My Childhood Bully is a Mafia Boss-Chapter 104

Ellie

His lips were like velvet against mine, his kiss demanding yet soft. His hands went to my waist, holding me still as he deepened the kiss. His tongue traced my lower lip, asking for entrance, and when I parted my lips to give it to him, a low growl escaped his throat.

His hands moved up, skimming over the fabric of my gown until they cupped my breasts. The touch was electrifying, making me gasp against his mouth.

Suddenly he was pulling away, breaking our kiss abruptly. There was a different look in his eyes now, a fierce determination that made my insides flutter.

"I won’t touch you until you’re ready," he said, his voice hoarse with desire. "But I can’t promise I won’t kiss you."

"Like I would let you. This was a mistake," I said breathlessly.

"Was it?" He looked at me, his eyes darker than ever before. I swallowed, feeling a lump in my throat.

"I think so," I said, my voice weak.

"Prove it," he challenged, his fingers resting lightly on my hips.

"What?" My heart pounded in my chest as he looked up at me, waiting for my answer.

"I don’t believe you," he said simply. "I think you like this just as much as I do."

I blinked, taken aback by his words. But there was no denying the truth of them. The way he touched me, kissed me...it was unlike anything I had ever experienced before.

And I wanted more. I wanted him.

"I-" I started to say, but he was already pulling me close again, pressing his lips to mine in another searing kiss. His hands went to my waist, pulling me closer as he deepened the kiss.

"Just admit it," he murmured against my lips. "You want me as much as I want you."

I pulled away, breathing hard. "Fine," I admitted, unable to keep the desire out of my voice. "But that doesn’t change anything."

"Doesn’t it, Ellie?" He looked at me with an intense gaze that sent shivers down my spine.

"No, Giovanni." Even though the way he said my name made my heart flutter, I tried to sound stern. "We can’t do this."

"Why not?" There was a note of frustration in his voice.

"Because... Because it’s not right!" It sounded weak even to my own ears.

He raised an eyebrow at that. "And who says what’s right and what’s not?"

"I do." I met his gaze head-on, refusing to back down.

He stared at me for a moment before a slow smile spread across his face. "Alright then," he said finally. "I suppose we’ll have to see about that."

And with that, he let me go, his hands falling away from my body. I felt a sudden chill without his touch, but I ignored it.

As I stumbled out of his room and back to my own, I knew one thing for sure - I was in deep trouble. And the worst part was, I wasn’t sure if I wanted to get out of it.

~-~

The next morning, I was jolted awake by the persistent shaking of my shoulder. Lucas, my five-year-old son, had taken it upon himself to be my human alarm clock. As I rubbed the sleep from my eyes and checked my phone for the time, his high-pitched voice filled the room. 𝒇𝒓𝙚𝒆𝔀𝓮𝓫𝒏𝓸𝙫𝓮𝓵.𝓬𝙤𝙢

"It’s 8:30 AM, Mommy! Time to get up!" he exclaimed with excitement.

I groaned and pulled the blanket over my head, hoping for a few more moments of peace before starting the day. But Lucas was not one to give up easily.

"Mommy, wake up!" he exclaimed.

"Why?" I asked, my eyes still closed.

"We have to go eat breakfast," he said.

"Do we?" I asked, even though I knew he was right. I needed to at least get up to feed Lucas, as I am his mother.

"Yes. I am hungry. I want pancakes," he whined.

I suddenly heard footsteps coming into my room and opened my eyes. To my surprise, Giovanni was coming inside my room. It seemed that no one bothered to knock before entering anymore.

"Giovanni," I murmured, alarmed. My heart pounded as he came closer. His dark eyes met mine, a hint of amusement flickering in them.

"Ellie," he said smoothly, moving to stand by the edge of the bed. "Good morning."

"Mommy, is Giovanni going to make pancakes?" Lucas piped up from his spot on the bed, his eyes wide with curiosity. Giovanni chuckled softly at that and turned to look at Lucas.

"I can if you like," he offered, his smile warm. Lucas clapped his hands together excitedly.

"That’s just crazy," I murmured.

Giovanni raised his eyebrow. "Is that a challenge?"

"No," I said, gathering the covers around me. "That’s a statement."

Giovanni shrugged, casually leaning against the side of the bed. "Fair enough," he responded, his grin unyielding.

"Mommy, I want pancakes," Lucas tugged at my arm, his eyes pleading.

"Oh, stop bothering your mama, little man. I will get you some pancakes. Come," he said and hoisted Lucas up on his back.

With that, Giovanni turned and left the room, Lucas giggling on his shoulders. I was left alone, lying in bed, grappling with the whirlwind of emotions.

I wasn’t sure if I liked to see Giovanni like this with my son. They looked so happy together and so much like father and son.

Ugh! No! I couldn’t think of them like this. Lucas wasn’t Giovanni’s son, and no matter how much Giovanni said he wanted to be, the truth said otherwise. And once Giovanni knew my past and everything about Lucas, he would reject me. I knew that much.

Elora’s faint crying snapped me out of my thoughts and I quickly got out of bed. I hurried to her crib and saw her flailing her arms around, her red face streaked with tears.

"Aww, sweetheart. Are you hungry?" I cooed and snuggled her to my chest.

As soon as I took a seat on the rocking chair, I started to feed Elora. Watching her little mouth latching onto me brought a feeling of warmth to my heart. All the fears and doubts seemed to fade away in that moment, replaced only by the love I had for my children.

After I was done, I walked to the dining with Elora in my arms. I couldn’t help but hear Lucas giggle in the dining room. A bitter-sweet feeling washed over me. I wanted to join them, to be a part of that happiness. But I kept a distance, knowing that it could all crumble down in an instant.

The fresh scent of pancakes filled the air and warmed me up. I heard Giovanni talking to Lucas.

"When I was a boy," Giovanni was saying. "I used to eat a dozen pancakes a day."

"What’s dozen?" Lucas asked.

"A dozen means twelve," Giovanni explained.

Lucas giggled. "No, you didn’t!"

Giovanni chuckled too. "How do you know I didn’t?"

Lucas giggled again, his eyes twinkling with disbelief. "That’s too many pancakes! You’d blow up like a balloon!"

Giovanni laughed, his eyes crinkling at the corners. "But look at me now. I am big and strong."

Lucas nodded thoughtfully. "You ARE very big. I can eat four pancakes!"

Giovanni nodded solemnly. "Four pancakes is very impressive, little man. You’re quite the eater."

I couldn’t help but smile at their interaction, the warmth of their connection tugging at my heart. I stepped into the room, holding Elora close. "Good morning," I greeted, trying to keep my tone light.

"Mommy!" Lucas exclaimed, turning to me with excitement. "Giovanni said he could eat twelve pancakes! Can you believe that?"

I chuckled, giving Giovanni a teasing look. "I find that hard to believe, but I suppose anything is possible."

Giovanni grinned, shrugging his shoulders. "Maybe I was exaggerating a bit."

I looked at the breakfast table. There was a stack of pancakes sitting right in the middle. There were also eggs, bacon, bread, and fruits. A breakfast fit for a king and a queen.

"Why don’t you sit with us and eat, Ellie? I can have one of my maids take Ellie until you are done," Giovanni said; his eyes were impossibly gentle.

I hesitated for a moment, glancing down at Elora, who was now peacefully asleep in my arms. The idea of sitting down to breakfast with Giovanni was both tempting and terrifying. I wanted to be part of the warmth and laughter, but I was afraid of getting too comfortable, of letting my guard down.

"Alright," I finally agreed, my voice soft. "But I’ll keep Elora with me. She’s already asleep."

Giovanni nodded, understanding. "Of course, whatever makes you comfortable."

I took a seat at the table, balancing Elora gently on my lap. Lucas immediately began chattering about his toys, his excitement infectious. Giovanni served me a plate of pancakes, adding a few slices of bacon and some fresh strawberries on the side.

"Thank you," I said, feeling a bit overwhelmed by the gesture. It had been so long since someone had taken care of me like this.

"You’re welcome," Giovanni replied, his eyes meeting mine with a warmth that made my heart flutter.

"Your grandmother...will she not join us?" I asked.

Giovanni wrinkled his forehead at that. "Nonna isn’t feeling well this morning."

My heart sank a bit. "I’m sorry to hear that. I hope she feels better soon," I said.

Giovanni nodded, a faint shadow crossing his features. "Grazi, Ellie. She’ll be alright. Just needs some rest."

We continued our breakfast in comfortable silence for a while, the sound of Lucas’s cheerful chatter filling the room. Giovanni and I exchanged glances now and then, his eyes warm and reassuring, making it easier for me to relax.

"Mommy, can we go to the park after breakfast?" Lucas asked, his eyes wide with hope.

I looked at Giovanni questioningly. I hadn’t left the house since I moved in with him, and I was under his protection, so naturally, I’d have to have his permission, even though I hated the fact.

Giovanni caught my glance, understanding the unspoken question. "Of course, Lucas," he said with a reassuring smile. "A trip to the park sounds like a wonderful idea."

Lucas cheered, his excitement infectious. "Yay! Thank you, Giovanni!"

Giovanni’s eyes met mine again, and he added, "We’ll all go together. It’ll be good for everyone to get some fresh air."

I nodded, feeling a mixture of relief and gratitude. "Thank you," I said softly.