Salvatore: A Mafia Romance

by T. O. Smith

  "Tesoro.” Salvatore called softly.

  I looked over at him. He walked over to me and knelt in front of me, brushing my tears off of my face. “Your mother is welcome to stay if you would like her to.” He told me. He looked over at her. “Though, you will have a guard. I do not trust you.”

  She nodded. “Understandable.” She looked over at me. “Sasha?”

  I burst into tears. Salvatore sat on the bed beside me, pulling me onto his lap as he held me tightly, whispering softly to me in Italian.

  She had always loved me.

  I’d had no clue what she had gone through to try to protect me in her own way. Knowing it now, I didn’t know how to process it. I was so overwhelmed with all of the feelings. I felt so relieved, and yet I felt so heart broken. I had hated her for so long for making me endure the shit that Pops had put me through, but that option was better than the other option Pops had for me.

  His personal whore for his men.

  I turned to my mom, grabbing her hand in mine. “Please stay.” I whispered.

  She gave me a small, trembling smile and nodded. “I will make this all up to you, Sasha.” She promised.

  I nodded, burying my face in Salvatore’s neck. He pressed his lips to my forehead before he looked at my mother. “Get some rest, Angela.” Salvatore commanded as he stood, holding my hand in his. “Sasha needs her own rest. She has refused to sleep since you passed out in our foyer.” He rested his hand on my belly. “You will see her at brunch in the morning.”

  “Brunch?” I asked Salvatore, my eyebrows pulling together in confusion.

  He nodded. “Brunch.” He stated again. “You are incinta.” He reminded me. “You need rest for you and the bambino. You will probably not be up until mid-morning.”

  I sighed, realizing he was right. I leaned down and kissed my mom’s cheek. “Rest well, Mom.” I whispered.

  She smiled at me. “You, too, Sasha. I will see you in the morning.”

  With that, Salvatore led me from the room, one of mafia’s men moving into the room to watch my mother’s every move.

  “I’ll be honest, I was not expecting that revelation.” Salvatore informed me as we stepped into our room.

  I nodded, feeling close to tears again. “I wasn’t either.” I admitted, my voice breaking. “She protected me in the only way she knew how, Salvatore.”

  He nodded and reached up to brush a tear from my cheek as it fell from my eye. “Just be careful, amore.” He reminded me. “I know she is your madre and you want to trust every word she says and forgive her, but you need to remember to protect yourself as well. I do not want her to hurt you again.”

  I nodded, leaning against him. He wrapped his arms around me, holding me tightly to him. “Ti amo, preziosa.” He said softly into my hair.

  I smiled, tightening my own arms around him, loving how two words from him could make my heart warm and happiness spread through my chest.

  F I F T E E N

  S A L V A T O R E

  I quietly opened the door to Sasha’s office, sighing softly when I found her asleep at her desk. Her arms were folded on a pile of papers, her head resting on them. Vincent laughed softly behind me. “I think it’s almost time to have her take maternity leave, don’t you?” Vincent quietly asked me as I walked over to her.

  I had been trying to get Sasha to take maternity leave since she hit her eight-month mark. At eight months pregnant, she was positively glowing, but I knew she was miserable. Her belly was so big that she couldn’t see her feet anymore, and she was having more and more trouble getting up and down from chairs and the bed.

  Every time I brought up the topic of her taking maternity leave early though, she only argued with me and then huffed off in a rage, giving me the silent treatment. I used to find it adorable, but now it only annoyed me. She was putting her health at risk.

  "Amore.” I called softly as I knelt in front of her. She slowly blinked her eyes open, looking up at me through her sleepy eyes. I gave her a small smile. “You fell asleep, tesoro."

  A tinge of red tinted her cheeks as she sat up, placing her hand on her large belly. I covered her hand with mine, watching her to make sure she was okay. I knew she was trying to hide how tired she was, but I was the one man she couldn’t fool.

  “Let’s get you home, amore.”

  I helped her up from her desk chair, placing a hand on her lower back once she was standing, applying pressure for her since I knew her back was hurting more and more lately. She winced slightly when she began walking, her hands moving to her belly. “Sasha?” I asked gently when pain flashed across her face.

  “I’m okay - Braxton Hicks.” She explained.

  “You need to be at home resting, mia moglie." I scolded softly. “You are a day shy of nine months. I’ve been trying to be nice, but I am about to make it mandatory.”

  “I hate sitting at home.” She grumbled, irritation lacing her tone. “My mother is driving me crazy with her coddling.”

  I laughed softly. Sasha and her mother had mended their relationship. Granted, it had not been easy, and numerous times I wanted to snap the woman’s neck for hurting my wife, but I had held in my anger, knowing that Sasha needed this closure.

  After months of back and forth, Sasha and her mother finally mended all of their bridges. Since then, her mother had been hovering over Sasha, and it was only getting worse the closer Sasha got to her due date. I didn’t mind someone hovering over Sasha when I couldn’t be there, but I knew Sasha was reaching the end of her patience.

  “It’s not funny, Salvatore.” Sasha snapped at me, wincing again as she rubbed her belly.

  "Sorella, you need someone hovering. Your due date is in two days.” Vincent reminded her.

  She scowled at him. “I don’t recall someone asking for your opinion, Vince.” She snapped at him, making me bark out a laugh.

  The further Sasha had progressed in her pregnancy, the worst her temper had gotten. She was a force to be reckoned with, and whenever I had a meeting that I needed her to attend, everyone gave her a wide berth. She was getting more and more unpredictable with her mood.

  She suddenly gripped my suit jacket, her face screwed up in pain. “Salvatore, something is wrong.” She told me, her eyes looking up at me with fear, something I never saw in her eyes.

  "Fanculo.” I cursed. Vincent was already pulling his phone up to his ear. I lifted Sasha up into my arms just as she began bleeding. Panic gripped my chest, but I swallowed it down, knowing I needed to be strong for her.

  I set her on the couch in my office, brushing her hair out of her face. “Help is on the way.” Vincent said.

  Sasha wrapped her arm around her protruding belly with a wince. “The contractions -” She whimpered, tears flooding her eyes.

  “They’re too close.” I finished for her as I kneeled in front of her. “I know, amore. Just be strong, okay?”

  She was losing a lot of blood - there was so fucking much. Vincent gripped my shoulder. “Not now, brother.” He told me in Italian, noticing my body tensing. I was beginning to panic. This wasn’t normal – this was far from normal.

  I gripped Sasha’s face in my hands, gently rubbing my thumbs over her damp cheeks as tears fell from her eyes. “It’s all going to be alright.” I soothed, trying to make those words as realistic as possible for not only her, but for myself, too.

  Her face was paling little by little from the blood loss. Panic gripped my chest, but I willed myself not to let it show on my face. If she saw that I was freaking out, she would begin to panic as well. “I’m scared.” She choked out.

  “I know, amore.” I soothed. “Be strong. I need you to be strong for our little one, okay?”

  She nodded. I forced myself not to look at the blood that was leaving her body, knowing I would panic if I did. Suddenly, I heard boots pounding up the stairs, and I jerked my head around to see EMTs rushing into the room. I stood back instantly, letting them take care of my wife.

  Right when they reach
ed her, she passed out. “Sasha!” I shouted, moving to go forward, but Vincent held me back.

  “Let them help her, Salvatore.” He told me in Italian. “She’s trying her best to be strong, and you need to be strong for her.”

  “She’s lost too much blood.” One of the men said. “We need to get her to the hospital right now. I’m pretty sure we have a case of placental abruption, and she’s hemorrhaging.”

  Hemorrhaging.

  Placental abruption.

  Lost too much blood.

  I felt like my whole world was crashing down around me.

  I couldn’t fucking lose her.

  I watched through my tears as they loaded my wife onto a stretcher. An EMT moved over to me as they wheeled her out of the room. “Mr. Bianchi?” She asked me. I nodded once, forcing myself to stay strong. “We will do everything we can for her.” She quietly informed me.

  “Will she live?” I asked, my voice breaking. Vincent squeezed my shoulder.

  She gave me a sad smile. “As I said, we will do everything we can for her, Mr. Bianchi. You may want to go ahead and head to the hospital.”

  She walked off. I looked over at the couch, vomit rising in my throat. Her blood was covering my white couch. She was dying, and it was all my fault - all because I got her pregnant.

  God, please don’t fucking take her from me.

  S I X T E E N

  I don’t know how long I paced the waiting room floor. Every time I heard a nurse or a doctor, I prayed they were coming to give me some kind of news about Sasha and our baby.

  I didn’t even know if we were having a boy or girl. We had wanted to keep it a secret - a surprise for when he or she was finally born. We wanted to experience that moment together, but that moment had been ripped from us.

  Now, my wife and our baby were probably fighting for their lives.

  Vincent was leaning against the wall, his chin resting on his chest with his arms crossed as he stared down at the floor. Sasha’s mother was currently softly crying with my own mother, and my father was tapping his fingers on the arm of his chair.

  Hours had passed. I had no idea how they were doing - hadn’t heard a damn thing besides we’re trying to help her, Mr. Bianchi.

  I was getting damn sick of hearing that. I wanted news – something, anything – besides the fucking unknown.

  I looked up again as the large, steel doors that led to the back of the hospital opened and a doctor stepped through, still in his operational scrubs. There was a nurse by his side. He looked exhausted as did the nurse, and I only prayed they were bringing me some kind of news about Sasha and our baby.

  “Mr. Bianchi?” The doctor asked, holding his hand out to me. I instantly shook it as I stood to my feet.

  “How are they?” I asked, my voice gruff from the emotional roller coaster I was currently riding on.

  He gave me a grin. “They’re great.” He informed me. My shoulders sagged in relief, an immense weight lifting from my shoulders. “There were quite a few complications. The placenta detached itself from the uterine wall. It had to have happened earlier today as the baby’s heartrate was decreasing by the time that she was brought in.” My heart stopped in my chest. “She was also hemorrhaging, which was all the blood you saw and why she passed out. After performing a c-section, we gave your wife a blood transfusion. She’s fine - exhausted - but she is fine and coherent. Would you like to see her?”

  I nodded, at a loss of words. I couldn’t even find it in me to ask how our baby was – if we’d had a boy or a girl.

  I followed the doctor down a couple of hallways until he knocked lightly on a door, and Sasha’s tired voice called out a ‘come in’. I stepped into the room, tears of relief instantly spilling from my eyes when they landed on her holding a baby wrapped in a blue blanket.

  We had a boy.

  I instantly strode over and kissed her deeply, my tongue tangling with hers in an erotic dance before I released her, looking down at our sweet little boy. “I hope you don’t mind, but I went ahead and named him.” Sasha quietly told me as she looked up at me. I took a seat on the bed beside her as I reached out to hold his tiny hand. “His name is Luca Matteo Bianchi.”

  She gave him an Italian name.

  I grinned at her. She smiled at me tiredly. “Perfetto.” I whispered.

  She closed her eyes for a moment, and I reached out to run my fingertips down her pale cheek. “You need rest, mia moglie.” I told her softly. I could tell she was still feeling under the weather from all of the blood loss, and I knew her belly had to be hurting where she had the c-section.

  She opened her eyes to look at me. “I was waiting for you to come in.” She told me. “I remember you panicking - it’s the last thing I remember.” She admitted.

  I swallowed thickly as I reached out and took Luca from her arms. She settled back into her pillow more comfortably. “I tried to hide it from you, amore.” I told her honestly. “You were frightened enough as it was.”

  “You’re still human, Salvatore.” She reminded me. “I can’t expect you to never be afraid.”

  I leaned forward and kissed her forehead. “The only thing in this world that I am afraid of, amore, is the thought of losing you and our son.” I admitted. She gave me a tender, exhausted smile. “Get some rest, tesoro. I will take care of our bambino.”

  She smiled at me as she closed her eyes. I pulled her blanket up around her shoulders as I stood up. After taking a seat in the chair beside her bed and situating Luca’s small frame in my arm, I pulled my phone out, calling Vincent.

  “How is she?” He asked as soon as he answered.

  “Tired, but fine.” I informed him. “You all may come in one at a time to meet Luca. Sasha is resting.”

  “Luca.” Vincent murmured. “She had a boy?” He asked.

  I grinned as Luca opened his eyes, those beautiful blue eyes just like his mother’s locking on mine. “Yes.”

  “I am on my way.”

  I hung up the phone, sliding it back into my pocket as I let Luca hold my finger, his eyes roaming over my face. “Benvenuto nel mondo, mio piccolo erede." I said softly.

  He made a gurgling sound as Vincent stepped into the room, quietly shutting the door behind him. He looked at Sasha, and a frown crossed his features. “She’s so pale.” He said softly, worry filling his voice for the woman he considered to be his little sister.

  I nodded. “She lost quite a bit of blood.” I reminded him. “It will be a while before she’s back to normal.” I stood up from the chair. “Meet Luca Matteo Bianchi.”

  Vincent cradled Luca in his arms, a grin spreading across his face. “Fanculo, he has her eyes, fratello.”

  I grinned. “I know.” And I hoped with every fiber of my being that he would keep her eyes. I loved Sasha’s eyes, and our little boy having that part of her would be one of the greatest gifts ever.

  Vincent’s phone began vibrating, and he pulled it out with a sigh. “I have to go.” He told me as he handed Luca back to me. “I’ll be back later with Gianna. The babysitter needs to get back home.”

  I nodded at him, watching as he strode out of the room. Once Ashley had given birth to their daughter, she had committed suicide not long after. Vincent had come home from checking on one of his bars only to hear Gianna screaming in her crib. He found Ashley dead on the bathroom floor, a gun in her hand and blood splattered all over his bathroom wall.

  It had been gruesome, and it had brought a lot of heat on our family for a while until the cops officially ruled it as a suicide. Vincent sold his condo and moved into a little house on the outskirts of New York where Gianna could grow up surrounded by nature - as far away from the crime that our family surrounded ourselves with.

  Padre came into the room next. “Your madre and in-law fell asleep out in the waiting room. I have some guards with them.” He informed me. He looked down at Luca in my arms. “He’s the spitting image of you, mio figlio.”

  Luca turned his blue eyes towards the sound of t
he voice, and Padre grinned. “Those eyes are all his mother, though.” He admitted. “You two created a bellissimo bambino.”

  “Thanks, Padre.”

  He reached out and gently squeezed Luca’s little hand in his own. “I’ll let you both get some rest, and I’ll bring your mother and Sasha’s mother back tomorrow once you both are more awake and alert. A guard will be posted outside of the room.” He informed me.

  He looked over at Sasha. “Despite the circumstances you two became wed, I am glad you found her, Salvatore. She is your match.”

  With that, he left the room. I looked back down at the bundle of joy in my arms.

  Ti amo, Luca.

  TRANSLATIONS

  Prometto che lo faro – I promise I will

  Fanculo – fuck

  Figlio – son

  Piccolo – little one

  Mia moglie – my wife

  Amore – love

  La famiglia – the family

  Mia bella – my beauty

  Bambino – baby

  Sei cosi bello – You are so beautiful

  Sono anche meglio di quanto avessi immaginato – They are even better than I imagined

  Tesoro – treasure

  Perche sei cosi frustrato? – Why are you so frustrated?

  Padre – father

  Madre – mother

  Pazienza – patience

  Mia bellissimo piccolo – My beautiful little one

  Ti senti cosi incredible avvolto intorno a me – You feel so amazing wrapped around me.

  Fantastico – fantastic

  Sei già protettivo nei suoi confronti, fratello? – You’re already protective of her, brother?

  Lasciarlo cadere – drop it

  Traditore – traitor

  Adorare – adore

  Mia sorella – my sister

  Te lo prometto – I promise