Risking the King: The Sovrano Crime Family, #1

By Jessa York

Happily ever after?

                   

He finally found me.

 

But after all this time—does he still want me?

 

Do I still want him?

 

Nothing in this life seems to make sense.

 

Not anymore.

 

Especially after everything I've gone through.

 

Most days I don't even feel like trying anymore.

 

But there's more reason than ever to fight for what I want.

 

Can I find the strength to do it?

 

Especially when danger still lurks around every corner.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Jessa York
• Release date: Jun 20, 2024
• ISBN: 9798227987266

Book preview

1

Carlo

Eight months, three days later...

F uck me, the women here are goddamn gorgeous, Asher said for the one billionth time since we’d landed in Italy. The guy wasn’t wrong.

You’re not here to see how many women you can bag. Get your head back in the game. I slid my arm around his shoulders and gave him a side hug.

This boy—this man—had been an integral part of me not losing my shit for the last nine months.

I’d lost count of how many times he, and Nick, and yes—Eve—had brought me back into the land of the living.

With hardly a whisper of information, I was certain Giselle and Dani were gone forever.

And that meant so was I.

There was no way I could think about going on without them. That had not been in the plan.

Even if they weren’t dead—that meant they were being held captive by a madman who was doing God knows what with them.

Both of those thoughts rendered me unable to function.

If it weren’t for those three people—I would have drunk myself to death months ago.

My brother was noticeably absent. I guess I deserved that for tossing him down my stairs.

But he still deserved that tossing by fucking my woman.

I considered us even.

Stefan considered me his mortal enemy.

He did come around to help whenever there was the smallest bit of intel about Giselle. 

But other than that—he stayed away from me.

Yeah, but after we find Giselle and Dani, I’m staying here for a while. Until I get my fill, Asher said as he smiled at a beautiful, dark-haired woman.

And fuck me if she didn’t grin right back.

Christ.

This boy-man was going to be impossible when he grew up.

I hope you’re right, man. I hope to fuck that you’re right. I slapped him on the back and kept an eye out.

The latest news we’d heard through the grapevine was that months ago, Giselle and Dani had been on one of Sergio’s planes.

They said it landed in Italy. We knew a few places Sergio had up here, so we’d sent surveillance. And more eyes.

But no one had seen a damn thing.

No sign of them.

That was the only thing they’d reported.

And that had pissed me right the hell off.

Asher was more than frustrated, too. Because Nick and Eve had forbidden him from going to Italy to check out the rumors.

He’d fought them on it.

Hard.

His words had nearly leveled me, though. They’re there—Giselle and Dani are fucking there. I know it. I feel it! he’d shouted at his sister, and his brother-in-law.

Out of anyone I’d ever met, Asher had the best instincts. Bar none.

That little fucker knew shit before he should. I’d witnessed it many times.

So, if he said Giselle and Dani were here—then they must be.

I just prayed that they were still alive.

So, I did what any desperate, depressed mafia king did.

I had my plane fueled and ready—and told Asher to pack his bags.

I wasn’t sure if Nick and Eve would ever speak to me again. But that was the risk I was going to take.

In the eyes of the law, Asher was an adult. He was old enough to make his own decisions.

And I needed him to follow his gut on this one.

Because I had to get my woman and my daughter back.

We walked by a loud street performer, playing the guitar. I dumped a bill or two into his case on the ground. 

We were in the middle of an open market. Craftspeople from all over gathered here every day to sell their wares. All kinds of things, from jewelry to cannoli, were set up on tables for shoppers to buy.

This was where Giselle might have been spotted months ago.

Once Stefan heard that she’d been seen at an open market—the bastard had grinned.

For the first time in months.

Then he’d nodded, and said, Yeah, I could definitely see Giselle at a market. She loved the one I took her to.

Even though I wanted to punch him in the face for reminding me of that day—one that had ended with him telling Giselle he wanted to have a baby with her—I still thought there was a chance he was right.

This information was the most plausible shit we’d been handed in the last nine months.

I’m hungry. You’re buying me lunch, Asher announced as we approached a booth that sold fresh pasta and sauce.

It looked real fuckin’ good, too. As did the stunningly pretty young woman behind the table.

Here, asshole. I handed him enough for lunch and supper. I’m going to keep walking around. Make sure your phone’s on.

Like a good boy, he pulled it out and showed me it was on, and fully charged.

After that, I left him to his philandering. And his lunch.

A half-hour later, I was ready to call it quits. 

For the day.

But I’d planned on spending at least a month or two surveilling this market at different times of the day.

Just as I turned around to make my way back to Asher—someone caught my eye.

Or more like—someones.

The woman had her hair down. It was long and dark. And wavy.

She didn’t have Giselle’s shape, though. This woman was missing a waist. And I’d know Giselle’s small waist from a mile away.

Fuck, I muttered under my breath. She was holding the hand of a little boy. His dark hair gleamed in the bright sunlight. Dani’s hair was that color. But hers was long. Just like her mother’s.

And—she was also a she.

That little boy walking away from me was definitely a boy.

I couldn’t see his face, but his clothes were definitely boy clothes.

Christ, I missed Daniella. Scooping her up and tossing her into the air. Listening to her giggle as she landed right back in my arms again.

That familiar sadness settled over me. And even though it was a bright, cloudless day, I felt the darkness crawl back over me.

I turned my head and shut my eyes, not wanting to give into it.

Not again.

When something in my brain—clicked.

My eyes popped back open, and I spun my head around to look at the woman and the kid again.

My eyes dropped to the stuffed animal the little boy was dragging behind him.

A bunny.

A bunny that looked exactly like the one I’d bought for Dani.

They disappeared around the corner.

And I nearly lost my mind.

I took off, trying to dodge my way through the crowd. I called out to her, Giselle! Giselle! But she didn’t come back around the corner.

Fuck.

Why are these people being such imbeciles? Get out of my fuckin’ way, I said in Italian. It had no effect on any of them.

When I finally reached the corner and turned—I saw the woman running away. The little boy was in her arms.

Only—he wasn’t a little boy.

Holy fuck, I said, sprinting to catch up with them. It was Dani.

Dani’s eyes stared back at me.

And I smiled.

Dada! she screamed and pointed her hand—with the bunny in it—at me. She kept yelling. Her short hair was a jarring change. But Dani was still Dani, though. I’d never forget what she looked like.

The woman kept running.

What the fuck?

Was it Giselle?

Christ.

She certainly looked just like her.

But why was she rapidly moving in the opposite direction from me?

She had to have heard me yelling her name. I did it over and over again. Calling out to her to stop.

But all she did was run faster.

To be fair, she wasn’t really moving all that quickly. Dani was a lot bigger than the last time I saw her. And since I didn’t have a two-year-old—fuck, I mean a nearly three-year-old—weighing me down, it shouldn’t take me long to catch up.

They turned another corner, but I had nearly caught up with them. Dani was still calling out for me. There was no way I was going to lose them.

I turned the corner to see—no one.

My eyes darted this way and that, looking to see where those two had disappeared.

A few seconds later, my question was answered.

Halfway up a flight of stairs—stood Dani. Jumping and trying to pull out of Giselle’s grasp. From behind, Dani had looked like a boy to me. And she was certainly dressed like a boy.

But that face.

And those eyes.

That was definitely my girl.

Had Giselle cut off Dani’s hair and dressed her like a boy as a disguise?

I didn’t have time to think about that. Giselle was doubled over nearly in half. Like she was in pain.

Fuck.

Damn.

Was she hurt?

Had someone hurt her after she turned the corner?

Finally, Dani was able to escape, and she came running down the rickety stairs, straight into my arms at the bottom.

It was an old-style apartment building. Two floors with a walkway all around the top.

Hi, my girl. I bent down to pick up Dani. She didn’t slow down at all. In fact, she nearly bowled me right over.

Dada! I love you. I missed you, she said, her arms wrapped tightly around my neck. She spoke so clearly.

So grown up.

And her boyish hairstyle made her look older, too.

I love you, too. Let’s go find your momma. Is she okay? It looks like she’s hurt, I asked Dani.

She shook her head, not letting go of me. No, her just haves a tummy ache.

Hmm. Hopefully, that was all it was. I carried Dani with me and walked up the steps.

Giselle was still bent over. I could tell from behind that she was panting. 

Why were you running from me? I asked, reaching my hand out to touch her back.

She immediately shoved it away. And groaned in pain.

Christ, I said, shifting Dani to my side. Then I hooked my other arm around Giselle and tried to help her straighten up.

She let out another painful moan. Ahh, she cried out in agony as a splash of fluid hit the steps beneath us.

What the fuck was that? I said, looking around to see if someone had tossed a water balloon at us.

Shit, shit, shit. My water just broke.

My brain wasn’t computing.

I didn’t understand.

Until Giselle straightened up, and—

Holy fuck. I stared at her stomach.

Her huge, enormous stomach.

She was pregnant.

Giselle was pregnant.

But who’s kid was she carrying?

My heart nearly collapsed in on itself while my stomach roiled.

Was Giselle carrying Sergio’s baby?

Was that his child inside of her?

Or.

Was.

It.

Mine?

Dani, go to Vincenza’s door. Tell her it’s time, okay? Please? For Momma? Be a big, big girl?

Dani beamed at her mother and nodded. Yeah, okay. I’ll tell Chenza it’s baby time. Right, Momma? The baby’s coming. Right?

Giselle nodded and patted Dani’s head. Yes, honey. The baby’s coming. Go, quick.

I set a kicking Dani down on the stairs and she ran off.

I helped Giselle up the steps. So many questions circled around in my head—but none of them seemed to matter at the moment.

Not when a baby was attempting to exit her womb.

She showed me where their apartment was. I took the keys from her and opened the door.

The inside smelled like fresh-cut flowers and baby powder.

I guessed that was because there was a huge vase of fresh-cut flowers, and several bags of diapers on the table beside us.

The bedroom, she said before stopping and doubling over in pain again. She breathed through it, but fuck it sounded terrible.

Finally, my brain caught up with me. I’m calling an ambulance. This isn’t the time for a nap, Giselle. I pulled my phone out and was ready to dial.

No! she screamed out, still in obvious pain. I can do this myself.

The door behind us burst open, and a tiny Italian woman came inside. She spoke Italian the entire time. And Giselle understood.

She understood every word.

Go lay down. I’ll get everything ready. How far apart are they? she asked on her way to the kitchen. 

And Giselle answered back. In Italian. A minute. Maybe, Giselle breathed out, still squeezing the hell out of my hand.

Ah, this baby is ready, Vincenza said with a smile in her voice. She washed her hands while I helped Giselle get to the bedroom.

Once inside, she laid a large sheet over her bed. I assumed it was waterproof. But if Giselle’s water had already broken, would she have any left?

And if she didn’t, was that a good thing? Or a bad thing?

Either way, Giselle didn’t seem concerned. She stripped off her clothes—and I stared at her in wonder.

Fuck.

She was gorgeous.

Her breasts had gotten impossibly larger, but not as large as her swollen belly.

It was magnificent.

My hand itched to touch it—no matter whose baby she was carrying.

And it was in that moment, that I realized.

It didn’t matter.

If that was Sergio’s baby inside of her, I’d love it just the same as I loved Dani.

I would.

I was certain of that.

What can I do? I watched her crawl onto her bed and turn over.

Help me with the pillows, please. She leaned forward so I could stack a few pillows behind her.

Now, hold my hand, she ground out as another pain overtook her body. Her stomach tightened right in front of me, changing shape while I watched.

Wow, I said, not having one other thought in my mind.

There’s a baby in there, Dani announced. She waltzed into the bedroom with two cookies in her hands.

You’re going to spoil your lunch, Giselle scolded her, but still breathed through the horrible pain that had overtaken her body.

Vincenza arrived in the bedroom and headed straight for the end of the bed. Her mother is having a baby. She deserves a cookie. Or ten, she said in Italian.

Dani grinned from ear to ear. Then she answered back in Italian with a giggle, Yeah, I get lots of cookies today.

Not only did Dani understand what Vincenza had said in Italian—but she also spoke back to Vincenza in perfect Italian as well.

Giselle laid back and breathed long, deep breaths. Not lots. Two. That’s enough. I’m the one doing all the work here.

And then another pain snaked through her body. I felt helpless, not knowing what to do. Wanting to make her stop hurting.

I moved the chair beside me closer so I could sit on it. Then I slid my arm behind her shoulders, helping her curve around her belly.

It was then a sparkle caught my eye.

Christ.

She wore a necklace.

With rings strung on it.

My rings.

The rings I