Mafia Wife (Mafia Series Book #2)

Part 10

A/N: Long time no see! If you do not read the S-Gene, here is a little update! ahah. I got back from vacation and everybody, kiddos included got sick and I was a zombie last week, so I couldn't update. I honestly have no clue how I took care of 3 kids (four if you count my husband AH!) while dying, haha.

But I am back, and thank you all for your patience :)

***

Something was wrong.

He could tell without seeing anything.

Maybe it was the door of his office that had been left ajar. Maybe it was the breathing sound coming from inside. Regardless, he knew someone was waiting inside. Niccolo did not think that one of the Mancini would be this careless but...

One could never be too careful.

He used his index finger to push the door open, revealing his chair turned away from him. Someone was sitting there. He took the first step in, making sure that whoever was sitting there knew he was in the room.

And it worked.

The chair turned, revealing Gabriella sitting there, gripping the armrests with tight hands. She was smiling but he could tell she was anything but happy.

"The nursing home called."

Ah fuck.

"She told me that my grandpa was much calmer now. And that if my husband wanted to come back soon, it would be okay."

Yeah fuck.

"Anything you wanna tell me?"

"Seems to me like you know what you need to know."

It was his fault really - he should have known the nurse could have blabbed.

Gabriella quirked an eyebrow. "Seriously?" She huffed, smacking her hands down on the desk. "Why did you go see him?"

"He's family," he replied with a smile.

"Niccolo, do not bullshit me."

"Aren't we..." he leaned in, "married?" he finished in a whisper.

"That's not what I meant and you know it."

It was rich of her to talk about keeping secrets when she was doing the exact same thing. Did she even have the right to feel insulted? "Guess our marriage is based on keeping secrets, wifey."

He watched her still, the corners of her mouth dropping downwards. She was scared that he knew, scared to reveal something he might not know. He would not give her the satisfaction. She could squirm a little.

Plus, it wasn't like he would have thought the visit would be a secret forever. He had wanted to lay down some groundwork first. Her presence wouldn't have helped. She cared about her grandfather. He needed to push him. It would be inconvenient if she was there.

He had needed that first visit alone. Plus, he would have told her.

Man, he was distracted. He wouldn't have been sloppy like this in the past. He would have taken the proper step. Why didn't he?

"I guess you're a good teacher," she finally said before flicking her tongue against the back of her teeth.

"Anything else you wanna say? Or was this the peak of your highly anticipated confrontation?"

Sure, she was pissed, that was easy to tell, but did she wait for him here for this? That was the whole showdown? It was a little bit of a letdown.

"Why do you need to talk to my grandpa?" She popped her lips. "You could have put him in danger."