𝐥𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐛𝐢𝐫𝐝

27

valentina

The car ride lasts just under an hour and my nerves go through the roof when we pull up to a fucking mansion. Releasing a shaky exhale, I take a second to regain composure. I got this.

My eyes flicker to Matteo's and he gives me a reassuring nod.

Raising a shaky hand, I open the car door and step out. He comes to stand by my side, ruffling my hair as he does.

"Touch my hair one more time Luca. I dare you." I glare up at him and his eyes widen.

"Someone hasn't had their morning coffee." He wraps an arm around my shoulder and drags us forwards towards the intimidating entrance.

"Someones looking to get slapped in the face."  A deep chuckle resonates from his chest and when we stop in front of the door, he releases his hold on me and steps forwards to knock.

A few comments later Imara opens the door with a bright smile.

"Come in, come in." She beckons before catching me in a hug as I walk forward.

"Nice to see you too ma." An annoyed voice comments.

"Oh hush." Pulling away she looks me up and down with a proud smile, "You're glowing mia piccola colomba. I can tell you've been taking good care of yourself."

Following behind Matteo, I try my best to keep up my conversation with Imara even though I'm easily distracted by the fact that this mansion is gorgeous.

We stop when we reach their kitchen and holy shit, if I thought that they're kitchen back in America was big this kitchen is on a whole other level.

The cabinets are all coloured in a light grey and the counters are marble. Everything is clean but it looks used, not like those celebrities who have kitchens that no one uses and look like they belong in some showroom, it's homey. And even though it's big, it suits the house and doesn't look disproportionate.

"And your hair, it's grown so long." She gushes, leaning on the kitchen island.

Imara and I spend the next few minutes catching up and out of the corner of my eye I watch as Matteo walks around the kitchen, opening and closing multiple cupboards.

"What are you doing child?" The woman in front of me snaps after hearing her son shut the tenth cupboard.

"I was just trying to find the chocolate chips." He says innocently with wide eyes and I almost aw. 

"They're in the third cupboard from the left, the first one you checked and they haven't moved for twenty years. Come ho fatto a far nascere una robacosi stupida?" (How did I give birth to such a stupid shit/thing?)

I cover my mouth to cover my smile but I can't help the short laugh that escapes my lips. Matteo glares at me and I avert my eyes, dramatically looking around the room at anything but him. He might be a mafia leader but he's still a mommas boy.

"I'm surprised you haven't killed each other yet, when I left you two weren't the most fond of the other."

Our eyes flick to meet the other from across the kitchen before returning to her.

"We found common ground in the form of brownies and cop sitcoms."

He smirks shaking his head and I take a second to drink in his appearance. He's casually leaning on the counter with one foot crossed over the other. A packet of chocolate chips rests in his hand and my eyes are instantly drawn to the silver watch on his wrist. Why is that attractive to me?