Falling for the Mafia Boss

Chapter Five

Mia POV

Donnie picked me up from Lorenzo's this morning and took me to breakfast. He told me about the businesses he has around town. He owns the club, two gyms, a laundromat, and an office building. I'm proud of Donnie. He was always getting into trouble in high school, and my dad thought he was going to end up in prison. I'm just glad he has stable income now and no longer needs to engage in illegal business to survive.

"What are you going to do now? Surely you're not moving to Austin?" Donnie asks.

"I don't know yet. I'm going to be here for a month. I have some time to think about it. Right now, I just want to focus on Dad and being home." It hasn't fully sunk in yet what I'm going to do. I loved Dylan, and he betrayed me. I put all my trust in him and planned my entire life around him. That was the only reason I wanted to move to Texas, because it was his dream. He wanted to be close to his family, have his mother help with our kids while we built our careers and our lives together. I feel like such an i***t.

So many times, a little voice in the back of my head told me that Dylan was cheating on me. I always brushed it off and figured it was just my insecurities talking. If I were to give a time frame for when the betrayal began, I'd say it started about six months ago. That's when he began working late nights and having sporadic meetings throughout the day. He would always go home first to shower before hanging out with me. God, I am an i***t.

We finish our breakfast, and Donnie gets some pastries to go. When we get to Mom's house, a nurse is there checking Dad's vitals.

"How's Pa?" Donnie asks Mom.

She shakes her head and hugs herself. "He was puking up blood this morning. Hospice is going to start coming every few hours to give him morphine," she says. Mom is a veterinarian, so she understands how organs work and has seen a lot of death in her life. Sure, it's mostly animals, but humans are animals too. She has taken this whole cancer thing much better than I would expect most people to handle it.

"How long do they usually have once they get on morphine?" I ask.

Mom shrugs her shoulders and stares at Dad being tended to in the other room. "Some hours, some days, some weeks. Just spend as much time as you can with him, Mia."

I sit and talk with Dad at lunch. He's very happy to learn that I broke it off with Dylan. I leave out all the details that might raise his blood pressure, but I tell him that I just didn't think he was the one for me. Dad says it's because he wasn't Italian enough, and it makes me laugh. What's funny is I think Donnie is the most Italian out of all of us. He grew up deep in the Italian community alongside Enzo and Marcos.

Dad had a rough upbringing and was originally involved with the mob. That's how Dad got all his money. He was able to get out once Donnie was born, though, and pulled away from the Mafia. He invested all his ill-gotten gains into stocks and hit it big when I was three. We bought our big house on the nice side of town and invested in some commercial properties. Mom and Dad aren't loaded, but they do well for themselves. They paid for my college in full and have been covering my rent yearly for the last three years.

I told them I could pay my own rent because I had a job, but they insisted. I had to quit my job this year, though, so I could double down on school, so most of my savings are depleted. Once a month, I get random deposits from Donnie's account into mine.

Sometimes they're a few hundred, and other times he sends me a few thousand. The few times I tried to send the money back, I got cussed out. Donnie would tell me not to be stuck up and to accept a gift from my older brother. I'm really blessed to have a family like I do.

My dad pulls me out of my thoughts when he tries to stand up out of his chair. "Dad, let me help you," I tell him and stand up but don't know what to do.

"I don't need help, Stellina. I'm a grown-ass man."

Mom comes in and grabs his hand, mumbling something sweetly in Italian. She kisses the back of his hand like she's done for years. She holds his hand all the way to the bathroom where he wanted to go. She smiles at me and winks. She helped him without him even noticing she was helping.

Donnie comes back for dinner and brings Marco and Lorenzo. Mom and Dad are both excited to see them.

"Marco, how is your hotel doing?" Dad asks. Marco tells him about his most recent profits and then complains about the new skyscraper that's going in and blocking the sun above the hotel's pool. Dad says that his business will decline if he doesn't come up with some solution.

Mom asks Lorenzo how his jewelry store is doing now that the corporate jewelers have started to sweep in.

"Nobody wants the same jewelry someone else has, Ma; my sales are doing better than ever."

I turn to Lorenzo. "You own a jewelry store?" I ask, and he nods.

Marco laughs and teases me like usual, "Look at her face. That's how all the girls look when they hear that Lorenzo has access to rare diamonds."

I throw a roll at him. "Shut your mouth, Marco."

"Calmati (Calm down), Mia," Mom scolds.

I peer over the table and notice Enzo staring at me with a blank expression. He looks away when my cheeks warm with embarrassment. Stupid Marco.

Once everyone is done eating, I offer to clean up and clear the table. Mom is thankful for the break and takes the family out on the patio for wine.

I'm drying the plates and putting them away when Lorenzo walks in and leans up against the wall next to the back door. "Sei Bellissima, Mia (You are very beautiful, Mia)," he compliments me, and all the blood rushes to my cheeks. I know that phrase all too well; he thinks I'm beautiful.

"Grazie, Lorenzo," I thank him and go back to drying the dishes.

"I never thought I would see you back here. You have grown to be an outstanding woman. A true Regina (Queen)."

I giggle and tap my finger on the spray nozzle of the faucet toward him, spraying him with water. "I am not a queen." I giggle again.

His expression is only shocked for a split second before he runs over and tries to grab the spray nozzle from me. I spray him again, and he picks me up and sets me on the counter, leaning over me as I lean as far back as I can, holding the nozzle above my head trying to keep it from him. My knees are spread, and he is in between them. When he finally gets the nozzle from me, he realizes how close his face is to mine and freezes.

My heart pounds in my chest, and I can feel the intensity of his gaze on me. Every nerve in my body is alive with anticipation. The air between us crackles with unspoken desire. For a moment, time seems to stand still, and I'm lost in his deep, penetrating eyes.

I take a shaky breath, attempting to steady my racing pulse. His hand on my waist sends shivers through me, and I'm acutely aware of his proximity. I can feel the heat of his body, and it's both exhilarating and nerve-wracking. I bite my lip, a nervous habit I can't seem to control, and his eyes flicker down to my lips , darkening with an intensity that sends my senses into overdrive.

Just as the moment teeters on the edge of something I can't quite comprehend, my mom's abrupt entrance shatters the tension. I push at his chest, breaking the spell between us, and hastily jump down from the counter. Clearing my throat, I try to regain my composure, but my cheeks are flushed with embarrassment and desire.

He rubs the back of his neck, his gesture shy yet revealing his own disconcerted state. He offers my mom a tight nod, but there's something in his eyes, a hidden emotion that lingers even as he tries to appear nonchalant. My mother, ever perceptive, grabs the wine glasses, her gaze flickering between us before she swiftly exits the room.

We awkwardly join everyone out on the patio and make good conversation as we drink wine. I learn that Marco is married and has a baby on the way. He also owns a pizza place and a liquor store, both in Philadelphia. Marco came from a very poor family, so I find it odd that he owns to many places. Where did he get the money for that? I didn’t even know he had a job. Maybe he got an inheritance from a death in his distant family or something.

Lorenzo owns more than just the jewelry store. He is also half owner in my brother’s club, and owns a vineyard and winery on the countryside.

“The wine you are drinking now is a special blend I made for ma.” Enzo tells me and winks as he takes another sip of the wine. I follow his lead and this time, take my time in tasting the wine. Along with the crisp apple tang, I get a hint of hydrating cucumber. Something my mother really would love. I can’t help the smile that grows on my face thinking about Enzo creating a special blend just for mom.

Marco asks me about college and what my plans are now that I’m graduated. I give him the whole spill on ‘Finding the right company for me’ that you learn to say to impress people when you’re in college. The truth is, I have no clue what I’m going to do, or even what I want to do, but I don’t tell them that. I don’t want to worry my family. They think that I have my life together and know what I want, but I don’t. My plans were molded to fit into Dylan’s plans… now I’m back at square one.

The nurse shows up to give dad his meds and mom goes inside. Marco leaves out the side gate and tells Donnie to tell ma bye for him. Donnie, Enzo, and I stay out on the back patio and indulge in the rest of the wine.

I forgot how peaceful it was on our patio. When I was a teenager, this was the spot to be. I would curl up on one of the oversized chairs with a warm blanket and a book. Sometimes I would find myself lost in the stories I held, while other I would be daydreaming while staring into the still water of the pool.

Enzo interrupts my thoughts, “So Ma says you’re a surgeon?” he asks and Donnie and I both laugh.

“I don’t know why she tells people that. I majored in microbiology. I like to study microorganisms and their habits. If I tried to cut somebody open, I would fail miserably.”

Donnie snaps his fingers and grins when a thought sparks in his brain. “Hey, they are building a new hospital in philly. You might check that out. I’m sure they need a virus expert or something.”

I smile and stare off into the pool. “Yeah, I’ll do that. Thanx Donnie.”

He pats me on the back, “It’s just an option I’m not pressuring you to stay here, Stellina. Think about it.” he says and then walks in the house. I take a deep breath and sit back on the lounger.

After a while Enzo finally stands up and stretches his arms above his head. “I have to drive to the countryside in the morning to check on my vineyard. I’ll see you later Mia.” He says. He comes over and bends down kissing me on the cheek slowly, “Buona notte Bellissima (Good night beautiful).” He whispers into my ear.

“Buona notte bello (Good night handsome).” I wish him good night back and kiss him on the cheek.

I expect him to leave but he pauses for a moment and takes my face into his hand, gripping my chin softly. “I mean it.” he refers to him calling me beautiful yet again. He looks me in the eyes and then trails his thumb over my bottom lip. OH MY GOD! Excitement spreads over my body like a wild fire.

Letting go of my face, he grabs two of the empty bottles of wine. Before he walks into the house, I call out to him, “I mean it too, Enzo.” Confessing that I find him attractive too. He chuckles and goes inside, leaving me on the patio alone. I don’t know why he makes me so nervous when he is that close to me, but I really like it. I have always wanted Enzo and it seems like he too, wants me.