Chapter 168

Chapter 168
Rico. 

"Is this how you treat, Kay?" I turn to Carlos the moment Mia leaves the room. 

"No. Of course not, Rico. It's just I am trying but sometimes that baby keeps crying and it's tiring you know" Carl defensively gets up and approaches me. 

"Don't you care that she gets tired too? She was crying for fuck sake" I whisper yell so as not to wake up the baby. 

"I feel bad about it, okay? That's why I am going to talk to her" Carl instantly pulls his shirt to join his wife in the bathroom but I quickly hand over his son to him. 

"That can wait, at least tuck your son to sleep first. I support her leaving for the two days. Don't dump all the responsibility on your wife" I whisper feeling so disappointed. I never knew this was how he behaved. 

"You will help me, right? I mean, if she goes to her dad's"

"Sadly, no, brother. In case it escaped your mind, I have a pregnant woman who needs as much care as the baby in your arms" I shake my head walking out of my guestroom. 

My brother is a lot of things but I didn't peg him to be an awful father. He doesn't know that the more he acts this way, the more he pushes his wife away. The idiot is wearing her off and I hate to see Kay cry like that. 

I can't imagine myself treating Mia that way. This will just give her more reason to nag about conceiving for me again. I will never treat her like my brother is doing. I love Mia so much to see her cry. 

Speaking of Mia, where did she go?

She hasn't been to one place since we got here. 

"Hey brother, did you hear about the news?" Diego approaches me when I sit on my comfortable couch on the balcony. 

"Hear about what?" I mumble, lighting a blunt and taking a long drag from it. This stuff is good. I am afraid my years of quitting smoking were simply ruined by a single mistake. 

"You know she will start crying when she finds you smoking, right?" I look at his busted lip and wonder why he doesn't learn his lesson. 

"Why do you like making fun of her anyway?" I puff the thick smoke in his face and he chuckles sitting beside me. 

"I think she is cute when she causes tantrums, and Mia looks just like a bunny when stuffing her face with food like that" Diego muses and I want to wipe away the silly grin on his face. 

"You are aware you are talking about my woman right?" I scowl and the idiot laughs lifting his hands in surrender.

"Of course brother. Wait, are you jealous?" Indeed, I will feel jealous when another man calls my girlfriend cute in front of me. "Don't worry, Mia is like our little sister here. I can't risk a stray bullet hitting my head. She is all yours, Rico" Diego takes the blunt from my fingers and I sigh leaning in my chair. 

"So, what news were you referring to?" I whisper, closing my eyes. I feel so tired, I will do anything to get in bed right now. Too bad I can't when a certain girl is still wandering outside. 

"You haven't heard? I thought she told you about it. Fabio just filled us in. Turns out we are no longer going after Maxim, he is coming to us. And something like a big party, and with only red wine for a drink" 

"What are you saying?" I open my eyes and abruptly turn to Diego. 

"I am not sure what that means but I am up for a party any day. I am bringing two hot dates with me" Diego laughs loudly before releasing a joyous scream. I snatch the cigar from his hand and squash it under my boot. This stuff always makes him act crazy. 

"What's up? Why is he happy?" Dante and Marcus join us and I push Diego out of the chair and gesture for Marcus to take his place. I need at least a serious mind to tell me what is happening. 

"What did Fabio tell you?" 

"Oh! He said his boss changed the plan. He just sent Maxim a message offering him a peace treaty. And then after that, there will be a big party to celebrate the new beginning" 

"Is she crazy? A peace treaty with Maxim?" I yell getting off the chair. I need to talk to Mia ASAP."Is she willing to allow him to walk away with everything he has done?" Fuck, the pregnancy must be getting to her. 

"I don't know about you, Rico. But I have never doubted Bunny even for a second. Not only is she my little sister, but my advisor too. So if she says it's party time, the least I will do is find myself an expensive suit and show up. It will break her heart if you of all the people don't trust her" A voice I haven't heard for a long comes in and I look in his direction.

"Alessio?"

"That's me. Good thing you remembered" The man says leaning on the rails and pulling out a blunt. Beside him is his girlfriend in a big hoodie and dark ripped jeans. "Mia is not stupid and neither has she been that forgiving. I am sad you don't trust her, Rico. Come on, sweetheart" Alessio takes the girl's hand and walks away just like he came. 

"What was that about?" Diego whispers, warily staring at me. 

"Alessio is right. We don't know Maxim like Mia does. The Russian is heavily loaded and no ambush from us will touch a single strand of his hair. If we strike and fail to take him down, he will come for us and our families. Don't you think this peace treaty and the red wine party mean something more than we are lightly taking it to be?" Dante enquires and I sit back down thinking about it. 

Months ago, I left with the intent of going after Maxim. He got me before I could and he had every right to kill me but he didn't. Maybe what we need is a different approach.