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2025-01-18 12:20:27
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The Mafia's Nanny 135
135Matteo’s POVThe hum of Gianna’s laptop was the only sound in the room, save for the occasional rustle of papers as I flipped through reports. We’d agreed to use the evening to finalize everything for tomorrow’s meetings, but the silence between us was almost suffocating. Not awkward—Gianna was too self-assured for that—but dense, like the quiet demanded my respect.She sat cross-legged on the bed, her blazer discarded on the chair, leaving her in a crisp white shirt with sleeves rolled to her elbows. Her focus was absolute, her fingers flying across the keyboard as if her life depended on it. I, on the other hand, had finished my share of the work ten minutes ago and was trying to resist the urge to interrupt her.“Are you always this intense when you work?” I finally asked, breaking the silence.She didn’t look up. “Intense gets results.”“Fair enough. But do results always mean sacrificing your sense of humor?”That earned me a flick of her gaze. “My sense of humor is intact, t
Terakhir Diperbarui : 2025-01-19The Mafia's Nanny 136
136Gianna’s POVThe room buzzed with tension. The clients were seated around the long conference table, their expressions a mix of curiosity and expectation. I stood near the head of the table, trying to conceal my irritation. A last-minute technical hiccup had derailed our carefully crafted presentation slides, and the clock was ticking.Behind me, Matteo was hunched over the laptop, fingers flying across the keyboard as he tried to salvage the files. I had to admit, the fact that he was even attempting to fix it without panicking was impressive. Most people his age—or at his level—would’ve been floundering by now.“Any luck?” I whispered, keeping my voice low so the clients wouldn’t overhear.He didn’t look up. “Almost there. Give me two more minutes.”Two minutes. In business terms, that might as well have been two hours. I glanced at the clients again, offering a tight smile. “We appreciate your patience. Technology isn’t always our friend, but Matteo is working on it as we speak
Terakhir Diperbarui : 2025-01-19The Mafia's Nanny 137
137Matteo’s POVThe rain started as a drizzle, soft taps on the hotel window that I almost didn’t notice at first. But by the time I got back to our shared room, it had turned into a full-blown storm, complete with howling winds and the occasional flash of lightning. I shut the door behind me, brushing the water droplets off my jacket.“Well,” I said, glancing at Gianna, who was seated at the desk typing away on her laptop. “Looks like our dinner plans are out the window.”She didn’t even look up. “You could try ordering room service.”“I could,” I said, crossing the room and flopping onto the couch. “But where’s the fun in that? Half the point of this trip is exploring the local cuisine. I thought you’d be more upset.”“Rain happens,” she replied, her tone brisk and matter-of-fact. “No use sulking over it.”I stared at her, incredulous. “You can’t seriously tell me you’re content sitting in this room all evening.”She finally glanced up, arching an eyebrow. “And what would you sugge
Terakhir Diperbarui : 2025-01-20The Mafia's Nanny 138
138Gianna’s POVThe sound of Matteo’s laugh lingered in the air, softer now that the rain had eased up. I wasn’t sure how we’d gone from an awkward check-in mix-up to this—sitting cross-legged on the carpet in a hotel room, laughing over a game of cards like old friends. It felt…unusual. Disarming.I leaned back against the couch, watching as Matteo shuffled the deck with a confidence that bordered on cocky. The guy had been full of surprises this entire trip. He wasn’t just quick on his feet in meetings; he was adaptable in ways I hadn’t expected. That resourcefulness, paired with his natural charisma, made him someone you couldn’t easily ignore. Not that I’d admit that out loud.“Ready for another round?” he asked, arching an eyebrow.“You’ve won the last three. I’m starting to think you rigged this game.”He gasped, clutching his chest like I’d just accused him of a mortal sin. “Rigged? Me? Gianna, you wound me.”“Don’t be so dramatic.”“I’m Italian. Drama is in my blood.”I rolle
Terakhir Diperbarui : 2025-01-20The Mafia's Nanny 139
139Matteo’s POVThe sound of clinking glasses and soft jazz filled the quiet corner of the hotel bar. It had been another long day, but a good one. The deal had gone through smoothly, thanks in no small part to Gianna’s relentless determination. She had been on fire during the meeting, handling every curveball with grace and authority. Watching her work was like watching a maestro conduct an orchestra—it was hard not to be impressed.Now, sitting across from her, I couldn’t help but feel a little lighter. The usual edge in her posture was gone, her shoulders relaxed as she swirled the wine in her glass. She wasn’t smiling exactly, but her expression was softer, almost…peaceful.“To a successful meeting,” I said, raising my glass.Gianna hesitated for a moment before lifting hers. “To teamwork,” she replied, her lips curving into a faint smile.We clinked glasses, and I took a sip, savoring the warmth of the whiskey as it slid down my throat.“You know,” I said, leaning back in my cha
Terakhir Diperbarui : 2025-01-21The Mafia's Nanny 140
140Gianna’s POVThe morning sunlight filtering through the hotel curtains was entirely too bright, and for the first time in years, I regretted not packing an eye mask. My head throbbed faintly, and my body felt heavier than usual, like I hadn’t fully come back to myself yet.I shifted under the covers and froze.The sheets smelled faintly of Matteo’s cologne. My chest tightened as the memories of last night surged forward in a wave I couldn’t stop. The warmth of his hands on my skin. The way his lips had found mine like they’d belonged there all along. The soft rasp of his voice when he’d said my name like it meant something.Oh, God.I sat up quickly, clutching the sheet to my chest even though I was alone in the bed. Matteo wasn’t in the room, but the faint sound of water running told me he was in the shower.I pressed my palms to my face, trying to push away the flood of emotion. This couldn’t have happened. It shouldn’t have happened. Matteo was my employee. A colleague. Younger
Terakhir Diperbarui : 2025-01-21The Mafia's Nanny 141
141Matteo’s POVThe car ride to our next stop was the quietest it had been since we left the city. Usually, Gianna would have her tablet open, firing off quick questions or reminders about the day’s meetings, and I’d be making sarcastic comments just to see how far I could push her before she sighed in frustration.Today, though, she was quiet. Too quiet. She sat rigid in her seat, her focus glued to the tablet in her lap, even though she hadn’t scrolled through it in at least ten minutes.I tried not to take it personally, but I wasn’t an idiot. The icy wall she’d thrown up after that night in the hotel room was impossible to ignore. I glanced at her out of the corner of my eye. Her face was calm, composed, like nothing could touch her.If only I could get her to look at me the way she had that night. Just once.“So,” I said, breaking the silence, “do you think the clients today will be as charming as yesterday’s?”She didn’t look up. “Unlikely,” she said flatly.I waited for more,
Terakhir Diperbarui : 2025-01-22The Mafia's Nanny 142
142Gianna’s POVI hated team-building exercises. They always felt like a waste of time—forced fun designed to foster camaraderie between people who would rather just get on with their jobs. Still, our client insisted, so there I was, sitting in a circle of chairs in the middle of a conference room with Matteo beside me, his usual smirk firmly in place.“So, we’re doing trust falls now?” Matteo leaned toward me, his voice low enough that only I could hear. “What’s next, singing campfire songs?”I shot him a look that could’ve withered a plant. “This is important to them,” I hissed. “Try to take it seriously.”He held up his hands in mock surrender, his smirk deepening. “I’m always serious. You just can’t tell because I hide it so well.”I shook my head, fighting the urge to smile. Matteo’s charm was relentless, and lately, I’d found it harder to stay immune to it. But I wasn’t about to let my guard down, not here, not now. Not anymore.The activity leader clapped their hands to get ev
Terakhir Diperbarui : 2025-01-22
Bab terbaru
The Mafia's Nanny 268
268Allesio’s POVI stood there, frozen in place, as Alaric’s anger washed over me like a tidal wave. His words hit hard, each one sinking deeper than the last. I had been trying so hard to keep my head above water, but now everything I had been avoiding came crashing down.He didn’t say anything right now, just stood there, his jaw clenched, eyes dark with frustration. He was waiting for me to speak, but I couldn’t. My mind was spinning, tangled in the web of lies and omissions I had spun.Finally, he broke the silence, his voice low but lethal. “So this whole time, you’ve been holding back? You’ve known what happened to Dominic, and you didn’t say a word?”I swallowed hard, my throat dry. “Alaric, I—”“Don’t,” he cut me off sharply. “Don’t give me some excuse. I asked you to get close to Rosa and get information. You promised me you’d find the truth. And now you’re telling me you knew it all along and kept it from me?”I opened my mouth again, but the words caught in my throat. Ther
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267Allesio’s POVThe buzz of the conversation around me faded as I stared blankly ahead, the voices becoming a dull hum. Alaric was talking about something—some issue with the Cruz family, I think—but it didn’t matter. His words blurred into the background. My mind was somewhere else entirely, a place I didn’t want to go but couldn’t stop myself from falling into.I clenched my fists under the table, the memory creeping in like an unwelcome guest.“You’re awfully quiet,” Alaric said, glancing at me as he tried to balance Francesca on his lap. She was squirming, reaching for the pen he’d set down on the table a moment earlier.“I’m listening,” I replied, my voice rough as I dragged myself back to the present.“You don’t look like you are,” Alaric muttered, handing Francesca the pen in defeat. She giggled, immediately starting to scribble nonsense on the notepad in front of her.“Sorry,” I said, exhaling sharply. “What were you saying?”“The Cruz family,” Alaric said, his tone sharp, t
The Mafia's Nanny 266
266Allesio’s POVIt had been a week since I made that promise to Rosa. Since I promised her that I won’t tell Alaric. And each day felt like a weight pressing down harder on my chest. The guilt of keeping the secret, the guilt of betraying Alaric, was gnawing at me, and I couldn’t escape it. The promise I’d made to her—I won’t tell Alaric, I won’t tell anyone—had started to feel less like a vow and more like a cage I couldn’t break out of.I spent more time at the mansion than her condo now, hoping to bury my thoughts under the grind of work. I told myself that keeping my focus on Alaric, on what I owed him, would keep my head straight. But every time I looked at him, every time I saw his face, the guilt flared up again. It didn’t matter that Rosa was the one I loved. I had a duty to Alaric that I couldn’t ignore, no matter how much my heart pulled me in the other direction.This war with myself—loyalty versus love—was eating away at me.I had just stepped off the elevator when I bum
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265Rosa’s POVIt was late when Allesio finally came back into to the condo. The air between us wasn’t just tense—it felt fragile, like a glass already cracked and on the verge of shattering. But this time, it wasn’t about the Cruz family or Dominic’s death. Something else weighed on him.“Allesio?” I called softly, setting my book down on the nightstand. He paused in the doorway, his hand resting on the frame like it was the only thing holding him up.“Rosa.” His voice was low, almost hoarse, and I knew whatever he was carrying wasn’t just another argument waiting to happen.I stood, crossing the room until I was close enough to see the faint lines of worry etched on his face. “What is it?”He hesitated, his eyes searching mine. “There’s trouble at the docks.”My stomach clenched. “Again?” I breathed out.“Yes. Again,” he murmured in reply.“What happened?” I asked.“Alaric got word that a shipment went missing. Weapons, high-grade. Some of the guys think it’s a setup.” His jaw tight
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264Allesio’s POV.“You’re lying to yourself, Allesio. And it’s going to destroy you.”Rosa’s voice cut through the heavy silence like a blade, sharp and deliberate. I looked up from the glass in my hand, the amber liquid trembling slightly as I set it down. Her words hung in the air, daring me to respond, but for a moment, I didn’t. I couldn’t.Instead, I leaned back against the chair, exhaling slowly. “What am I supposed to say to that?” I muttered, my tone edged with exhaustion. “You want me to admit you’re right? That I’m falling apart? That I don’t have the first clue how to fix any of this?”“I want you to stop pretending you can carry all of it alone.” Rosa crossed her arms, her gaze piercing. “Because you can’t. And if you don’t realize that soon, it’ll cost us everything.”I ran a hand through my hair, the frustration boiling over. “And what exactly do you suggest, huh? Just tell Alaric the truth and hope he doesn’t tear the world apart looking for revenge? Because that’s exa
The Mafia's Nanny 263
263Allesio’s POVI felt like I was losing my grip on reality. Every time I saw Rosa, it was like the walls were closing in. Her confession still hung over me like a storm cloud, and no matter how much I tried to shake it, the weight wouldn’t lift. The guilt wasn’t just about keeping secrets from Alaric—it was the deeper betrayal I couldn’t even admit to myself. The tangled mess of Dominic’s death, the Cruz family, and Rosa’s insistence on her and her family’s innocence had my head spinning.The worst part? I wasn’t sure if Alaric had picked up on it yet. If he hadn’t picked up on it that I already knew and I was hiding it. He wasn’t blind, and he definitely wasn’t stupid. The man could read me like a book on my best day, and I wasn’t even pretending well anymore.I couldn’t avoid him forever, though. I was in his office, and the air felt even more suffocating than usual. He was flipping through some papers at the scattered on the table, his focus seemingly on anything but me.Meanwhi
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262Allesio’s POV“Do you ever think about how things might’ve been if Dominic were still alive?” I asked, my tone casual, though my heart thudded heavily in my chest. I was at Rosa’s condo today too. It was where I was spending most of my free time now. And I decided that I wanted to know everything today. Maybe, just maybe she doesn’t know anything and I don’t have to choose between her and Alaric.She raised a brow, giving me a somewhat confused look. “Dominic?”“Alaric’s brother. Do you think if Dominic was still alive, Alaric would have been a better man than he is now?” I asked her, observing her intently. “Do you ever think about how things might have been I’d Dominic were still alive?”Rosa froze for a moment, her glass hovering mid-air. “That’s a loaded question, Allesio.”I shrugged, keeping my gaze steady. “Is it? Alaric does. A lot. He doesn’t say it, but I know he’s still haunted by it.”Her eyes flicked to mine, wide and uncertain. “Haunted how?”“Like he’s carrying some
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261Allesio’s POVSecrets have a way of sinking into your bones, of twisting around your every thought like a barbed wire. No matter how much I tried to focus on the present, the weight of the decision I’d made not to share Rosa’s information with Alaric clawed at me.It wasn’t like I didn’t understand the stakes. Alaric and I had been through enough together for me to know how he operated. Loyalty wasn’t just a requirement in our world—it was the lifeline that kept you breathing. And yet, I chose Rosa.It wasn’t a decision I’d made lightly, but every time I thought about the way her eyes brightened whenever she saw me, I knew I couldn’t throw her into Alaric’s crosshairs. Not when she trusted me.Alaric was already seated in the dimly lit bar when I arrived, a whiskey glass in his hand and an air of impatience hovering around him.“You’re late,” he said, his eyes cutting toward me as I slid into the seat across from him.“Traffic,” I lied smoothly, signaling the bartender for a drink
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260Rosa’s POV.The afternoon sunlight was warm on my face as Allesio and I walked back to the apartment. The day had been full of small joys—ice cream, bookshops, and just the comfort of him being with me, but something was very off about him. It was just too obvious. And it had been for a few weeks now and I couldn’t figure out what the issue was.Allesio wasn’t himself.Sure, he laughed at my jokes and indulged me when I dragged him into yet another store to look at scarves or quirky trinkets. He held my hand and kissed my temple like always, but there was a distance in his eyes. It was like his mind was somewhere else, wrestling with something I couldn’t see.“Are you okay?” I asked again, keeping my tone light as we climbed into the elevator lifting us up to our apartment. I just couldn’t let it sit still, seeing him so obviously bothered.“Yeah,” he said quickly, a little too quickly.I let it slide, but my curiosity sharpened. This wasn’t the first time I’d felt him pulling awa
