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Terakhir Diperbarui:
2024-12-18 11:11:46
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The Mafia's Nanny 72
72Emilia’s POV The kitchen was filled with the smell of fresh coffee and eggs sizzling on the stove. I stood by the counter, pouring myself a cup of coffee, and watched Alaric out of the corner of my eye. He was sitting at the table with Francesca, who was chattering away happily about the park yesterday. His face was relaxed, a slight smile playing on his lips as he nodded along, responding in that soft, gentle tone he only ever used with her.I tried not to stare, but it was hard not to notice the difference in him. There was something lighter about Alaric this morning, as if a weight had been lifted off his shoulders. It was subtle, but I could see it in the way he sat back in his chair, his posture less rigid. The dark cloud that usually hovered over him seemed to have lifted, at least for the moment. It made him look… younger, almost.I took a sip of my coffee, leaning against the counter as I watched them. It was strange to see him smiling. Not the small, tight-lipped smirk I’
Terakhir Diperbarui : 2024-12-18The Mafia's Nanny 73
73Alaric’s POVThe phone wouldn’t stop buzzing. I stared at it for a moment, letting the screen vibrate against the polished wood of my desk. It was barely nine in the morning, and the calls had already started coming in. Business, disputes, and the usual mess that came with running a criminal empire. I took a long sip of my coffee, savoring the bitter taste as I mentally prepared for the onslaught.I finally picked up the call, putting it on speaker as I sifted through the stack of papers in front of me. “Talk.”“It’s Dante,” came the gruff voice on the other end. “We’ve got a situation at the docks. One of the shipments was flagged by customs. They’re asking questions.”“Didn’t we grease enough palms for this not to be an issue?” I leaned back in my chair, pinching the bridge of my nose. The headache that had been brewing since last night was starting to make itself known.“We did,” Dante replied, sounding just as frustrated as I felt. “But there’s a new officer on duty—some fresh
Terakhir Diperbarui : 2024-12-19The Mafia's Nanny 74
74Emilia’s POV I stared at Alaric’s text for the millionth time since I received it yesterday, my heart pounding hard in my chest as tears filled my eyes.“Yeah, that’d be good. Thanks.” He had replied, but that wasn’t what made me want to cry. But it was the realization that I made this morning that made my eyes sting. I was in love with him.I didn’t know when it happened. Maybe it was gradual, like water eroding rock, wearing down my defenses bit by bit until I was exposed and vulnerable. Or maybe it was sudden—like the moment you realize you’re standing on the edge of a cliff and the ground beneath you is crumbling. I can’t pinpoint the exact second, but somewhere along the way, I fell in love with Alaric.The realization hit me like a punch to the gut as I sat alone in the kitchen. The house was usually quiet. All the workers were probably taking a break. I was nuring a cup of coffee, staring out of the window at the garden but not really seeing it. My mind was stuck replying e
Terakhir Diperbarui : 2024-12-19The Mafia's Nanny 75
75Emilia’s POV My eyes met with Alaric’s across the room for the umpteenth time today. And I was sure he could tell what was running through my head.God.When did I turn to this horny mess that couldn’t even control myself? I never knew that being with Alaric could be so…addicting.I rubbed my thighs together, taking my eyes off him and trying to hard to focus on what Francesca was doing but it was probing to be fruitless. Fuck I needed him right now.Without thinking of it, I got up abruptly, turning to him and mustering the most serious and professional look I could. I walked to him, not caring that he was seated with his most high ranking men and discussing work matters. “I need to speak with you,” I murmured quietly, meeting Allesio’s narrowed eyes and looking away as fast as I could.“Handle it,” Alaric said to his second in command a he got up from the chair, motioning for me to follow him. We went up the stairs and I had no doubt that he was leading me to his office. But I c
Terakhir Diperbarui : 2024-12-20The Mafia's Nanny 76
76Emilia’s POV I found myself standing in front of Matteo’s door this morning, clutching a bag of pastries like it was my lifeline. It’s wasn’t particularly because I missed him that I was here today. I did miss him, but that wasn’t the exact reason. It was that I felt like I was drowning and my mind was an undeniable mess of my emotions.I knocked the door once, waiting for him to come and open the door. Matteo opened the door almost immediately, his face lighting up in a way that only reminded me how much I missed him. “Emmy!” he exclaimed, pulling me into a tight hug before I could even step inside.“Hey, Teo,” I murmured into his shoulder, and for a moment, I let myself relax into the comfort of my brother’s embrace. I felt like my mind was finally going calm after all this whole just because I was in his presence.He pulled back, holding me at arm’s length to give me one of his patented Matteo once-overs. “You look tired,” he said, frowning. “What’s going on? And don’t tell me
Terakhir Diperbarui : 2024-12-20The Mafia's Nanny 77
77Emilia’s POVA shiver ran through my body at the way Alaric touched me and my thighs clenched in anticipation. I couldn’t believe I was already getting wet at such simple touch. He kissed my neck and ran his fingers through my hair. “You look beautiful,” he muttered, kissing my hair.“Thank you,” I answered, my cheeks turning pink as I eyed the hoodie and sweatpants I was in.“Take off your clothes,” he added, kissing my neck one more time and he walked behind me. He took off my hood and began unbraiding my hair carefully.“To take off my clothes,” I began slowly. “I need you to leave my hair,” I reminded him. My hair was in two cornrows and I didn’t want him getting them all rough and tangled.He unbraided the first cornrow and moved to the other one without a word. He unbraided that one too and ruffled my hair slightly. “I love your hair better when it’s let down,” He murmured against my neck and then I felt him take a step back. “Take off your clothes.”I gulped as I took off my
Terakhir Diperbarui : 2024-12-21The Mafia's Nanny 78
78Emilia’s POVI got up from the bed, stretching slightly. I forced myself to get off the bed. My mind wouldn’t stop going to Francesca and it made me uneasy. I needed to check on her first to make sure she was fine before I did anything else.I wrapped my robe around my body, walking out of my room and rushing to her room. Pushing open the door to her room, I froze in the doorway. Francesca was lying in bed, her little frame curled under the covers, her face flushed a deep red. Sweat clung to her brow, and her breathing was shallow and uneven. My heart dropped.“Francesca?” I called softly, moving closer.She stirred but didn’t open her eyes. When I pressed the back of my hand to her forehead, a wave of heat radiated off her skin. She was burning up.“Francesca,” I said again, my voice shaking now as I gently shook her shoulder. She opened her eyes halfway, her usual bright brown gaze dull and glassy.“Mommy…” she croaked, her voice weak and scratchy.“It’s okay, sweetheart,” I said
Terakhir Diperbarui : 2024-12-21The Mafia's Nanny 79
79Alaric’s POV I’ve faced countless threats in my life. Guns aimed at my head. Betrayals by people I thought I could trust. Enemies clawing at the edges of my empire, waiting for a moment of weakness. But nothing—NOTHING—had ever terrified me as much as seeing Francesca lying helpless in that hospital bed.The sterile smell of antiseptic burned my nose as I sat in the uncomfortable chair outside her room. My hands were clasped tightly, my knuckles white. The usual iron control I prided myself on felt like it was slipping. I couldn’t stop replaying the image of her small, flushed face, the way her body had burned with fever when I held her. She’d felt so fragile, and for the first time, I realized just how powerless I was when it came to her health.What if this was something serious? What if I couldn’t protect her from this?The thought clawed at my chest like a wild animal, threatening to rip me apart. Francesca was everything to me—my light, my reason for holding it all together.
Terakhir Diperbarui : 2024-12-22
Bab terbaru
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
The Mafia's Nanny 255
255Alaric’s POVI couldn’t sit still. I paced back and forth in my study, the old wooden floor creaking beneath each step. The thick curtains in the windows blocked the fading sunlight,Allesio was late. Again. I glanced at the clock on the wall for what felt like the hundredth time. It was nearly an hour past when I’d told him to meet me here, and my patience had already worn thin.I had to know what was going on with Rosa. I couldn’t let the Cruz family get away with whatever they were planning. Rosa was a piece on this board—whether she liked it or not—and I needed to know where she stood. Where her family stood. Were they loyal to the Cruz family, or loyal to me?I grabbed the glass of scotch off my desk, the ice cubes clinking together as I tipped it to my lips. The burn hit the back of my throat, and I let the warmth settle in my chest, trying to calm the storm brewing inside me.Finally, the door opened. Allesio stepped inside, his face a little too calm for my liking. He looke
The Mafia's Nanny 254
254Emilia’s POVThe café was quieter than I expected for a weekday afternoon. A few scattered patrons sat hunched over laptops or nursing cups of coffee. I fiddled with the handle of my mug, the heat radiating through the ceramic doing very little to steady my nerves.Alonso wasn’t late—he never was—but the anticipation of seeing him again had me on edge. After the disastrous dinner, I wasn’t sure how this conversation would go. Part of me was still angry at him for the things he said about Alaric. The other part—the one that still saw him as my father—wanted to believe there was a way to bridge the gap between us.When the door chimed, I knew it was him before I even looked up. Alonso Cruz had a presence that couldn’t be ignored. He walked in with the air of a man who owned the room, his suit crisp, his movements deliberate. His eyes found mine almost immediately, and I saw the flicker of something—relief, maybe?—before his expression hardened again.“Emilia,” he said, his voice low
