Semua Bab The Underboss's Kingdom : Bab 11 - Bab 20

I woke to a small hand patting my cheek. “Mama,” Gabe whispered, curls sticking up like he’d wrestled his pillow all night. “Breakfast is ready.”I blinked awake. “You cooked?”He grinned proudly. “Abuela did. I helped. A little.”Which meant he probably stirred something once and stole a strawberry.I pushed myself up and followed him down the hall. The smell hit me first, cinnamon, eggs, and Abuela’s famous sweet bread warming in the oven. She stood at the stove humming softly, her good days becoming fewer, but today… today she looked bright.“Buenos días, mija,” she said, sliding a plate toward me. “Sit. Eat. You look like you didn’t sleep.”I didn’t. Not after last night. Not after telling Salvatore the truth. Gabe climbed into his chair, but he kept glancing at me, studying me with those sharp, too‑perceptive eyes.“Mama?” he finally asked. “You’re thinking loud.”I laughed softly. “I am?”He nodded. “Your eyebrows do the thing.”I touched my forehead. “What thing?”“The worried

Today is the day. Mama told me at breakfast. I was eating Abuela’s cinnamon eggs when Mama said the owner of her new job was coming for dinner. I didn’t think anything about it until she said his name.Salvatore.Like my dad. And then she told me the truth. He is my dad. My real dad. And he wants to meet me.I almost dropped my fork. My heart felt like it jumped all the way into my throat. I didn’t know if I wanted to laugh or cry or run around the house screaming.Maybe all three. All day, I tried to be perfect. I helped Mama cook dinner. She let me stir the beans and taste the sauce and even chop the cilantro with the tiny knife she only lets me use when she’s watching super close. I didn’t mess up once.Then I set the table. I made sure the forks were all pointing the same way because Mama says details matter. I put out the good plates, the ones Abuela only uses on holidays.Abuela watched me from her chair, smiling soft. “Mijo, you’re working so hard.”“It has to be perfect,” I to

I didn’t sleep. Not really. Every time I closed my eyes, my mind spun in circles, Salvatore’s face when he saw Gabe, the way he held him, the way Gabe leaned into him like he’d been waiting his whole life for that moment. And then the other part of it.He wants to talk.Those four words kept echoing in my head. What did he want? What was he thinking? What did this mean for Gabe… for us?I wanted them to have a relationship. Gabe deserved that. He deserved a father who showed up, who cared, who stayed. But I wouldn’t let anyone take him from me. Not even Salvatore.If Salvatore ever started seeing someone else, I needed to meet her first. I needed to know she was safe, kind, stable. And I’d expect the same if I ever dated again. Not that I wanted anyone else. Not when the only man I’d ever loved was suddenly back in my life.By the time the sun rose, I gave up on sleep and made coffee. I sat at the table, hands wrapped around the mug, staring at nothing. Gabe, on the other hand, was pr

My phone buzzed on the desk. Kara. Right on time. I answered with a lazy swipe. “This better be good.”Her voice came through sharp and eager, like a dog waiting for a treat. “It’s done. The boy has been placed in a group home.”A slow smile pulled at my mouth. “Good.”“And,” she continued, lowering her voice like she was sharing a secret, “I told the mother the court date is Friday. But the real hearing is tomorrow at nine. If she doesn’t show, it’ll look like she doesn’t care.”Perfect. Exactly what I needed. “Excellent work, Kara.”She exhaled shakily, like she’d been waiting for approval. “I… I did everything you asked. So you’ll take care of my debt, right?”Her addiction made her desperate. Pills had eaten her life, her judgment, her ethics. She was exactly the kind of person who bent when pushed. And exactly the kind of person I needed.“Yes,” I said. “Your debt will be handled.”She let out a relieved breath. “Thank you. I’ll see you in court tomorrow.”The line clicked dead.

The moment Sara left my office with Talia’s promise ringing in her ears, I felt the weight of what was coming settle onto my shoulders. Not fear. Not doubt. Responsibility.I’d failed to protect my family once. I wouldn’t make that mistake again. My lawyers spread out across the conference table. files open, laptops glowing, voices low and urgent. Talia stood at the head of the table, flipping through the CPS report with a disgusted look on her face.“This is worse than I thought,” she muttered. “Kara Barns didn’t even try to hide the shortcuts. She’s gotten sloppy.”“She went after my son,” I said. “Sloppy doesn’t begin to cover it.”Talia looked up, eyes sharp. “We’re going to bury her. But we’re going to do it smart.”The family law partner — a seasoned man with silver hair and a reputation for being ruthless in court, nodded. “We need to control the narrative. If Juan thinks Sara is walking in alone with a lawyer who looks like he’s fresh out of law school, he’ll get cocky.”Talia