MasukShare
53
Terakhir Diperbarui:
2024-12-12 11:50:55
Bab terkait
The Mafia's Nanny 54
54Alaric’s POV I was in my study, going over the details of our latest shipments, when the knock came—two sharp raps, a pause, then a third. Allesio’s signal. I set down the file I’d been reading, already feeling the prickling sensation of unease.“Come in,” I called, pushing away from the desk.Allesio entered, his face set in a grim line, holding a small, nondescript brown package. It wasn’t the kind of thing you’d pay attention to in a pile of mail—ordinary, almost insignificant. But the stiffness in his shoulders told me everything I needed to know.“Found this at the front gate, sir,” he said, placing the package on my desk. “No return address.”I met his eyes. “Did you check it?”He gave a curt nod. “No explosives. It’s just paper inside, but it feels wrong.”Wrong. That single word was enough to send a jolt of cold rage through me. I grabbed a letter opener from the desk, slicing through the tape quickly, and pulled the flaps apart. Inside, there was a plain white envelope. I
Terakhir Diperbarui : 2024-12-12The Mafia's Nanny 55
55Emilia’s POV I didn’t plan on sneaking out. If was stupid to even plan on sneaking out when Alaric had tightened security like this, and placed the house on lock down. It was almost impossible. Almost. I knew it was only a matter of time before he doubled down on security, making it impossible for me to step outside the mansion’s walls without an armed escort.So, I made a choice—a reckless, stupid choice, but one that felt necessary. I couldn’t stand idly by, feeling like a caged bird while threats loomed over Francesca and me. I needed answers, and I had a contact – thanks to Rosa – who might be able to provide them.I waited until late evening when everyone was busy. Allesio was preoccupied, and Alaric had locked himself in his study again, probably strategizing. I slipped into a pair of sneakers, threw on a hoodie, and walked casually down the hall, forcing myself not to rush. I knew the patrol routes by heart, having observed them closely in the last few days. It wasn’t hard
Terakhir Diperbarui : 2024-12-13The Mafia's Nanny 56
56Alaric’s POV The moment Emilia stormed into my study, I knew we were in for it. Her face was flushed, eyes blazing with a mix of anger and something else—something that made me grip the edge of the desk a little harder. I’d just finished speaking with Allesio, trying to piece together the intel she’d risked her life for. I was barely holding onto my temper as it was.“What the hell were you thinking?” I snapped before she could even open her mouth.“What was I thinking?” she retorted, slamming the door shut behind her. “I was thinking that someone needed to actually do something, since you’ve been too busy hiding behind your walls to make any real moves!”“Hiding?” I pushed myself away from the desk, stalking closer to her. “You have no idea what I’ve been doing. You think I’m just sitting here, doing nothing? I’ve been working around the clock trying to keep you and Francesca safe.”“Then why don’t I feel safe, Alaric?” Her voice cracked, just slightly, but she recovered quickly.
Terakhir Diperbarui : 2024-12-13The Mafia's Nanny 57
57Alaric’s POV The sun was setting when Allesio walked into my study, a grim expression on his face. He looked tired, like he’d been running on fumes, but there was a glint in his eyes that told me he’d found something worth all the effort.“We’ve got a lead,” he said without preamble, dropping a crumpled piece of paper onto the desk in front of me.I picked it up, smoothing out the wrinkles. It was an address scrawled in a hasty, almost frantic hand. I could picture the informant Allesio had likely cornered—desperate to save his own skin, stuttering out information in exchange for a chance to breathe another day.“What’s this?” I asked, even though I already knew. My pulse quickened.“An old safehouse,” Allesio explained. “Used to belong to one of your former associates before the Nightshade Syndicate took over. It’s not one of their main hubs, but it’s where they’ve been regrouping, lying low while they plan their next move.”I nodded, standing up and grabbing my coat. “Then I’m g
Terakhir Diperbarui : 2024-12-13The Mafia's Nanny 58
58Emilia’s POV It was nearing midnight and I was pacing around Alaric’s office, trying to wipe away all the bad thoughts. It wasn’t working.Alaric had shot those three men right in front of me. I didn’t know why that shocked me, but it did. More than I’d like to admit. But what shocked me more was that I didn’t feel any form of empathy for these men. If anything, they deserved it. And I’d have done it myself if I had a gun on me.Alaric had been unusually silent since we got back from the safehouse, and I knew that meant he was grappling with something he wasn’t ready to say out loud.I took a deep breath, steeling myself before speaking. “We need to go over what we found.”He didn’t turn to look at me, his gaze fixed on something far beyond the window glass. “I already did,” he muttered. “And it doesn’t make any sense.”He was lying. It made too much sense, and that’s what scared him. I crossed the room, placing the worn leather ledger on the desk between us. It looked like any or
Terakhir Diperbarui : 2024-12-13The Mafia's Nanny 59
59Alaric’s POV This was a set up. A fucking set up. And as much as I hated to admit it, it was a mistake from my side. I should have seen it coming. This was supposed to be a simple reconnaissance mission—get in, find the intel we needed, and get out. But the moment we breached the door of the hideout, we walked straight into an ambush.The air was so thick with the metallic tang of gunpowder and smoke, so heavy I could almost taste it. My ears rang from the explosion that had gone off moments earlier, shattering what little quiet we’d had left. Everything had descended into chaos faster than I’d anticipated.I glanced to my left. Emilia was crouched behind an overturned table, her face a mask of fierce concentration as she returned fire. There was nothing delicate about the way she moved. She had a gun in her hands, her body angled for the cleanest shot, and there was something wild in her eyes—something that matched the thrum of adrenaline in my veins. And it also made me wary. Wh
Terakhir Diperbarui : 2024-12-13The Mafia's Nanny 60
60Alaric’s POV The look on Allesio’s face had my heart beating too hard in my chest. Too hard that I feared that it might jump out. He was holding a file, thick with evidence—something he’d been working on while we were at the hideout. I could tell from the grim line of his mouth that whatever he had discovered, It wasn’t good.I leaned back against the edge of my desk, crossing my arms as I waited for him to speak. The silence stretched thin between us, almost suffocating. I could feel the cold fury building inside me, an icy current that threatened to spill over.“Just tell me, Allesio,” I snapped, my patience wearing thin. “Who is it?”He looked down at the file, almost like he couldn’t bear to meet my eyes. That single hesitation told me everything I needed to know. My heart dropped, a heavy weight settling in my chest. Whoever it was, this betrayal was going to cut deep.“It’s Dominic,” Allesio said finally, his voice low.For a moment, I couldn’t breathe. Dominic. Of all the p
Terakhir Diperbarui : 2024-12-13The Mafia's Nanny 61
61Alaric’s POV There was a stillness in the air, the kind that usually made people uncomfortable. It was quiet. But not a peaceful kind of quiet. I could tell that the men were whispering amongst each other. They were used to violence, yes, but this was different. Tonight, I was making an example of one of them. One of us. Dominic.I stood in the grand hall, my back to the assembled lieutenants and guards, staring out the tall windows. The city lights stretched far into the distance. I clenched my jaw, my shoulders stiff and threatening to fall, but I forced myself to straighten.Weakness was not an option tonight. Dominic had made his choice. Now, I had to make mine.“Bring him in,” I ordered, my voice cutting through the silence like a knife. Allesio nodded, his expression a grim mask as he disappeared down the hall.I didn’t turn around. I needed a moment—just one—to gather myself, to let the anger and disappointment harden into something useful. A weapon. Because if I faltered,
Terakhir Diperbarui : 2024-12-13
Bab terbaru
The Mafia's Nanny 264
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
The Mafia's Nanny 262
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
The Mafia's Nanny 261
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
The Mafia's Nanny 260
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
The Mafia's Nanny 259
259Allesio’s POVRosa was standing in the kitchen, by the stove and starring a pot with one hand while the other rested on her hip. Currently we were at her new condo she just moved into. She has this small smile on her face, so beautiful and so effortless that it struc me how lucky I was to have her in my life.“You’re staring,” she said, glancing at me over her shoulder with a teasing smirk.I leaned against the doorway, arms crossed. “And if I am?”“You’re distracting me,” she replied, though the smile playing on her lips betrayed her mock annoyance.I pushed off the doorframe and walked over, wrapping my arms around her waist. “If I’m distracting you, it’s only fair. You’ve been distracting me since the day we met.”She laughed again softly and warmly and leaned into me. “You’re such a charmer, you know that?”“Only for you,” I murmured, pressing a kiss to her temple.Moments like these felt almost too good to be true. The simplicity of being with her, the ease of her presence—it
The Mafia's Nanny 258
258Alaric’s POVI watched her from across the room. She was sitting there, her arms crossed, looking down at her lap as if trying to collect herself. Her shoulders were trembling ever so slightly, and I could feel the guilt gnawing at me, making my chest tighten with each passing second.I had messed up. Big time. I had let the rage and the need for control cloud my judgment, and now she was sitting there, hurt, angry, and devastated because of the choices I had made without her. Without her.I was so damn stupid.“Emilia,” I said, my voice low but firm, my feet taking me toward her before I even realized what I was doing. She didn’t look up when I said her name, but I knew she heard me.She didn’t respond, though. She just kept looking at her hands, fingers fidgeting with the hem of her sleeve. I could feel the distance between us, like an invisible wall had gone up the moment I’d made the decision to move against Alonso without even telling her.I could feel her anger radiating fro
The Mafia's Nanny 257
257Emilia’s POVI wasn’t supposed to hear it. I wasn’t supposed to be standing there, half-hidden behind the door, my heart thundering in my chest like I’d been caught in the act of some great betrayal. But there I was, standing in front of the door to Alaric’s office, listening to him speak with a coldness in his voice that made my stomach drop.“I don’t care what it costs. I’m not going to let Alonso win. I’m not going to let anyone threaten her again.”The words hit me like a slap. I didn’t need to hear any more to understand what was happening. I knew the kind of man Alaric was—the kind who would do anything for those he loved. But this? This felt like something darker. More personal. I wasn’t naïve enough to think I didn’t know how far Alaric would go, but I had no idea how far he was willing to take it.My breath caught in my throat, and I stepped back, stumbling slightly. I had to get away. But my legs wouldn’t move. Instead, I leaned against the doorframe, trying to steady my
The Mafia's Nanny 256
256Alaric’s POVI knew what I had to do. The problem was that, deep down, I didn’t want to.The air in the room felt suffocating, the walls closing in as I stood before the window, staring out into the night. The city lights flickered beneath the black sky like fireflies in the distance. It would have been beautiful to watch, but at that moment, I was thinking about something much more personal.Alonso.Every day that bastard continued to breathe, every time he spoke to Emilia, every time I saw him lurking in the shadows, I felt the weight of my own restraint grinding against my will. I hated him. I hated him more than I hated anything else. What he did to Emilia, how he treated her, how he dared to step in my way—there was no forgiveness for it.I couldn’t let him live. Not anymore.It wasn’t like I hadn’t thought about it. I’d spent hours planning, poring over resources and contacts, tracking Alonso’s movements, trying to determine the perfect moment to strike. I couldn’t trust anyo
