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Home / Mafia / The Mafia's Nanny / Kabanata 121 - Kabanata 130

Lahat ng Kabanata ng The Mafia's Nanny : Kabanata 121 - Kabanata 130

402 Kabanata

121

121Allesio’s POV I leaned against the balcony railing of my room, staring out at the sprawling estate below, its manicured lawns and glimmering lights feeling more like a gilded cage than a place of power. The phone in my hand buzzed again, Alaric’s name lighting up the screen.I let it ring, debating whether I even wanted to answer.Eventually, I swiped my thumb across the screen and held the phone to my ear.“Finally,” Alaric snapped, his voice sharp enough to cut glass. “I was beginning to think you’d forgotten how to pick up a damn phone.”“Been busy,” I replied evenly, staring out at the darkened horizon.“Busy cozying up to Rosa, I assume?” he said, his tone laced with something between sarcasm and irritation. “Because that’s the job, Allesio. Or have you forgotten that, too?”My jaw tightened. “I haven’t forgotten.”“Good,” he said. “Then maybe you can explain why I’m hearing whispers that you’re dragging your feet. You’re supposed to be gathering intel, not playing house.”“

122

122Rosa’s POV The drive was quiet, the kind of quiet that felt alive, charged with words unspoken. Allesio sat beside me, one hand resting on the door, the other draped casually over his thigh. He was watching the road, though I could tell his mind was elsewhere, as it often was.I wasn’t sure what made me think of this place or why I’d decided to bring him there. Maybe it was the look in his eyes lately—like he was carrying something too heavy to say out loud. Or maybe it was the growing knot in my chest, the part of me that wanted to trust him, even as another part whispered caution.“Where are we going?” he finally asked, his voice low but curious.“You’ll see,” I said, glancing at him briefly.He raised a brow but didn’t push further. That was one of the things I liked about Allesio—he never demanded. He just waited, giving me the space to come to him on my terms.The road narrowed as we left the city behind, winding through a stretch of trees until the car was surrounded by not

123

123Allesio’s POV The air between us was heavier than it had ever been. I could feel her warmth next to me, the way her fingers brushed against mine as we sat together in the quiet corner of her room. We’d just returned from her spot in the countryside, and though she seemed at ease, I was anything but.Every time she looked at me, I felt a little piece of my resolve crack. Her trust, fragile and tentative, had started to grow. And for the first time, I didn’t know if I wanted to keep chipping away at it for Alaric’s sake—or if I wanted to protect it, selfishly, for my own.“Everything okay?” Rosa’s voice pulled me from my thoughts.Her dark eyes were on me, searching. She wasn’t like the others in her world. She didn’t hide behind bravado or manipulation. When she asked a question, it was because she genuinely wanted to know.“Yeah,” I lied, forcing a smile. “Just tired.”“You’ve been saying that a lot lately,” she said softly, tilting her head. Her hair fell over her shoulder, and

124

124Allesio’s POV The day started like any other, but I had a strange feeling in my gut—one that had nothing to do with the usual syndicate tension and everything to do with Rosa. She’d told me we had plans, but she hadn’t been specific. That alone should have been a warning. With Rosa, surprises were rarely casual.When she appeared in the doorway, wearing a tailored navy suit that managed to look both lethal and elegant, I knew whatever was coming wasn’t small.“You clean up well,” I said, giving her a slow once-over.She smirked, fixing one of her earrings. “You’re not so bad yourself. You ready?”“For what?” I asked, slipping my jacket on.Her smirk deepened, and she walked past me, the faint scent of her perfume lingering in the air. “You’ll see.”She led me outside, where her driver was already waiting. As we settled into the car, I kept my face neutral, but my mind was racing. Rosa had a way of pulling me into her world without warning, and today felt like one of those days.“

125

125Allesio’s POV It was quiet out here, just the sound of crickets and the faint rustling of leaves in the breeze. Rosa stood a few feet away, her posture relaxed but regal, a glass of wine cradled in her hand. She looked so at ease, so untouchable, that it almost hurt to watch her.I leaned against the railing of the terrace, swirling the amber liquid in my glass but not drinking it. My mind was too restless. This wasn’t the first time I’d thought about saying something—anything—to make her reconsider her place in this world. But every time, the words got caught in my throat.“How do you do it?” I asked finally, breaking the silence.She turned to me, one eyebrow arched. “Do what?”“Walk through life like nothing can touch you.”She laughed softly, the sound low and melodic. “That’s because nothing can.”I shook my head, letting out a dry chuckle. “That’s not true, and you know it.”Her expression shifted, the lightness in her face dimming just slightly. “Is this your way of tellin

126

126Allesio’s POV Rosa sat across from me in the library, on the leather sofa, her legs curled under her, a glass of whiskey in her hand. The amber liquid caught the dim light, glowing faintly as she turned it in slow circles. Her hair was loose tonight, falling in soft waves over her shoulders, and the sharpness that usually defined her was muted. Relaxed. Open.Too open.“Do you know why my family has lasted this long?” she asked, her voice steady but low, as if she were letting me in on a secret she hadn’t fully decided I was worthy of yet.I tilted my head, playing the part of the attentive confidant. “I’d guess it has something to do with you.”She smiled, faint and fleeting, then shook her head. “My father, actually. He’s… ruthless in ways most people can’t even begin to understand.”It was the first time she’d spoken about him in such candid terms. Usually, she referenced him in passing, as a force to be respected and feared but rarely dissected. This was new, and I knew bette

127

127Matteo’s POV I laid on my bed, ignoring the fact that I had to be at work in about an hour and thirty minutes, and my boss wouldn’t take it easy on me if I come in even a minute late.Resting my legs on the wall, I picked up my phone and began dialing my big sister. While I waited for it to ring, I got up from the bed, slid my legs into my shoes and walked to the kitchen. The phone rang twice before Emilia picked up, her voice sharp and worried. “What’s going on, Matteo?”“Hello to you too, Em,” I said, leaning against the kitchen counter. My apartment was quiet, the kind of quiet that reminded me I lived alone and worked too much these days. “Can’t I just call my big sister to check in?”She snorted, loud enough for me to hear over the line. “Check in? You? You’re either calling because you’re bored or you need something. Which is it?”I smiled despite myself. She knew me too well. “You wound me. I was just calling to say hello.”“Sure, you were,” she said, dry as ever. “Alright

128

128Gianna’s POVThe conference room was too quiet. The kind of quiet that didn’t suit Matteo Abramo. Normally, he’d be cracking a joke by now, leaning back in his chair as if the weight of the world—or the company’s reputation—was something he could charm his way out of.But this morning? Silence. It made me uneasy.I scanned the table where my team was seated. Reports spread out like a battlefield, coffee cups half-empty, and a faint tension lingering in the air. Matteo sat at the far end, fidgeting with his pen. He caught my glance and gave me a grin that was almost disarming. Almost.“Alright,” I said, clasping my hands together. “Let’s get started. Matteo, do you have the client brief ready?”He straightened up, pushing the pen aside, and reached for his laptop. “Yep. It’s all here.”“Good.” I didn’t miss the slight edge of uncertainty in his voice. “Let’s see it.”He projected his screen onto the conference room wall, and I stood, moving closer to the screen as he began his pres

129

129Matteo’s POV. The train rocked gently as it sped through the countryside, the rhythmic clatter of the wheels against the tracks almost soothing. Almost. If it weren’t for the looming pressure of the deal we were chasing, I might have actually enjoyed the ride.Gianna Lorenzo sat across from me, her laptop open, her eyes flicking between the screen and the papers she’d spread out like a fortress around her. She hadn’t said more than a handful of words since we boarded, and those were all business-related.I shifted in my seat, clearing my throat. “You know, I’ve read that working too hard can cause premature wrinkles.”Her eyes didn’t leave the screen. “I’ll take my chances, thanks.”I grinned, leaning back in my seat. “I’m just saying, a little small talk never hurt anyone. We’re going to be stuck together for two weeks. Might as well get comfortable.”Now she looked up, arching an eyebrow. “Comfortable? We’re not on a vacation, Matteo. This trip is about closing deals, not bondi

130

130Gianna’s POVBy the time we reached out hostel in Cleveland, I was more than ready to collapse. The day had been a whirlwind of planes, calls, and emails, and Matteo’s constant stream of chatter had frayed my patience. He wasn’t unpleasant, exactly. He just had this way of filling every silence with a comment, a joke, or a question. Charming, sure, but exhausting.The front desk was brightly lit, staffed by a young woman with a polite smile that didn’t quite reach her eyes. Matteo lingered a step behind me, looking around the lobby as if he’d never seen one before.I approached the desk, pulling out my phone. “Hi, checking in. Reservation under Lorenzo.”The receptionist’s fingers clattered across the keyboard. “Lorenzo… let me see here.” Her smile faltered.“Something wrong?” I asked, already dreading her answer.“It seems there’s been a mistake,” she said hesitantly. “We only have one room available under your reservation. A single king bed.”I blinked. “What?”“I’m so sorry. Th

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