Chapter 3

"I am telling you this because we are about to go in, and you will meet my entire family," he said.

I looked at the entrance door, feeling a lot of things. I have always wanted to cross paths with Mafia men. I love reading their stories.

Their romance stories.

"I am telling you this because...." He paused, taking my hand.

I looked at him.

"Because I really like you," he said, making me feel weird.

"I want you to know that I will do everything to keep you safe and trust me, you will be safe here. Those bastards that killed your parents will not harm you, I assure you that," he said with all seriousness.

Why is he telling me this? He barely even knows me.

"You have nothing to worry about," he said, caressing my arm.

I need to understand something.

"Are you.....are you really mafia men?" I stuttered.

"Yes. But you don't have to be scared. We only deal with bastards like the ones we handled earlier." He said.

Why does this feel strange to me?

And by the way, he ordered his friends, he seemed to be their boss.

An actual mafia man is standing before me right now.

What I have always wanted.

Why does it feel strange?

"Let's go in. You need to relax." He said, holding my hand.

We headed towards the entrance door. My heart braced itself as we walked into the house.

My eyes took in the glory of the house. It looks like a hall with high ceilings and curtains. The huge chandelier ignited the house, giving the spotless tiles a glitter.

The place is like a castle.

Mario led me further into the house. I heard voices as we walked, making my heart pick up till we got to where I believed to be the living room.

"Mario, honey," a woman said, standing on her feet with a glass of wine in her hand. She is a blond, tall, curvy and extremely beautiful woman dressed in her red night robe. She looks in her late thirties or early forties if I am not mistaking.

Could she be his....

"Mum," Mario called, confirming my thoughts.

I saw three other people seated on the golden sofas and looking at us.

At me, specifically.

One of them is a guy with brunette hair that looks around Mario's mother's age and the others are two women. One has dark hair and looks my age. The other is blond and looks around Mario's mother's age.

She looks very much like Mario's mother. They might be sisters. They were all dressed in their night attires.

Are they all mafia people? As in an actual mafia family?

"We weren't expecting you back so soon. Actually, we thought you would be spending the night out like you normally do." Mario's mother said, smiling.

"No, mum, something came up. Where is dad?" Mario asked.

"Upstairs. Who is your friend?" She asked, looking at me.

She was looking at me in a pleasant way that felt fake.

"This is Evelyn. My schoolmate and friend," Mario said, placing his hand on my arm.

"Oh,"

"Evelyn, that's Mrs Candela Morelli. My mother," Mario said.

"Nice to meet you ma'am," I managed to say.

"Same," she simply said as her eyes scanned my appearance. I felt awkward by her stare.

"That's my aunt, Dolores," Mario gestured at the woman who looked like his mother.

She gave me a slight smile.

"My uncle, Dante and my cousin, Mimi", Mario gestured at the others.

Mimi gave me a bright smile and Dante gave me a nod.

"I still have more family members who must be in their rooms," Mario said.

"Why does your friend look the way she looks, honey? Was she in some type of trouble?" Mario's mother asked.

"I found her in a very critical situation, mum. She almost got killed by her parents' murderers but the boys and I were able to stop them. Her house was burnt down so I decided to take her with me and give her shelter."

The awkwardness I was feeling increased after Mario said that. His mother's eyes moved towards me, making me drop my gaze.

"I hope you don't mind me doing that, mother?" Mario asked.

It sounded like a dare.

"No, son, but you should have talked to me or your father about it first before bringing a total stranger into our home."

I fiddled with my fingers nervously.

"I just told you who she is to me, mother." He said.

"Your friend, I heard you, but what if you attract her enemies here and disrupt the peace of our home?"

He scoffed, making me uneasy.

"I didn't think helping a friend in need was a very bad thing to do, mother." He said, sounding angry.

"Honey, that's not...."

"Your mother is right, Mario." A very deep voice chipped in, silencing the room and making my heart skip a beat as I looked in the direction.

My lips parted.

The deep husky voice echoed in my head, weakening my legs.

Everyone's eyes moved to the broad stairs at the side of the house and so did mine.

There I saw a tall man descending the stairs with his grace and poise. Though dressed in a black tank top and black sweatpants, they didn't cease to give him that commanding appearance.

His strong looking arms streamed dark tattoos running up to his neck, making me gulp in fear as he got to the last stair and approached us.

My breath hitched at the full sight of him as he approached.

"Good evening, dad," Mario greeted him.

Dad?

He is Mario's dad?

He didn't respond but kept approaching us. My brows moved slightly as I took in his unreal physique as his tattoos messed with my head.

He is incredibly tall, making me feel intimidated already, and has a strong, well-defined muscular and HOT body that makes my knees ache to kiss the floor.

He has short black hair with some gray on it. Same as his beard and, a broad chest, and......

I froze the minute I locked eyes with his. My heart raced with speed.

God, he is so gorgeous.

Absolutely gorgeous.

The most gorgeous man I have ever seen.

I can't tell about his eye color because he is a bit far from where I am standing.

And he is standing next to Mario's mother, which means.....

HIS WIFE.

My heart clenched slightly.

He is married and Mario's father.

Isn't he too young to be Mario's dad? He must have had him early.

But his wife is really beautiful. She has curves in the right places, looking like an hourglass and she is BLOND!

I felt a slight pinch of jealousy within me.

His eyes lowered my body, increasing my uneasiness as I shifted slightly where I stood, insecure about how dirty I looked thanks to running for my life in the woods.

He must see me as a little dirty thing right now.

I looked at him, and he averted his eyes from me to Mario.

"Where did she come from?" He asked with his husky voice that gave me the urge to clench my legs together.

"She is my schoolmate," Mario answered.

"That's not an answer," the husky voice came again, making me lower my gaze.

He doesn't sound nice.

Don't blame him. I look horrible. Who would want to accommodate me?

I heard a sigh from Mario and a squeeze on my hand from him as well, adding to my awkwardness.

"I don't know where she lives, but she is my schoolmate and I saved her from some bastards who were trying to kill her." Mario explained.

I heard a scoff from his mother.

"Bringing her here shouldn't be the next reasonable thing to be done, honey. You don't know the reason why she is unfortunate. You will attract enemies to our home. Tell him, baby," she said, and I sensed her moving her hand, making me look at her momentarily.

She placed her hand on Mario's father's back a bit seductively, making me flicker my eyes at him.

We locked eyes again and my entire body felt hot. He is standing with his two hands in his pockets and my eyes can't get enough of his tattoos.

They are insane.

I want to feel them.

I lowered my gaze to ease my nerves.

That's someone's husband, Evelyn.

And you are grieving. Have you forgotten?

But he is irresistible. He is almost like a god.

A Greek god.

Just like they are being described in my books.

"Her parents were killed, and their house was burnt down, mum. I am just rendering her help till we figure out what do. That shouldn't be a bother," Mario defended.

"At the expense of this family safety, that's a bother." His mother said. She is not nice either.

Mario snorted.

"She can't stay here," his mother added, making my heart tighten.

"Candela, can you just....."

"Zip it, Dolores." His mother shunned the one he called his aunt.

"I am sorry, honey. But she can't stay." His mother repeated.

"Dad?" Mario asked, ignoring his mother.

I flickered my eyes at his dad and I locked them with his again.

My weak legs will never recover.

I lowered my gaze again.

"Your mother is right, son. She can't stay here" His husky voice felt wicked.