The Mafia's Babies by Kaycee Romano (rocket ebook reader txt) 📖

I Will Go Against The World, Nonna

"Lemme tell you a story."

River looked at Alessia weirdly.

Okay, drunk Alessia wanted to tell a story. This must be good. But Mateo and Alessia's parents and grandmother were downstairs and the two ladies were supposed to be there, welcoming them. Not to mention River had a good first impression to make.

River nodded nevertheless, still unsure and moved closer to her, sitting down on the elevated area surrounding the Jacuzzi.

Alessia let out a heavy tired breath and sat back, looking up at the ceiling as she patted the water with both her hands, not hard enough for it to splash.

"Once upon a time, I was nineteen years old." She started. "I didn't want anything to do with the mafia."

"I wanted to be a ballerina and I had worked very very hard since I was eight for it."

She stopped and looked over at her friend, staring into her brown eyes intently for a good two minutes before she chuckled. "You don't even look curious!"

River raised a brow and waited for the Italian woman to continue, which she did after yet another sigh.

"Around that time, I was in second year of dance school I think, there was a mission by some international corporations to bring down the smuggling and other mafia related activities. Most smugglers stopped operating and the bigger ones only sold to powerful organization. Nonna saw this as the best opportunity to take over Europe and America." Alessia sighed again and sat up, looking around. "I need a drink!"

River shook her head. "Nope, absolutely not."

"Why not?" She pouted disappointed, the same pout as Lucas, Kiara and Mateo's. Well well, isn't that surprising?!

"Because your parents and grandmother are downstairs!" River pointed out.

"OHHH!!!" Alessia exclaimed as she tried to stand up, stumbling and slipping. "Nonna hates tardy people!"

"Careful now!" River grabbed her arm trying to steady her.

Alessia looked straight into my eyes. "Long story short. They married me off to the son of a Gold smuggler, biggest ring in the world, and he turned out to be a sadist and wife beater and I had to end up in a coma before any of my so called 'brothers' had the guts to stand up to the older mafia men!"

She rushed out, wrapping a towel around herself as River stood there shocked.

Just think how much walls she must have around herself to be able to say something like that so easily!

"Come on!" River looked up to see Alessia already in her jeans, pulling on a jacket over her black tube top. She looked as if she had already sobered up. "Or do you plan to stand there like an idiot for the rest of the evening?"

River shook her head, fixing her dress properly before she walked out, Alessia grabbing her arm as she dragged her out of the room.

.

.

.Mateo stood at the front door, his children on each of his arms.

Jacqueline, Sebastian, Alison and Mia had left the house and were travelling to Sicily while Susan and Lilith stayed behind. And Adam was fixing shit back in Wyoming. No matter what all of these people said, the real reason was obvious: they didn't want to deal with the Mafia except Adam who was running away from Abrianna Costello who hated Americans and especially him since he was closer to Mateo that all the Italian made men she had appointed to serve the Capo. She was a very difficult lady.

River's grandmother sat on her wheelchair in the living room while her mother stood beside Mateo along with the security and maids as they watched the three most powerful members of the Sicilian Mafia ascended the stairs leading up to the front door, Abrianna two steps ahead of Katrina and Alessio.

"Papa, I am scared..." Kiara whispered as she tightened her grip on his shirt. "Me too." Lucas added in an even lower voice as he leaned closer to him.

Mateo knew how social and easy-going his children were but seeing their reaction, he wasn't the least surprised because that was the kind of aura his grandmother gave off. She sure was a scary lady.

Mateo kissed each of their head before taking a step forward to welcome them.

"Nonna." Mateo greeted her who just totally ignored her grandson and scanned the room. "Where's my granddaughter and your wife?"

"Upstairs in Alessia's room." Mateo replied. "These are-" She walked away towards the living room before he could introduce the children. Jeez.

"My grandchildren!"

Mateo turned around to his mother. Her eyes were filled with tears of joy. "They are, Mama."

"Hi babies, I am Katrina. But I am Nonna to you!" She cooed excitedly to the kids.

"Hi, I am Kiara." Kiara said shyly.

"And I am Lucas, her big brother." Lucas waved.

Both of their initial fear and nervousness were forgotten as soon as Abrianna was out of sight.

"You look exactly like your Papa." Papa ruffled Lucas' hair and turned to his grand daughter. "Hi baby girl."

"Hello Nonno." She smiled. His eyes lit up as soon as those words left her lips.

He held his arms out for the children and they happily complied, moving to their grandfather's arms, leaving Mateo's arms bare and feeling weird. He was so used to having them in his arms that they felt empty when the kids weren't in there.

"I am Katrina, you must be River's parents." Katrina Adesso moved to the Johnsons. Susan had forwarded her hand but Katrina shook her head and leaned in for a hug. She did the same with Lilith.

"Have heard a lot about you." Papa forwarded his hand from under Lucas which Susan took with a smile. "Benjamin is an old friend of mine as well."

"I know." Alessio smiled.

"Alright, I think you guys should get some rest now."

"No no.. You will leave tomorrow. I need to spend as much time with my grandchildren as possible." Katrina said to which Alessio agreed. They may be cold and part of the coldest organization but they were grandparents and they were deprived of the time they got to spend with their grandchildren so they had to scrap out every second of the limited time they had.

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