The Don's Forbidden Obsession

Bianca

Mamá was beautiful, which explained why these men were staring at me, as I was no different. It may also have had to do with the fact that we looked eerily alike. But even I grew uncomfortable with the incessant staring.

I was locked in a room with people I barely knew, discussing my mother's will when it was only ever mamá and me living in a nice two-story home in the suburbs of Los Angeles.

Why did all these random men need to be here?

The only people who deserved to be here were family. That only included Liam and me.

"Why are all these people here? It's only supposed to be family?" I mutter to the man on my left, who's currently playing Candy Crush on his phone.

Liam heaves a sigh, his blue eyes finding mine. "I know it's a lot to take in, Principessa. But these people are family. These were the people your mamá considered family." He spoke carefully, wrapping his arm around my shoulder.

With a small huff, I nod, knowing that- unlike me-mamá was tied to the Italian mafia. The same mafia that saved us from danger and took us away all those years ago. The same mafia I should be grateful for.

Mamá loved all of these men, but it was hard for me to come to terms with it, considering I was never allowed to meet or see any of them. The only exception being Liam and the now late Don Ricardo Galanti.

And when I was lucky enough to get mamá to share some stories before bed, she would only ever tell me good things about the prince.

My prince.

It was odd, yes, considering I hadn't ever met the man, but she'd tell me stories. Stories of the vile, brooding man who hid his generosity behind a cloak of intimidating power. A man with a soft side reserved for a relatively small pool of people.

She'd tell me how he could be horrible if provoked - but beneath all that stone was a teddy bear.

There was only one problem. I tended to avoid intimidating men.

I needed to have the upper hand and control when it came to men. And a power-hungry dominant male was anything but what I was looking for.

I never longed for the day I got to meet him. It was never something to look forward to, for I knew I would only meet him when she was gone, and I was unsafe. It was something we prepared for, yet it still scared the shit out of me.

And even now, the idea made my stomach turn and my mind race with fear, because I was now under the protection of Alessio Galanti - the head of La Famiglia.

"And to Bianca Moretto, first and only child of the deceased, the deceased leaves the rights to her trust fund in the hands of her caretaker Alessio Galanti until she turns twenty-one." Rings the boring voice of the man standing at the front of the room, reading the papers at a snail's pace.

"What?" I scowl my brows furrowing. "I was supposed to get the money now, not have a permanent babysitter till I'm twenty-one," I whisper under my breath.

Liam chuckles, and I realize he heard me, but I'm too annoyed to care. "It's okay, Bianca Alessio won't be too present in your life anyway. He's just there to keep the promise to your mamá and provide for you. I promise you'll have the right to use that money as you please."

I still cross my arms and glare ahead. "He better not leech off of her fortune, it belongs to me."

Liam scoffs from next to me. "Sweetheart, he doesn't need to leech off your money. Where do you think that money came from in the first place?" He asks, raising a brow at me.

I pause and look over at him, realization dawning on my features. "Oh, right," I mumble, my cheeks flaming in embarrassment.

Liam was the only other parental figure I had growing up. Only at the age of twenty-five, he was more of an older brother, and the only member of La Famiglia I was allowed to see and interact with growing up.

He also happens to be second in command to Alessio Galanti - the current Don of the largely operated underground Galanti mafia.

Alessio Galanti was a man whom I only ever spotted once, six years ago. I was thirteen, and curious as to why my mamma was being so secretive, I'd hid in the hallway closet, and all I'd gotten was a glimpse of his well-pressed suit and the last trace of his low commanding voice as he spoke to Mamá.

We hadn't ever met, nor had we ever spoken to each other, and now I was under his care.

"Your mamá would be so proud of how you're handling all this. Like a true warrior." Liam whispers, kissing my temple as I lean into his side. I smile as my eyes water for the millionth time in the past three weeks.

Even though mamá had prepared me for this day since I was little, it still hurt to know that my other half was taken from me.

But I push the tears back because mamá wouldn't want me to cry. There was nothing to cry about; everything was going to be okay because I now had La Famiglia.

. . .

"So you're leaving this house to move to an even bigger one?" Jacob mumbles, throwing himself onto my now-empty mattress.

I huff for the millionth time and send him a scowl, but luckily Lily beats me to saying what's on both our minds. "Can you just shut the fuck up and pack? Seriously, you've been holding that box this whole time. While we," She motions between us, "Have been doing all the heavy lifting."

Jacob's dark brows lift, "And I'm expected to do the heavy lifting because?"

I narrow my eyes at the man-child before me. My best friend was this close to driving me insane.

Even if I had spent the last three weeks of my break from school alone, one minute with him, and I was already wishing I had a needle and thread to see his big fat mouth shut.

Why I chose to waste my time with such an idiot is beyond me, but Jacob was the first ever friend I made when I came to America, and we just clicked.

And our friendship had only strengthened last year when we both found out we were being held back and couldn't graduate. So, while everyone else in our year - including Lily, my only other friend - was eighteen, Jacob and I were nineteen.

And his presence had lessened the shame I felt when I stepped into the atrocity that was school.

I cast a glance between Lily and me, noting our relatively dainty bodies in comparison to his. "Because you do this lifting shit at the gym." I resonated with crossing my arms in solidarity with Lily.

Lily may have been the school's soccer star, but she was nowhere near as strong as Jacob and his muscular physique.

Jacob puckers his lips and glances between us. "No fair, you guys always gang up on me."

Lily scoffs from next to me, throwing her cornrowed hair into a bun. "No. It's always us against Gia's bitchy ass."

"Fuck off," I say, rolling my eyes, only for them to widen as I watch Jacob get up and open the first drawer of my dresser.

The one I told the movers to stay away from.

I lunge forward, but it's already too late, and I'm left to watch in horror as Jacob takes out the pink sparkly silicone device.

I stop and purse my lips, sending a side glance to Lily whose face tells me she's about to burst into a fit of laughter.

He glances at it and then turns his face up to us, his brows scrunching in confusion while his hands throw the foreign object around and fiddle with it, absentmindedly.

"What's this?" He glances at Lily's face, and I watch as it clicks. "Oh fuck-" His face turns into one of disgust as he throws it onto the bed, and Lily and I burst into a fit of laughter. "Why the hell do you, of all people, have a vibrator?!"

I shrug, walking towards my bed. "Because I can't fit anything in there yet, and so this baby is the thing that does it," I say, picking up the vibrator.

"No, I mean, why the fuck do you- a virgin need a vibrator. Not to mention you could literally have that thing replaced by any guy at school in a heartbeat." He says, watching me as I take it towards my personal carry-on bag, away from anyone's eye.

Not only was it pricy, but it was extremely hard to get without having anyone find out that I, their sweet little Bianca, wanted to explore my body.

"Yeah, aren't you the same girl who didn't let Rodney Richardson get past second base on the ski trip Christmas break?" Lily pipes in, jumping on my now empty bed.

My face scrunches up in disgust at the memory of that sleaze bag. "Rodney couldn't even fuck my mouth properly, you think he could do any better down there?" I say, then turn back to Jacob. "And also I'm a virgin by choice. I'm not gonna let just any man put their nasty hands on my Coochie. This shit is a gold mine. " I retort.

I pride myself on self-care, and no one's gonna get the privilege to be the first to touch me there unless I'm certain they're worth it.

Jacob pouts at me mockingly, and I know he's gonna say something stupid about it. "Aw, is princess Gia waiting for the perfect man to come and stick his finger in her million-dollar pussy?"

I scrunch my face up at his crude remark. "Yeah, and what about it, mommy issues? You don't see me going around making fun of you for only getting hard at the thought of old wrinkly tits." I spit as Lily, and I shiver in disgust.

Jacob's eyes narrow. "They're not old. They're mature." He defends, before he shrugs. "And you'd be surprised at how well they take care of me and mine." He says, patting his crotch.

I roll my eyes, and Lily sits up on the bed, looking between us. "Am I the only person in here with a normal sex life?"

"Probably." I nod before smirking at her. " I bet you get more pussy than our boy Jacob here."

Jacob rolls his eyes and sends me the finger as I snicker at my best friend, who happens to be too attractive to be into older women. Specifically, married, middle-aged, rich women who don't mind spoiling him.

I hear the front door downstairs open, and I rush to hide the vibrator, knowing that Liam, along with everyone else, views me as their innocent little angel and I wouldn't want to ruin that image any time soon.

Jacob and Lily bid their goodbyes as Liam walks into my bedroom, pecking my cheek in greeting.

"Ready to go, Principessa?" He asks, his smooth Italian accent coating the endearment.

I nod, grabbing my bags while the movers take the rest of my belongings and follow Liam out into the car waiting for us.

But I pause for half a second to bid goodbye to my childhood home.

The place mamá raised me and the place I will forever cherish.

But it's time for a change.

. . .

The Galanti family manor isn't far from my house, and I can't decide if it's a blessing or a curse that I'd have to finish out the rest of my senior year at the private high school.

"You're gonna love it here, Principessa. You'll be closer to all the other men in the inner circle." Liam says in my ear as I stare out of the window and out onto the secluded road we turn onto.

Our driver brings us to a stop outside a large iron gate armed with cameras and men situated outside - men who are doing a poor job at hiding their firearms.

Firearms that make me extremely uncomfortable. Even if my family was deeply rooted in the Italian mafia, I did not enjoy violence, nor was I exposed to it. I was always sheltered away from that side of La Famiglia, and I wanted to keep it that way.

The window rolls down, allowing one of the intimidating men to approach the car. Instinctively, I tense and recoil back, but luckily, Liam's right there to wrap his arm around me and bring me into his side protectively. "They're cool, Tweety, they're only here to protect you." He mumbles, but instead of finding confidence in his words, I bury my head into his side, enjoying the comfort his body provides, instead of staring at the terrifying man with an even scarier firearm strapped to him.

I hadn't seen one like that since Papa died.

Yet the use of my childhood nickname brings some sense of comfort. I smile, remembering how I got the nickname. I was eight and obsessed with Tweety Bird, and when mamá got me one, I had cried for days because it wasn't a real-life cartoon.

"È solo la Principessa. Lasciaci passare." I hear Liam say, his soft tone long gone and replaced with one void of any emotion. (It's just the princess, let us through.)

If it wasn't for the fact that Liam had raised me, I would be terrified of him as well. It's only a moment before I hear the clanking of the gate and feel the car move forward that I lift my head to take in the grand sight before me.

The structure, a traditional villa type, was far bigger than I could fathom. I knew that only about a dozen of Alessio Galanti's closest men lived in the house, but surely this house was far too large for just them.

"Wait until you see the room Alessio, and I put together for you," Liam whispers, and I beam up at him, all traces of fear vanishing at the prospect of seeing how nice my bedroom's gonna be.

We walk through the large doors of the manor, and I instantly twirl in excitement. "Take me to my bedroom, please," I say excitedly as Liam chuckles but leads me further into the large, extravagant mansion.

So I liked expensive material things, sue me.

I stare around, taking everything in, from the tall ceilings to the marble floors and the grand staircase, occasionally sending shy polite smiles to the men and maids that scurry past me.

Liam then leads me up the main set of stairs that lead up into a large set of locked double doors. "This floor is strictly Alessio's floor, but your bedroom is on this floor with his," Liam says, opening the double doors and leading me into the hallway of the second floor.

The hallway is large and extravagant. A set of black double doors stands at the far end of the long hallway, with a few other doors along the middle on either side. I then look towards the other end of the hallway and see a pair of white double doors. "We thought you would feel safer up here with him than down there in the east wing with all the other men." He says, leading me to the white double doors that lead to what I presume is my room.

"And this is your room. Fit for a true Principessa." Liam teases opening the doors. I gasp and rush forward into the large bedroom that's almost the size of a football field. The space is adorned in neutral, soft, earthly tones with hints of pink, truly fit for a princess.

It's the perfect twist of modern and traditional from its modern furniture and chandelier to its intricate handcrafted detailing on the walls and floor board designs.

"You like?"

I turn to Liam and squeal as I jump on him, wrapping my arms around him. "Thank you! Thank you! Thank you!" I scream in delight as he laughs and spins me. "I love it!" I say as he puts me down, allowing me to explore my large room. I rush forward, finding a large walk-in closet and a large modern bathroom.

The walk-in closet is filled with most of my clothes already. I smile in contentment, seeing my sleepwear all put away, next to the expensive lingerie that I like sleeping in.

I love the feeling of looking cute for myself, so much so that I often sleep in silk nighties or two-piece sleepwear sets. They make me feel like a true princess.

Reluctantly, I walk out of my bedroom, allowing Liam to give me a proper tour of the manor. "When do I get to meet Alessio?" I say, trailing behind him as he leads me out of the floor.

"He and some of the men are away on... business." He says discreetly, and I instantly know enough not to ask any questions, knowing that I wouldn't like the answer, and so I nod. "He will be back soon, though. He can't wait to see and finally meet you."

I nod and swallow down the nerves at the thought of him.

Alessio was going to be different from all the other men in my life. From what I'd heard, he wasn't sweet or easily charmed. He was intimidating and powerful.

Something I feared because it was something I had no way of controlling.

Bianca

Sleep was something that never came naturally unless I was accompanied by mamá.

Knowing that she was going to lie next to me and watch over me until I fell asleep was always what lulled me into a state of bliss.

And so it only made sense that I couldn't fall asleep in this new, beautiful room. The anxiety of being in a new place was driving me insane, and so when I realized sleep wasn't going to come, I sat up in my bed.

I'd spent my day meeting some of the men and getting to know the staff. I'd lived a comfortable life with mamá, but we weren't wealthy enough to have maids, groundkeepers, and others working on call.

This was a different type of wealth.

The rest of my night had been spent in my new room, where I'd gotten ready for bed.

Knowing I was in the comfort of my room, I slipped on my favorite two-piece sleepwear set. It was a white two-piece number, a mixture of lace and silk, which made me feel cute yet sexy at the same time.

It clung to my hourglass frame, the shirt cropping just below my breasts due to their size, of them, and the shorts a little on the smaller size, but I was comfortable in them nonetheless.

I wasn't wearing a bra, nor did I ever when wearing sleepwear, because it was uncomfortable. Even though my breasts were on the larger side, I needed to let them breathe.

Slipping on my pink fuzzy slippers, I walk out into the empty hallway. The cool air hits the bare skin of my arms, stomach, and legs, making me shiver and wish I wore my robe. But I just needed to quickly grab a glass of water from the kitchen.

The silence in the hallway is eerily unsettling. I glance down the hall towards the black double doors and briefly wonder when I'll meet Alessio.

What would he be like?

I had yet to find out if the man was truly as great as mamá claimed him to be. Liam had informed me that Alessio was a very busy man. Always working and on the go, so I highly doubted I would be seeing any of him anytime soon.

My slippers slap against the marble floors as I move down the hall, but I stop short as my head snaps towards the stairs where the sound of footfall echoes through the dimly lit hallway.

No one was to be up here, but a single glance at the stranger before me makes me shut my mouth. There was no way I was going to be the one to tell him off.

The man was tall and broad, his dark hair on display as he looked down, pulling at his black tie, his other hand undoing the button of his perfectly tailored blazer. His large calloused hands then moved to loosen the top buttons of the white dress shirt underneath, exposing the firm-looking tan skin of his chest, where a gold chain poked out.

It was only when he got to the top of the stairs and looked up that my eyes widened.

Wow.

Never had I seen a man so devilishly handsome.

He was strong, I could tell that much, and not just in the physical sense. Sure, his broad frame and muscular physique were eye-catching, but his presence was utterly dominating and intimidating.

It was enough to have me sucking in a lungful of air in fear that his presence would swallow it all up.

He had beautiful tan skin and high-def cheekbones that complemented his strong jaw, where hints of a five o'clock shadow peeked out. His features were so rugged yet angelic.

His striking dark brown eyes were cold and calculating, those of a powerful man who knew what he wanted and knew how to get it. And right now they were glaring at me.

Trapped by his gaze, I could do nothing but watch as he took long strides towards me, and all I could think of was how alluring the way in which he walked was. He walked with pure dominance, like he knew the power he had, yet never gave too much away.

There was no way this was a regular man.

I'm snapped from my thoughts at the sound of his sharp voice, a voice that's filled with malice. "Who's letting puttane into my house, up on my floor?" He snaps, the pent-up rage and frustration clear in his voice. There's a slight hint of an Italian accent, making his booming voice all the more threatening. (Whores)

His tone sends alarm bells throughout my body, so much so that I find myself taking a threatened step back.

He didn't even have the decency to look at me; instead, he spat the words into the air as if someone would magically appear and give him the answer.

My eyes widen as I stare up at him in horror. I look closely at the dark bags beneath his eyes, frustration and fatigue written all across his perfectly structured face. But it's still no excuse for the way in which he's treating me.

This is why I didn't like men like him. They made me feel small and weak, and I couldn't even begin to explain the way fear would paralyze my body.

His large hand grips my forearm roughly, and before I know it, he's dragging me towards the stairs, my steps barely able to keep up with his long strides.

I open my mouth and push past the shock and fear at the sight of this stranger dragging me away. "Stop! Stop!" I breathe in complete horror.

I look up to find his jaw clenched and eyes glaring ahead. I try to yank my arm out of his grasp, and he only tightens it. "There's been a mistake. That's my bedroom! I'm staying here." I say frantically, biting down on my lower lip as tears gather in my eyes once the reality of who this man is settles in.

This vile man was nothing like mamá made him out to be. He was cruel, mean, abusive, and arguably worse than my papá.

The man stops, his broad shoulders tense before he lets go of my arm, immediately spinning around to blink down at me.

I stare up at him, my lower lip wobbling as I take a step back away from the man whose face is now scrunched up in slight confusion mixed with disbelief. "Bianca?" It's a deep, breathless whisper, like he knows the answer but doesn't want it to be true.

I nod, wiping at the tears before wrapping my arms around myself, in an attempt to cover my body from him.

"Cazzo," I hear him curse, pinching his eyes shut and digging the palms of his hands into his eyes, rubbing profusely. (Fuck)

His eyes open, and it's as if seeing me for the first time when he steps closer, his eyes immediately softening.

I take a step back.

"I'm so sorry, Principessa. Please forgive me, I... I only thought you would be younger. You look so... so different from when I last heard of you." He mumbles, his eyes snapping down my body in bewilderment before he instantly snaps them away as if it's a sin to glance at me.

"You mean when I was thirteen? Five years ago?" I spit in frustration, my face scrunching up into one of outrage as I sneer at the man.

The man before me's shoulders slump, proving just how in need of a nap he is, but I ignore my instincts telling me to help him.

He didn't deserve it.

"I don't know what I was thinking. Of course, you would grow into a beautiful young lady." He shakes his head, his brows furrowing as he looks me right in the eye. "I'm truly sorry if I terrified you and came off as harsh. I won't ever touch you like that again, I promise." The words roll off his tongue in a deep murmur, his voice soft and soothing, a complete contrast from before.

Deciding I wanted to just leave, I tightened my arms around myself and nodded hesitantly.

His eyes holding regret and uncertainty, scan my face before he goes to step closer, but then stops himself as if thinking better of it. "Please don't hesitate to let me know if there is anything I can do. I know my actions don't prove it, but I am here to help you." He says seriously.

I stare back at him, my tears drying on my face as I give him an unconvinced nod, knowing all I wanted was to stay away from him.

But before he can say anything else, I turn and scurry off into my bedroom, only allowing myself to breathe once I know I'm in the safety of my bed.

It didn't take a complete genius to realize that was Alessio Galanti - the man who was to be taking care of me.

Yet he seemed anything but caring.

. . .

Breakfast was served first thing in the morning, and it was like tradition for all the men to gather and eat together in the dining room.

I make my way down the stairs after getting ready for my day. Luckily, I didn't go back to school until tomorrow, so I had one less thing on my plate.

Greeting the house attendants and maids as I passed them, I made my way to the dining room.

It was a large room where an even larger wooden table sat in the middle, and the men gathered around it, eating their breakfast.

Making my way into the room, I make eye contact with the man sitting at the head of the table, listening to the man on his left say something in his ear, but I quickly snap my eyes away from Alessio.

Yet I can feel his eyes intently watching me as I hesitantly make my way to the chair on Liam's left, which also happens to be adjacent to him. I divert my gaze, immediately growing uncomfortable once I remember the encounter last night, as I lean over and greet Liam with a morning peck on his cheek.

Liam turns, smiling at me, "How did you sleep, Tweety?" A few of the other men turn to listen in as their conversations die down, and all attention turns to me.

"Fine." I smile politely as they all take the cue to resume with what they were doing. I had gathered it was a sign of respect or courtesy for a new guest, but it was weird.

I look down and begin picking at the breakfast laid before me, all the while feeling the gaze of the man to my left.

"Oh, I almost forgot. Did you meet Alessio?" Liam asks from next to me, "He's been the one making all your arrangements so that your transition here is smooth." Liam continues as I lift my head, looking towards Alessio, who sends me a soft, forced, polite smile.

Although I didn't know the man, the action felt foreign, and the soft tinge of guilt spreading across his face looked to be an even more infrequent thing.

I send him a tight-lipped smile back for the sake of everyone else before ignoring him and going back to my food.

Liam nudges my side. "Bianca. Where are your manners?" He hisses at me, and I want to roll my eyes. He could be such a kiss ass.

"It's fine, Liam. We already met briefly yesterday. She's a lovely girl. Just as sweet as everyone says she is." Alessio chimes in, his deep voice so commanding and loud that it naturally causes all other conversations to dim as the attention drifts to him.

I glance at Liam from the corner of my eye to see him still glaring at me expectantly. I know what he's trying to tell me, and so I slowly turn my head towards Alessio. "Thank you." I force out.

He smiles and nods awkwardly, yet his demeanour is still void of any hostility, unlike last night.

Bianca

"It's my pleasure, Bianca. You may not know a lot of us. But we all deeply cared for your mamá, and well, you of course." He says his accent is peeking through, and I give him a small, genuine smile. Mamá spoke highly of La Famiglia and loved them all.

Alessio scans my face, and I can see he's thinking about something, but he decides it's better to speak about it and focuses on his plate of food.

I do the same, all the while thinking of how uneasy I feel about being here.

. . .

I spend the rest of the day moping around in the comfort of the room that I have now claimed as my sanctuary. I debate calling Jacob or Lily, but I think better of it. They were most likely busy, nor did I really feel like talking to anyone but mamá.

I glance down at her diamond bracelet, which I always wear, and smile at how much she loved this thing. It wasn't the prettiest, but it was the first expensive gift papá had ever given to her.

I was to return to school tomorrow, seeing as my personal holiday was coming to an end, and so, with a less-than-excited huff, I got up and prepared my school uniform. It's only when I'm setting the uniform down on my desk that I hear a knock on my bedroom door.

I wasn't expecting anyone, and so I quickly managed to throw on an oversized crew neck - one that reached mid thigh - in fear of another man seeing me and thinking badly of me. Even if I wore them for myself.

Deciding better of opening the door, I crawl into bed, hiding my bare legs underneath the covers as I call for them to come in.

Not a second later, the door opens, allowing Alessio's tall build to enter, and I stare at the man, mildly shocked.

Alessio makes his way into the room, the sound of his shoes hitting the wooden floors with every step he takes, making me cringe. I thought shoes weren't to be worn inside, well, in the manor's case, the second floor.

He was in a white button-up, with the top few buttons loose and the sleeves rolled up, giving me a good view of his muscular, veiny forearms. The shirt exposed the muscular build of his broad shoulders and thick arms that strained beneath the white material.

He wore slacks, and my gaze went to the watch on his wrist peeking out of the pocket of his slacks. He was surely the most attractive man I had ever seen.

His apprehensive demeanor is so unlike him, yet it only intensifies as he approaches my bed, his hands buried in his pockets. He looked so out of his element, and I wanted to examine him, but I was too busy averting my gaze to my lap.

"May I?" He questions, nodding towards the bed.

I nod, moving over, making sure to cover my bare legs from him in fear of yet another blow-up.

He seems to notice as a frown forms on his lips, and he shakes his head at me. "Please, Principessa. Don't feel like you have to cover up in front of me or any of my men." He takes a seat on the edge of my bed, his large body making everything else look smaller as he shifts towards me.

I scoff, but manage to tone down the sass of my voice, reminding myself that this guy was the don of an affluent crime family I was talking to. "Easier said than done."

"What I said yesterday was inexcusable. But know that you are free to wear whatever makes you comfortable in this house, free of judgment." He clarifies, his tone soft.

I stare up at him blankly, willing myself not to snap at him, for I didn't truly know what the man was capable of if I upset him. After all, he was the mafia don.

His thoughtful gaze moves to my comforter as he sighs. "Liam told me about you liking to wear nice things that make you feel good. So please don't stop because of a stupid comment I made." He looks up, meeting my eye. And although I don't want to, I believe his sincerity.

"What if it happens again?" My tone is soft and hesitant.

Alessio's head snaps up to mine as a hard look covers his face. "It won't. I won't. You have my word."

I nod, believing him, but the frown on my face stays put. "What if the others say something?"

His hard eyes turn cold, and I momentarily think that I have done something wrong. I lean away from him, the action causing his face to soften in realization. "If anyone says anything or does anything, you come to me and tell me, yes?" It's not a question, and my heart momentarily warms at the genuine concern in his voice. He moves closer, staring into my eyes with a look of promise. "I'll handle it, okay?"

"Okay." I smile, the surge of comfort I feel telling me to push it and make things that much harder for him.

A small mischievous smile forms on my lips as I look at him. "But what if..." I furrow my brows, trying to think of something else to say to make it difficult for him, but I'm interrupted by an exasperated, deep groan as Alessio falls back onto the bed.

I giggle, throwing my head back before looking back down to see him staring up at me with a small smile on his face. The type that I want to keep hidden away from everyone else.

It's not in politeness, or because he feels forced to, it's genuine. My smile grows at the sight of such a small yet magnificent sight that could probably bring me to my knees.

Quite literally.

"Give me a break, please. I've been going insane thinking I made things worse for you already." He mumbles, making a show of being extra dramatic. I chuckle in relief, smiling shyly at the suddenly sweet man before me.

Now, this was the Alessio mamá had talked about.

"Okay," I say, taking my pointer finger to poke his cheek.

His smile drifts into a firm look as he sits up and tilts his face to look me in the eye. His eyes regard me with sympathy. "I am truly sorry for the circumstances we must meet under, and I am extremely sorry for your loss." My smile instantly drops at the mention of Mamá. I hated to admit it, but I had spent weeks crying myself to sleep every night. Except for those nights, I had the comfort of someone else sleeping next to me.

Tears gather in my eyes, but I don't want him to see them fall. I hear him shuffle closer as he hesitantly lays a hand on my shoulder in comfort, and I look up to him, seeing a sad smile form on his face. "Your mamá was like family to me. I'm so sorry we failed to protect her. But I will do everything in my power to make sure nothing like that happens to you." He assures, and I force a sad smile.

His eyes scan my face, pausing at my pale blue, almost grey eyes. "Christo, you have eyes just as amazing as your mamá's." He murmurs, smiling sadly, and it's only then that I realize how hard her loss must have been for him, too.

"Mamá used to tell me all about you," I say. He lifts his head, his brown eyes scanning mine for a moment, seeming to be looking for something, and when he doesn't find it, relief settles.

"Your mamá used to tell me about you all the time, too." He nods, his jaw twitching slightly in memory.

I ignore his behavior as my ears perk. "Really? What did she say?"

"She said you're smart, talented... and beautiful." He sends me a lopsided smile as I move closer to him. "She was right." He murmurs, and I beam at him, the compliments making me feel so giddy that I have the urge to hug him, and so, I launch myself into his arms.

He freezes as I wrap my arms around his torso, hugging him, and after a few moments, I feel his arm come around me almost awkwardly, like he's not used to this.

"Promise me you will come to me if you have any problems, and let me take care of it?" He says his voice dripping with eloquence and a light Italian accent that has my mind reeling.

Instead of replying, I nod against his chest, eagerly, basking in his manly scent of cologne and something musky.

"Good." He says, moving me away from him and standing up, a look of determination on his face- one that looks much more like him. "You go back to school tomorrow, yes?" He questions, and I nod.

He glances at his watch and rubs a hand along his sharp jaw."What time is that exactly?"

"Why?" I ask before my eyes light up at him. "Are you going to drive me tomorrow?"

He shakes his head, but I don't let it deter me. "Can you?" I ask hopefully. He looks like he's going to protest, but I blink up at him, giving him my puppy-dog eyes that no man has ever been able to refuse, and even throw in a little, "Please."

That gets him to sigh and nod reluctantly. "I will move some things around. Come to my door in the morning and wait for me, and then we will go."

"Yes, Sir," I respond playfully, smiling up at the man, who stares down at me before averting his gaze with a nod.

I try to hide my giddy smile at the way in which his demeanor did a complete one-eighty while he turns around, but not before the deep, rich voice of his bids me goodbye. "Goodnight, Principessa."

I slip under my covers and smile as he shuts off the lights and closes my door.

Goodnight indeed.