later, but it was too late by then.

  Another contraction was making its way to my belly. At the same time, Ivy yelled for me to push.

  With Alessio’s lips next to my temple, the words I love you ringing through my ears, I pushed with a shout.

  We kept going back and forth like this. An urge to push, a wail of agony, another push. Finally, I felt a hard pressure in my lower region, then something—someone—slid out. It felt weird, but I didn’t have a chance to think through the pain.

  The pressure finally alleviated and then…silence. For about two seconds.

  Because when my screaming ended, my daughter’s wails were heard.

  “It’s a girl!” Ivy announced proudly, holding my baby girl in her arms.

  A daughter. A princess. A tiny little baby girl to call our own. Someone who we would shower with so much love and care.

  “Mr. Ivanshov, do you want to cut the cord?” Ivy asked.

  She moved closer and brought our daughter next to Alessio. He looked completely in shock and lost as he followed Ivy’s instruction and cut our baby’s cord, while still holding my hand in one of his.

  Ivy placed Princess on my bare stomach while she continued to wail.

  A mighty loud wail. One that everyone heard because I heard a shout of victory coming from outside my room.

  My baby girl was still wet and gooey with blood, but I didn’t mind. Having her against my skin, actually holding her, it made my eyes blur with tears as I cried.

  I was holding my daughter.

  Months ago, I thought I would never get a chance. But now, she was here.

  I pressed my palm against her bloody rump as her cries slowly started to calm.

  Faintly, I noticed Alessio kissing my face. Peppering my face with kisses, his lips never left my skin. He trembled against me as I cried softly.

  “I love you,” he whispered over and over again. With each kiss, those words were whispered against my skin. “Angel.”

  My daughter was taken out of my grasp. I watched them clean her as she started crying again. So grumpy. So loud. So lovely.

  “Alessio…” I whispered, my voice hoarse and soft.

  “You were so strong,” he said against my forehead.

  “Thank you, my love.”

  “I love you.”

  “I know.”

  I heard quiet sniffling beside me and saw Maddie crying softly. “She’s here.” I nodded toward the baby.

  Maddie nodded. “I’m so proud of you, babe.”

  “Thank you for being here with me. I needed you,” I replied, holding her hand tight.

  When my baby girl was cleaned and her crying had stopped again, I smiled at Maddie. “Why don’t you go see her?”

  She scurried from my side and made her way to my daughter. The little princess was placed in her crib.

  Maddie peeked at the princess and be beamed happily. “Aww…she is the cutest!”

  Did my heart just accelerate a little bit?

  Of course, she was the cutest! After all, she was mine and Alessio’s baby.

  I turned my head to the side and faced Alessio. “You have to go see her, Alessio,” I muttered against his lips.

  He kissed me soundly, breaking my words. He kissed me until I was breathless.

  Alessio still hadn’t seen our daughter yet. What was he waiting for?

  “I’m scared, Angel,” he murmured.

  “Of what? The man I know is not scared of anything.”

  “I don’t know. It’s just that my chest feels a little weird and too tight,” he replied. His gaze was still on mine.

  Blue eyes bored into my green ones. Both stared intently, showing the same love.

  “She needs you.”

  Alessio swallowed hard and nodded. He stood up straight just in time for Ivy to bring our daughter to him.

  One second his hands were empty, and the next he was holding our princess.

  Well, kind of holding.

  He panicked and held the baby out, away from him.

  “I don’t…know…what…you…” he stuttered.

  “Here,” Ivy explained patiently. She helped him wrap his arms securely around our baby girl, showing him how to hold her properly.

  Alessio instinctively brought Princess closer to his chest, and he cradled her there. His eyes were no longer on mine.

  No, his eyes were on our precious daughter.

  He didn’t blink. He didn’t utter a single word.

  Ivy cleaned me up and finished the last stage of delivery. When I was washed and cleaned, I sunk against the pillow and watched my husband hold our daughter.

  I watched him watch our princess.

  He was completely lost in her. Mesmerized by the tiny baby in his arms.

  I saw his arms tighten the slightest bit. Was it a protective hold? Or a possessive one?

  Such a sweet sight. My eyes drooped a little as tiredness took over.

  Alessio’s chin trembled, and I blinked.

  A tear slid down his cheek.

  I blinked again.

  Another tear.

  He was crying.

  “My princess,” he whispered gruffly.

  His gaze came back on mine. “Our princess. She is so beautiful, Ayla. So, so beautiful.”

  He paused and then frowned. “And too small. Is that normal? Why is she so small?”

  Maddie snorted. Ivy laughed.

  I smiled…my heart full with so much love.

  Alessio was right. Princess was a small baby. She was dainty in her father’s arms. Was Alessio’s arm bigger than her tiny body? Yes, probably. She was practically hidden against his chest.

  I placed my hands out. “I want to hold her.”

  Ivy left the room quietly. Maddie placed a kiss on my forehead and quietly left the room too.

  Alessio came to my side and settled on the bed beside me. He placed Princess into the crook of my arm. I cradled her lovingly to my chest.

  She shifted around and mewled softly. Her forehead was scrunched up, like she was about to cry.

  Her eyes were closed. I wondered what color they would be?

  My baby girl was wrapped tightly in a soft blanket. She barely had any place to move. Her head was covered with a pink hat, just as soft as the blanket. I moved the hat, and my eyes found black hair.

  “She has black hair,” I muttered. Leaning down, I placed a sweet kiss on her head.

  With the help of Alessio, we moved the blanket around. Ten tiny fingers and ten tiny toes. Perfect. Absolutely perfect.

&
nbsp; She was so small, it made my heart ache. I imagined her in pain, and my heart broke.

  No, my daughter would never be in pain. Not like me.

  She had an army to protect her. A vicious army at that.

  Her father had made sure of it.

  Her tiny arms flailed a little, her leg kicked out. Her little cute pink lips burst in a pout. So adorable.

  And then she started crying.

  “Aww…no crying, Princess,” I said softly. “What do you want? Are you hungry? Shhh…Mommy is here,” I soothed when she continued to cry.

  Alessio quickly wrapped the blanket around her again. “I think she’s hungry.”

  I nodded. “Can you help?” My head pointed at my laced bodice.

  My husband shifted around and unlaced my gown from the front. When my breast was freed from the fabric, I brought Princess closer to my chest.

  Her head moved around slowly, looking for something. Her lips made a suckling sound. She was definitely hungry.

  With my hand under her small head, I brought her mouth to my left breast. She instantly latched onto my nipple and sucked. Hard.

  I winced and let out a yelp.

  “That’s my girl,” Alessio said. Proudly, I should add.

  “Seriously?” I huffed as my baby started to suckle, taking in her fill.

  Alessio’s arm wrapped me as he buried his nose into my neck. He placed a kiss there, letting his head lay on my shoulder. “I love you, Angel.”

  His other hand came up and rested against our baby’s fat rump.

  We held our daughter, cradling her in our embrace as she fed.

  While still suckling, she made a small noise…maybe it was of contentment. But it sounded sleepy too.

  And then she slowly blinked her eyes open.

  Oh.

  A tiny gasp escaped past my lips.

  Then I smiled. So beautiful.

  Our gazes locked. And I fell in love for a second time.

  Blue to green.

  Tears blurred my vision. “She has your eyes, Alessio.”

  The same exact eyes as her father.

  Her crying and moving halted.

  Giant bluish steel-colored eyes blinked up at me, framed with thick long lashes.

  Her little rosebud mouth pursed around my nipple, and I thought she sighed.

  Wait…did she smile? Was that a smile?

  “She smiled,” Alessio said, completely enamored at the sight of our daughter.

  I knew someone would argue and tell us it was caused by gas or that newborn babies didn’t smile…but she smiled. At me.

  And then at her father when her eyes met his.

  My heart constricted as father and daughter watched each other. My breath caught, and I sniffled back tears.

  Her suckling had stopped, and she blinked.

  “She really is your daughter,” I muttered, holding her even tightly.

  “She is…she is ours,” Alessio replied, rubbing a finger gently over Princess’s plump rosy cheek. “She is so perfect,” he continued.

  I agreed. Perfect. That she was.

  When it was clear she’d had her fill and was almost asleep, Alessio helped me tie my bodice again.

  Princess blinked her eyes sleepily, and then they closed. She was asleep in mere seconds.

  I pulled her up and buried my nose in her tiny neck. Breathing in her sweet baby smell, I smiled and then whispered ever so gently, “I love you, my sweet baby.”

  I held her for as long as I could. But sleep and tiredness took over me. There was no helping it. I was going under faster than I wanted.

  Alessio quietly took her out of my arms, and I dreamily saw him carrying her to her crib. After placing her down, he came back to my side.

  “Go to sleep, Angel. I will be watching over both of you,” he muttered softly to my ear.

  He kissed me on my lips. I savored his taste before closing my eyes and succumbing to my sleep.

  I had no fear. No panic.

  Only love. I felt fulfilled.

  I felt safe under my husband’s watchful gaze.

  I knew he would protect me and Princess. We were both safe and loved by this ruthless man.

  Chapter 34

  My head was drowsy when I woke up. Blinking my eyes open several times, I tried to stare around the dark room.

  Only a lamp was on.

  I turned my face to the side to see Alessio sitting on the couch next to my bed. He wasn’t alone, though.

  In his arms, Princess laid there. Actually, she was laid on his chest. Alessio had a hand supporting her head and the other over her butt.

  Her cute round cheek was pressed against Alessio’s chest, her eyes closed as she slept soundly.

  “You’re awake,” Alessio murmured quietly.

  “Was she crying?” I wondered out loud.

  Alessio shook his head. “No. I just felt like holding her.”

  It appeared like this would be an everyday occurrence.

  “How long was I asleep for?” I questioned, trying to sit up.

  He stood up with our baby girl still held tightly in his arms. “About an hour. Everyone is waiting to meet you and Princess.”

  My eyes widened, and I smacked my forehead. “Oh no. I fell asleep. I’m so sorry. Why didn’t they come in? They could have met Princess while I was sleeping.”

  Alessio placed Princess back into her crib and came to my side. Placing a kiss on my forehead, he smiled. “I forbid them from coming in. They would have disturbed both your and our daughter’s sleep.”

  “That’s not nice. They have been waiting so long to meet her,” I fought back with a hard look.

  Alessio shrugged. “Don’t care. You were tired, and that’s more important.”

  “Call them in now. It’s time they meet the little one,” I replied with a sigh. I couldn’t help but smile though.

  With a sigh, he went and did as he was told.

  The door opened, and a few minutes later, everyone started to pile in.

  Lyov and Isaak practically pushed everyone aside and came inside excitedly. Poor Viktor was crushed against the side of the door.

  Then in came Viktor and Phoenix. Nikolay and Maddie were last.

  “How are you feeling?” Lyov asked, coming to stand in front of my bed.

  “Tired but happy. I can’t wait to go back home,” I replied.

  He nodded. “Of course.”

  I saw his eyes seeking the crib. When his gaze found it, he looked at me, as if asking for permission. With my nod, he walked over there.

  Alessio was already standing beside the crib protectively.

  Isaak came to my side and placed a kiss on my forehead. “Thank you for giving everyone this gift. I haven’t seen Lyov this excited and happy in years. Decades.”

  My eyes blurred with unshed tears as I watched Lyov stare at Princess. He was speechless and held a fist to his mouth. I knew he was trying to hold in his tears.

  Isaak walked over to the crib too, standing beside Lyov.

  “She is a beauty,” Isaak announced proudly.

  “Why is everyone calling her beautiful? Newborns look like a bunch of old potatoes,” Viktor drawled with a laugh.

  Did he just call my daughter ugly? That earned him a fierce glare from me.

  “Move. Let me see the potato,” Viktor said. He sauntered to the crib and stood beside Alessio.

  And then silence.

  “Potato, my ass,” Maddie chuckled in my ear.

  Viktor’s eyes widened, and he froze. He looked completely mesmerized, just like the other three men standing around her crib.

  I noticed that Phoenix had made his way there too. Only one person was missing.

  When my eyes met his, I found him leaning against the wall in the far corner. Always alone. Always reclusive.

  “Why are you there?” I asked softly.

  Nikolay shrugged, his eyes going to the crib. He looked like he wanted to be there, but he stayed still.

  “Don’t want to scare
her,” he finally replied, pointing at his scars.

  My heart stuttered at his words. Did he really think that?

  I had the urge to go to him and wrap him in a tight hug.

  Shaking my head, I looked back at the five gathering men. Nikolay belonged there. With them, watching over my daughter.

  Phoenix stepped away. He made this way to his cousin. “Stop being a pussy,” he said lightly.

  I smiled when Phoenix dragged Nikolay to the crib. The poor guy appeared frightened.

  And then they were all standing around the crib.

  It was an impressive sight. Six big muscled men standing around a crib that held only a tiny baby.

  From my bed, I couldn’t even see the crib…let alone her.

  Viktor had his head practically shoved inside the crib. Alessio puffed his chest out, looking very proud.

  “Fuck. This is not good. Not good,” Viktor muttered quietly. I saw all the men nodding in agreement.

  Huh?

  “Definitely not good,” Lyov added just as quietly. My eyebrows furrowed in confusion.

  “She has them wrapped around her tiny fingers already,” Maddie muttered, sitting beside me.

  I simply nodded. It was true. Was it possible to say that I was the happiest mother alive at that moment?

  My princess had all the love she needed. All the love I never had.

  “You did good,” Maddie continued.

  I held her hands in mine as we watched the men watching the princess.

  A knock sounded on the door, and I called out a soft, “Come in.”

  Evaline walked in with a large bouquet of flowers. “Hey, babe!” she said cheerfully, coming to my side.

  “How did you get here?” I asked, astonished as she hugged me.

  “Viktor sent me the private jet. I came as soon as I got the news,” she mumbled back quietly.

  Her eyes went to the boys, and she raised her eyebrows in question. Maddie chuckled. “You don’t even want to know, girl.”

  “Looks like she’ll be leading them with just a flick of her finger. I can imagine them wagging their tails and following behind her,” she replied with a humorous laugh.

  “Have you thought of a name yet?” Evaline continued.

  “Uh huh. Alessio and I will announce it when we get home.”

  We had the perfect name for our princess. And we couldn’t wait to share it with everyone.