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2025-01-09 12:06:59
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The Mafia's Nanny 116
116Allesio’s POV The moment I realized I was in too deep, it felt like the floor beneath me had given way. I’d spent years learning to control my emotions, perfecting the art of staying detached, of seeing people as pieces on a board rather than as individuals with lives I could ruin. But Rosa was starting to crack that armor, and I hated myself for it.We were sitting on the balcony of her room, watching the city lights flicker like stars against the darkness. She had a glass of wine in her hand and her legs tucked beneath her on the lounge chair, looking more at peace than I’d seen her in weeks. The glow from the outdoor heater softened the angles of her face, and for a moment, she looked so vulnerable it hurt.I told myself not to stare, but it was impossible not to. Rosa was magnetic in a way I hadn’t anticipated. She wasn’t just beautiful; she was smart, confident, and surprisingly kind beneath all her guarded edges. I’d thought seducing her would be easy—a game I’d played a hu
Terakhir Diperbarui : 2025-01-09The Mafia's Nanny 117
117Allesio’s POV Rosa had a way of finding me when I least wanted to be found.I’d been avoiding her again, not because I didn’t want to see her—I always wanted to see her—but because I didn’t trust myself to be around her. Not when I was torn between the pull of what I felt for her and the guilt of what I was supposed to do.I thought I was safe in the garden, tucked into one of the stone alcoves overlooking the manicured hedges. The air was cool and smelled faintly of lavender.. But then I heard the click of heels against the flagstones, and before I could even try to slip away, she was standing in front of me, arms crossed, eyes narrowed.“Okay, what the hell is going on?” Rosa said, her tone sharp enough to cut through the evening air.I looked up from where I sat, trying to summon my usual charm. “Nice to see you too.”“Don’t,” she snapped, stepping closer. “Don’t deflect. You’ve been acting weird for days now, and I’m done pretending not to notice. So, spill.”Her gaze was unr
Terakhir Diperbarui : 2025-01-10The Mafia's Nanny 118
118Rosa’s POV The room was alive with muted laughter and the hum of low conversations, the clinking of glasses underscoring the melody of a live string quartet tucked into the far corner. These events were always the same—syndicate families gathered under the guise of camaraderie, but everyone was watching, calculating, angling for a sliver of power.I’d attended these events for years, long enough to know every handshake, every fake smile, and every whispered word carried an undertone. Tonight was no different, but it felt different, at least to me.I glanced over at Allesio, standing a few feet away, the dark suit he wore clinging to his frame like it was made just for him. He looked sharp, polished, and effortlessly confident, the kind of man who drew attention without even trying. My father certainly noticed, which was no small feat.“You’ve brought someone impressive this time,” he had said earlier, his gaze lingering on Allesio in quiet evaluation.“Allesio isn’t someone I bro
Terakhir Diperbarui : 2025-01-10The Mafia's Nanny 119
119Allesio’s POV I’d finally decided to stop running away from Rosa and spend more time with her instead. Staying away from her wouldn’t change what I felt about her. It wouldn’t make Alaric think otherwise. So why torture myself with trying to make it look like I didn’t feel shit for her? Because that was exactly what it was. Torture and nothing else. We were seated on the balcony of her room, a bottle of wine between us and the city lights sprawling out below. It was a rare moment of calm, one I hadn’t planned for but wasn’t about to waste.She leaned back in her chair, a distant look in her eyes. Her hair was loose, spilling over her shoulders, and there was a tension in her posture that hadn’t been there earlier. Something was weighing on her, but I knew better than to push too soon. Rosa was like a safe with a complicated lock—push too hard, and she’d shut tighter.I poured her another glass of wine, sliding it across the small table between us. “You’re quiet tonight,” I said c
Terakhir Diperbarui : 2025-01-11The Mafia's Nanny 120
120Rosa’s POV The wine was warm in my glass, the edges of the city lights blurring as the night deepened. It had been one of those rare evenings when everything seemed to align—quiet laughter over dinner in my balcony, a shared look that lingered too long, and the comfortable rhythm that only comes when someone feels like less of a stranger and more of a constant.Allesio leaned back in his chair, his eyes on me, his gaze heavy with something I couldn’t quite name. He had this way of looking at me, like I was a puzzle he couldn’t wait to solve. Tonight, though, I didn’t mind being seen. Maybe it was the wine, or maybe it was just him, but my usual guard felt lighter.“Your family fascinates me,” he said, breaking the silence. His voice was smooth, but there was an edge to it, something calculated.I raised an eyebrow, smirking a little. “Fascinates you? That’s an interesting word for it.”“Well, it’s true,” he said, shrugging as if the words didn’t weigh much. “You’re like this unst
Terakhir Diperbarui : 2025-01-11The Mafia's Nanny 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.”“
Terakhir Diperbarui : 2025-01-12The Mafia's Nanny 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
Terakhir Diperbarui : 2025-01-12The Mafia's Nanny 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
Terakhir Diperbarui : 2025-01-13
Bab terbaru
The Mafia's Nanny 314
314Matteo’s POV I wasn’t dumb enough to think flowers would fix everything.But I figured they wouldn’t hurt.Today was day fifteen, and I had a bouquet of her favorites—white lilies, blue hydrangeas, and those little yellow flowers she once told me the name of but I immediately forgot—delivered to her office. No big romantic gestures, no grand declarations, just something simple.And a note.Gianna, I meant what I said. I’m sorry. For everything. —MatteoShort. To the point. No extra fluff.I spent the next hour pretending I wasn’t thinking about it. Kept my head down, answered emails, even managed to sit through an entire meeting without checking my phone.Then my office door opened.I looked up, my pulse kicking up a notch, only to find Gianna standing there, holding the bouquet like it was a package she hadn’t ordered.“They’re nice,” she said.I waited, but that was it. No smile. No softening around the edges. Just a factual statement.“Glad you think so.” I tried for a smirk
The Mafia's Nanny 313
313Matteo’s POV I should’ve seen this coming. I should have known that this would happened ever since she disappeared for two months without saying anything.The coldness. The distance. The way Gianna looked at me like I was a stranger, like I hadn’t once known exactly how she liked her coffee, how she twisted the rings on her fingers when she was overthinking, how she sighed my name when I kissed the spot just below her ear.I should have know this would happened. I should’ve been prepared for all of it.But I wasn’t.So instead, I did what any rational man in my position would do—I tortured myself by replaying every single moment we’d ever shared, as if overanalyzing the past would somehow change the present.There were the small things. The way she used to roll her eyes at me but smile anyway. The way she’d call me an idiot, but then pull me closer like she didn’t really mean it. The way she’d lean into me when she was tired, like it was the most natural thing in the world.Then
The Mafia's Nanny 312
312Matteo’s POV Today was day five of trying to win her back. I waited until the end of the day.Not because I was scared, obviously. I just figured if I caught Gianna when she was about to leave, she’d have fewer escape routes.That was the plan. But, like most things involving Gianna lately, it didn’t go how I expected.She was already packing up when I walked into her office.“No knocking now?” she asked, barely sparing me a glance.I ignored that. “We need to talk.”She clicked her laptop shut and slipped it into her bag. “No, we don’t.”I exhaled. “Gianna.”She finally looked up, arms crossed, expression unreadable. “Matteo.”There was a time when her saying my name like that would’ve meant something else. Something teasing, warm, familiar. Now, it was nothing more than acknowledgment. And I hated it.I stepped closer, lowering my voice. “I just want to apologize.”She blinked. “For what?”That threw me off for a second. “For everything.”Her lips pressed together like she was
The Mafia's Nanny 311
311Matteo’s POV I am nothing if not persistent.Or maybe just stupid.Either way, I wasn’t going to let Gianna’s newfound ice-queen routine scare me off. Not yet.So, this next morning, I tried again. Showed up at her office with another coffee—because I’m thoughtful like that—and set it on her desk without a word. I figured a silent approach might work better this time. Less room for her to verbally rip me apart.She didn’t even blink. Didn’t look up, didn’t say thanks, didn’t acknowledge me at all. Just kept typing like I wasn’t even there.Alright then.I leaned against the edge of her desk. “Before you tell me you already have one, I checked. Your cup is empty.”Still nothing. But I saw the slight pause in her typing. A crack in the armor.Progress.“And before you say you don’t want it, this one isn’t coffee.” I nudged the cup closer. “It’s tea. Herbal. The kind you used to drink when you worked late.”That got her. The tiniest flicker of hesitation in her expression. Then, jus
The Mafia's Nanny 310
310Matteo’s POVI waited until lunch.Not because I was nervous. Definitely not. I just figured if I approached her too early, it would seem desperate. And I wasn’t desperate.But as I walked toward her office, a coffee in one hand, a file in the other — a completely real, work-related file, by the way — I felt something tighten in my chest. Like I was heading into enemy territory without armor.Gianna’s door was open. She was at her desk, typing something with the kind of focus that made it clear she had no interest in interruptions. Or people. Or, possibly, happiness in general.I knocked on the doorframe anyway. “Boss.”She barely looked up. “Matteo.”Not Matt. Not Teo. Not even an annoyed sigh. Just my full government name like I was any other employee who needed something from her.Okay. Cool. Professional. I could be professional.I stepped inside, setting the coffee on her desk. “Thought you could use this. Since, you know, you used to actually enjoy caffeine before you left.”
The Mafia's Nanny 309
309Matteo’s POV The office was buzzing the moment Gianna walked in.Not the kind of buzz that came with excitement. No. This was a different kind—muted whispers, stolen glances, people suddenly remembering they had work to do when she passed by. The kind of buzz that meant no one had expected her to show up today. Hell, I hadn’t expected her to show up today.And yet, there she was.Gianna Lorenzo, back in her corner office like she’d never left.Only, she wasn’t the same.I watched from my desk as she strode across the floor, her heels clicking against the tiles in sharp, deliberate beats. The last time I saw her, she was different. Softer, warmer, laughing at my stupid jokes even when she rolled her eyes. This version of her didn’t even glance at anyone. Didn’t offer a single smile. Just walked straight to her office, shut the door, and stayed there.Like a ghost returning to haunt its own life.“She’s… different,” Leo muttered beside me, tapping his pen against his desk.I didn’t
The Mafia's Nanny 308
308Rosa’s POV The morning light streamed through the curtains, casting a soft glow over the apartment. I sat on the couch, nursing a cup of coffee, my fingers drumming against the ceramic. I’d come back to the states three days ago to finally pack up and move back to Italy. Across from me, Emilia stared, her lips pursed like she was trying to figure out how to respond to what I’d just told her.“You’re leaving,” she finally said, and it wasn’t a question.I nodded. “Yeah. I think it’s time.”She exhaled, leaning back against the couch. “Time for what? To run away? To bury yourself in business deals and pretend like you don’t care?”I rolled my eyes. “I’m not running away.”Emilia shot me a pointed look. “Rosa, please.”I sighed, setting my cup down. “I need a break. And I need to be there for my father. He’s been handling everything on his own for too long. It’s about time I stepped up.”She folded her arms. “And Allesio?”My stomach clenched at the mention of his name. I forced mys
The Mafia's Nanny 307
307Allesio’s POV The whiskey burned on the way down, but it wasn’t enough to numb the ache in my chest. Nothing was. The dimly lit bar around me hummed with the usual noise—clinking glasses, quiet chatter, the occasional burst of laughter that grated on my nerves. It was ironic how the world kept spinning, people kept living, and I was stuck in this endless loop of regret and self-destruction.I swirled the amber liquid in my glass, staring at it like it held the answers to my misery. Maybe if I drank enough, I’d finally stop seeing her face every time I closed my eyes. Maybe I’d stop hearing her voice in my head, the way she told me to stop chasing her like I was nothing more than an annoying shadow she couldn’t shake off.The bar stool next to me scraped against the floor, but I didn’t look up. I already knew who it was. Only one person would be stupid enough to come find me when I clearly wanted to be alone.Alaric sighed, loud and unimpressed. “How long are you going to do this?
The Mafia's Nanny 306
306Rosa’s POV The jet lag hadn’t hit me yet, but I was already very exhausted and felt done for the day.Italy looked the same as it always did—beautiful, timeless, like it existed in a different universe from the chaos I had left behind. I inhaled the crisp evening air as I stepped out of the sleek black car, the grand estate standing wide in front of me. The Smith family mansion. My father’s empire.The guards stationed outside barely blinked at my arrival, nodding respectfully as I walked past them. I had never lived here full-time, but it was still home in some ways. A piece of me, whether I wanted to admit it or not.The grand doors opened before I could even knock, and there he was—Romano Smith. The infamous Don. My father. He looked the same, even though it seemed he had grown older since the last time I saw him. He was dressed in his usual crisp three-piece suit, his silver hair combed back, his sharp eyes studying me the way they always did, like he was seeing everything I
