My Childhood Bully is a Mafia Boss-Chapter 86

Ellie

My eyes flickered open. Blurry ceiling tiles came into focus above me, and the sharp scent of antiseptic burned my nose.

Where was she? I craned my neck, peering around the small hospital room. Empty. Panic bubbled in my chest. Where was Elora?

"Nurse!" My throat was raw. I winced, swallowing hard. "Where’s my baby?"

A woman in pink scrubs hurried to my bedside. "Please try to relax, Miss Blackwood."

"Relax?" I rasped. "How can I relax? Where is she?"

Oh god, did something happen to her? But the doctor said she was healthy when they checked last time. "Is she okay?" I breathed.

The nurse checked my IV, avoiding my gaze. "The baby is perfectly healthy. She’s in the nursery with her dad."

Her dad?

"I want to see her." I struggled to sit up, clutching the thin blanket. "Bring me my baby. Now."

"I understand you’re eager to meet your daughter, but you need to rest." The nurse laid a firm hand on my shoulder, pushing me back down. "You just gave birth. Your body has been through a trauma. If you don’t allow yourself adequate recovery time, it could be dangerous for both you and the baby."

I batted her hand away. "If you don’t bring me my baby right now, I’ll get out of this bed and find her myself."

The nurse’s lips thinned into a disapproving line. "Threatening to put your health at risk will not help matters." She checked my IV again. "But...I’ll speak to your doctor about moving the baby to your room."

I sank back against the pillows, clutching my blanket until my knuckles turned white. Any moment now, I would hold my baby in my arms.

My heart hammered as I waited, counting each second that ticked by on the clock. Where were they? Had something gone wrong? No, I couldn’t think like that. My baby was fine. She had to be.

At last, the door creaked open. A nurse peeked in, an impish grin on her face. "Someone’s here to see her mommy."

I lurched forward, my arms already reaching out. The nurse stepped aside, revealing the rolling bassinet behind her. And there, swaddled in a pink blanket, was the most beautiful creature I’d ever seen.

Elora. My daughter.

Tears welled in my eyes as the nurse brought the bassinet closer. I ran a gentle finger over the soft curve of my baby’s cheek. She squirmed, blinking open eyes. They were brown but I had a feeling they will turn green when she grows up. A feather-soft whimper escaped her lips.

"Here now, none of that," I whispered. I lifted her into my arms, settling her against my chest. Her warmth and weight felt so right, like she was made to fit there. Like she’d always belonged there.

My baby. My daughter.

"You are perfect," I whispered. "Wait until your brother sees you. He already loves you, did you know that?" I said blissfully.

Elora yawned, nuzzling closer. A surge of love and protectiveness swept through me, as powerful as the ocean tides. I would walk through fire for this tiny life. I would wage war on heaven and hell to keep her safe.

I brushed a light kiss over her forehead, breathing in her sweet scent. "Hello, my darling," I whispered. "I’m your mommy. And I will never leave you."

Elora let out a contented sigh, her eyes drifting shut. I held her close, marveling at how love could grow and bloom so swiftly. In that quiet, perfect moment, it felt as though we were the only two people in the world.

The moment was interrupted.

Ivy and Aidan burst through the door, their faces glowing. Ivy rushed to my side, Aidan on her heels.

"Oh, Ellie," Ivy said, breathless. "You did so great."

I gazed down at the sleeping angel in my arms, a smile curving my lips.

"She’s perfect," I whispered. "Absolutely perfect."

Aidan smiled. "Yes, she is."

My heart swelled at the sight of them. Surrounded by love, my darling girl would never want for anything. She was the luckiest baby in the world—and so was I.

A small part of me felt sad because she will grow up without a father but the better part of me was glad that Slava was gone.

Maybe it was better this way. Slava took care of me, yes. But he didn’t respect women. And he would’ve been less than thrilled to have a daughter instead of a son he could train.

"Where is Lucas?" I asked Ivy. I suddenly missed him terribly.

"I left him with Molly. I figured it would be safer for him. He is excited to meet his sister soon." Aidan smiled.

Just as I was basking in the joy of the moment, a familiar figure sauntered into the room. Giovanni.

Why was he still here? It was embarrassing enough that he witnessed my entire childbirth!

My cheeks heated as I remember him being in the delivery room with me. Telling me to breathe, comforting me. Holding me. I even remembered a faint kiss on my forehead.

What the hell was that about!?

His gaze landed on the baby, a slow smirk spreading across his lips. "Well, well. You are finally reunited with the little one."

I made a grunting sound. "Why are you still here."

Giovanni raised his arms in mock surrender. "Such hostility! I bring you here safe and sound and this is how you treat me?"

I softened my gaze a little bit. "Okay, yes. I appreciate you bringing me here on time. And...and helping me in the delivery room." My cheeks flushed at the memory again. "But, you can leave now. I don’t have your damn codes, and now is not the time to talk about it."

"Ah, si. We will worry about the codes another day," he nodded in agreement.

"Then you should just leave," I said.

Aidan cleared his throat awkwardly. "You want to tell her Giovanni, or should I?"

I looked at Aidan in confusion and then at Giovanni. "Tell me what?"