All Chapters of Claimed by the Mafia Boss: Chapter 41 - Chapter 50

Molly is still sleeping soundly beside me as the morning sun peers through the blinds. I can't take my eyes off her growing belly under the sheets. At nearly 16 weeks along, she's really starting to show now. A living, breathing piece of both of us is in there, getting bigger every day. I never thought I could love someone I haven't even met yet this much. But then again, I do recall feeling the same when Iris carried Devon. I can’t wait to give him the younger brother or sister he’s always wanted.As quietly as I can, I slip out of bed and head to the kitchen to start breakfast for my sleeping beauty. Molly has been working nonstop to get her new law practice up and running on top of unpacking and decorating our new house. She deserves to sleep in this morning. I whisk up some pancake batter and throw a few chocolate chips in there - her latest pregnancy craving. Once the pancakes are cooked, I arrange them artfully on a plate with some fresh strawberries I picked up at the farmer's

Her lips part slightly; she nods almost imperceptibly, a silent invitation for me to continue.I take a deep breath. "I overheard something ... between Lexi and her mother." My voice is steady despite the tempest raging within me. "It's about Detective Riley. He had an affair with someone you both knew."Molly stiffens, her gaze dropping to our intertwined hands. "Declan, what are you saying?""I think," my throat tightens around the words, "that Riley's affair ... it might have been with you."Her face crumples, tears brimming in her eyes before spilling over. She doesn't deny it; she doesn't need to. The truth hangs heavy between us—a specter from her past that has followed us into our present."It was a mistake," she chokes out between sobs. "I was so young and he ... he made me feel like I mattered."My heart breaks for her—the pain and confusion she must have felt then and now is written all over her face."I never told anyone," she continues. "When I got pregnant, I thought it w

The light from the TV flickers, casting a soft glow over our bedroom where Molly's steady breathing becomes the most soothing soundtrack. The romance on screen fades into insignificance compared to the real-life scene beside me. I glance at Molly, and a chuckle escapes me – there she is, my fierce lioness of the courtroom, succumbed to slumber's gentle embrace, a warrior defeated not by legal battles but by cinematic sentimentality and the whisper of pregnancy fatigue.Her head lolls to one side, those green eyes hidden beneath serene lids. No longer in her grip, a spoon that once scooped up the comfort of Ben and Jerry's lies abandoned on the couch. The ice cream container itself remains clutched in her other hand, a testament to cravings she only half-jokes about. Earlier, between mouthfuls of Chunky Monkey and bursts of laughter at some on-screen antic, she had voiced concerns about her changing body – about curves softening and expanding with our growing child.I had reassured her

The shocking news about Devon weighed so heavily upon me, that I was forced to heave myself up out of my bed and waddle over to the ensuite bathroom just in time to hurl my guts into the elegant porcelain sink. As I grip the cool sides of it, I stare into the mirror trying to recognize the haggard woman before me. My bloated face is blotchy, the dark circles under my eyes make them appear dull and lifeless. My golden hair lies limp and oily, strands of it escape my loose ponytail. No wonder Declan won’t come near me. He says he doesn’t want to risk doing any harm to the baby. But I know what desire looks like in those blue eyes and I haven’t seen it in weeks … at least not when he’s looking at me.“It's not fair!” I groan, striking the surface of the granite countertop.And now that precious child is in surgery fighting for his very life! What was he doing in the car with Alexandra? The sharp pain in my belly warns me not to pursue those dark thoughts. As much as I ache and pray for

The police report lies open on my desk, its contents sprawling like a crime scene itself. The words taunt me, the reality of them sinking their hooks deep into my chest. Just as we suspected, severed brake lines. It wasn't an accident; it was a hit, a cowardly attempt to erase someone from this twisted game we're all pawns in.I had asked Lexi to pick up Devon. My son, my blood, had been in that car because of me. The guilt is a vise around my heart, squeezing with every beat. I had placed him inches from death's cold grip. I bury my face in my hands and thank whatever powers that be that my boy survived and is expected to make a full recovery.A knock on the door pulls me back to the present."Boss?" It’s Red, one of my most trusted guys. "You okay?"I straighten up, wiping any trace of weakness from my face. "Yeah, what is it?"He hesitates at the door, sensing the storm brewing inside me. "We were all pretty broken up over what happened to little Devon, but it’s seems someone’s gun