My Childhood Bully is a Mafia Boss-Chapter 132

Ellie

I looked at Giovanni at the breakfast table. He seemed more tense than usual. He sat across from me, his brows furrowed, and jaw clenched as he stabbed at his eggs with unnecessary force.

"Everything alright?" I asked, concern lacing my voice.

"Fine," he grunted, not even looking up from his plate. I knew better than to press him for answers. His line of work came with uncertainty, and I didn’t want to pry. Instead, I focused on Elora and Lucas, their laughter filling the room as they enjoyed their breakfast.

"Alright, Lucas," I announced, standing up and brushing crumbs off my lap. "How about we go to the park today? Enjoy some sunshine and play on the swings?"

"Yay!" Lucas cheered, his eyes lighting up with excitement. "Can Elora come too?"

"Of course. Let’s get dressed and head out," I said, herding him towards his room. As I helped him choose his outfit and dressed Elora, my thoughts returned to Giovanni. I wondered what was wrong with him.

"Ellie," Giovanni said, stopping me just before we left. "Be careful."

"I will," I promised, giving him a reassuring smile. With that, we left the house. 𝕗𝚛𝚎𝚎𝐰𝗲𝗯𝗻𝚘𝚟𝚎𝗹.𝕔𝐨𝕞

The park bustled with the laughter of children, their joy contagious as they climbed the vibrant jungle gym and raced down the slides.

"Mommy, can I go on the swings now?" Lucas asked, tugging at my hand.

"Of course, sweetie," I replied, leading him toward the swings.

I sat down on a bench with Elora on my lap so I could watch him from a distance. One of Giovanni’s men was within close proximity of Lucas, guarding him silently.

That’s when I spotted him. A man in a dark coat, standing at a distance, his gaze locked on us with unnerving intensity.

Great...were we being spied on?

I felt a chill run down my spine as I watched the man in the dark coat. He seemed out of place among the carefree families and playful children. My instinct screamed to stay calm, but I couldn’t shake the feeling that something was terribly wrong.

"Lucas, stay where I can see you, okay?" I called out, my voice steady despite the fear gnawing at my insides.

"Okay, Mommy!" he replied, oblivious to the tension in my voice.

I glanced around, trying to spot Giovanni’s man. He was nearby, his eyes scanning the area with the same intensity. I caught his gaze and subtly nodded towards the man in the dark coat. He understood immediately, shifting his position to keep a closer watch.

Elora squirmed in my lap, sensing my unease. I kissed her head, trying to soothe both of us. "It’s okay, sweetie. Mommy’s just keeping an eye out."

The man in the dark coat remained stationary, his eyes never leaving us. I pulled out my phone and sent a quick, discreet text to Giovanni: Suspicious man at the park. Watching us. What should I do?

Seconds later, my phone buzzed with Giovanni’s response: Stay calm. Take the kids and leave.

"Lucas, come here," I called, trying to keep my voice light and casual. "We’re going to head home now."

"But we just got here!" Lucas protested, his face falling.

"I know, sweetheart, but we can come back later. Right now, we need to go," I said firmly, scooping Elora into my arms and guiding Lucas towards the car.

Giovanni’s man Marco followed us closely, his posture tense and alert. As we reached the car, I glanced back. The man in the dark coat was gone, leaving an unsettling emptiness where he had stood.

"Get in, Lucas," I said, helping him into his seat and buckling him in with shaky hands. Elora began to fuss, picking up on the tension, and I hushed her gently.

"I will get you home safely." Marco said, his voice low and professional.

"Yes, thank you," I replied, appreciating his presence.

He nodded, his eyes scanning the park one last time before getting into the car.

As we pulled into the driveway, Giovanni was already waiting for us, his expression a mix of worry and anger. He opened the car door and helped Lucas out, his eyes scanning the street for any sign of danger.

"Giovanni," I said, handing Elora to him, "he was just standing there, watching us."

"I know," he said, his voice tight. "I think I know who it is."

"Who?" I asked.

"One of Slava’s men. I disbanded his gang, but there were a few...strays," Giovanni said.

I winced. "They won’t forgive me for marrying you. They will consider it a betrayal since I was with Slava before."

"Are you sure you didn’t recognize him?" Giovanni asked.

I thought back to the man’s face, his piercing gaze and the coldness that radiated from him. I shook my head slowly. "No, I didn’t recognize him. But it was hard to see from that distance."

Giovanni’s jaw tightened. "I’ll find out who he is and what he wants. In the meantime, we need to stay vigilant. I’ll double the security around the house and the kids."

I nodded, feeling a surge of gratitude and unease. "Thank you, Giovanni. I just want to keep Lucas and Elora safe."

"We will," he assured me, his eyes meeting mine with determination. "I won’t let anyone hurt our family."

"On a second thought. He did look familiar. Maybe I saw him at the club I used to dance at," I said, furrowing my brows.

Giovanni stared at me intensely. "Dance?" he asked, his lips curving up.

I shifted uncomfortably. "Um...yeah. I worked at Slava’s club as um...a stripper for a bit. He said I had to earn my keep to live with him."

"Hmm...what an asshole," he said. His eyes blazed with a mix of anger and amusement. "So, my sweet Ellie was a stripper, huh? You never fail to surprise me," he mused. "Tell me more about your dancing days. Maybe you can give me a private show later."

I glared at him. "Very funny, Giovanni. Maybe I’ll dance for you if you can catch that creep who’s been watching us."

"I’ll catch him, don’t you worry," Giovanni replied, his tone serious once again. "But first, I need to get that in writing."

I blinked. "Get what in writing."

"That once I catch him. You will give me a private show."

I rolled my eyes at Giovanni’s teasing, but a small smile tugged at the corner of my lips. "Fine, you have a deal," I agreed, knowing he was just trying to lighten the mood in his own way. "But you better catch him first."

Giovanni chuckled, a low, rumbling sound that made my heart flutter despite the seriousness of the situation. "Oh, I will catch him, Ellie. And when I do, you better start practicing those dance moves."

I shook my head in mock exasperation but couldn’t hide the hint of laughter in my voice. "You’re insufferable."

Giovanni grinned, his eyes twinkling with mischief. "You love me for it."

I couldn’t help but smile, feeling a bit more at ease despite the circumstances. "Yeah, I guess I do."

Giovanni opened his mouth to say something, but a sudden, sharp sound interrupted him—a gunshot.

"Fuck!" Giovanni shouted, his voice filled with urgency.

He stood up abruptly and strode toward Lucas’s room, and I instinctively followed him, my heart pounding with fear. "Grab Elora," he said to me and I rushed next door.

"Mary!" I called out. Mary appeared from the kitchen, her face pale with fear. She quickly joined us.

"All of you get to the panic room," Giovanni commanded. Without hesitation, Mary joined us as Giovanni led us to a hidden door in the hallway, opening it to reveal a small, secure panic room.

"Hurry, everyone inside!" he urged, pushing us gently but firmly. "I will get Nonna."

Soon, Nonna joined us. Her face was pale with worry.

"I will handle this. Do not leave this room," Giovanni said before closing the door and leaving us alone.

Lucas clung to me, his eyes wide with fear. "Mommy, what’s happening?"

"It’s going to be okay, Lucas," I reassured him, though my own heart was racing. I held Elora close, trying to keep my composure for their sake.

I sat down, my hands trembling. "What do we do now?"

"We wait," Nonna said, her voice steady. "Giovanni can handle it. He always does."

Violence was nothing new to me, I thought as memories of my time with Slava came flooding back. But this time, it was different. This time, the stakes were higher. The love of my life was out there, in danger, and I could feel my heart racing with fear. Every second that passed felt like an eternity as I waited.

If something happened to Giovanni, I didn’t know I could live through it.

No, I couldn’t think like this. Giovanni will be just fine.

After what felt like an eternity had passed, I stood up abruptly, my hands trembling as I tried to push away the thoughts of Giovanni in danger. I couldn’t just sit here and wait any longer.

"Nonna, take care of the kids. I need to find Giovanni," I said firmly, my voice unwavering despite the fear that threatened to consume me.

"Ellie, no!" Nonna protested. "I told you. Giovanni can..."

"Nonna, please. Let me. I can’t sit here and wait. What if something happened to him? I don’t want him to be alone," I said.

Ignoring Nonna’s protests, I rushed out of the panic room, my heart hammering in my chest. The hallway was empty, the silence deafening after the chaos of moments before. Giovanni had told me never to leave the room, but I was too stubborn to sit and wait.

I moved cautiously, my footsteps barely making a sound on the polished floor as I searched for any sign of him.

Then, a noise caught my attention—a soft shuffle coming from the direction of the living room. I hesitated for a moment before steeling myself and heading towards it.

I stealthily glanced around the corner, catching sight of Giovanni facing off against a masked man. Despite the gun aimed at him, Giovanni’s tall and commanding presence made the intruder seem almost insignificant in comparison.

My lower lip was caught between my teeth as I couldn’t help but think how incredibly sexy he was. As soon as I rescued him, I knew I’d be all over him tonight.