Page 59 of Betraying the Mafia Boss

He scrutinizes me, then he turns to Elena. “Mom, she’s even more beautiful than she was in the picture.”

So, he’s Elena and Dominic’s son? Noted. But what picture is he talking about? I don’t dare ask.

Elena frowns. “Don’t be rude, Luca. Finish your food or you’ll be late for school.”

Luca leans towards me and whispers, “Don’t tell anyone, Uncle Vincent is my favorite uncle because he plays video games with me. Mommy told me you’re his girlfriend, so I like you more than Aunty Jane.”

“Did I hear someone say Aunty Jane is his least favorite?” Jane says as she walks into the kitchen. “Luca, that’s not fair. You just hurt my feelings.”

“Don’t worry, Aunty Jane. I love you more than I love Uncle Marcus.” He giggles, flashing the missing tooth in his bottom jaw.

Elena shakes her head and heaves a sigh. “You don’t have favorites when it comes to family, Luca. Now finish your food.”

Luca looks like he wants to say something to Elena. Instead, he inclines towards me again. “Mommy says that, but I know she’s lying. She likes Daddy more than everyone else in the family.”

“Luca,” Elena warns.

I chuckle before I can hold it back. He’s so cute. “Well, you’re my favorite nephew.”

Maria brings a glass of juice to Luca and he thanks her as he takes it from her. He’s such a well-mannered kid. Sitting beside him makes me even more happy that I’m going to be a mother soon.

Luca frowns. “You can’t have favorite nephews when I’m your only nephew.” He gulps down his juice. Climbing down from his stool, he grabs a SpongeBob backpack from the chair beside him. “Bye Mom. Bye Aunty Jane and Aunty Isabella. Bye Maria.”

He’s out of the door before any of us can reply.

“That kid is so full of energy. If only things were different for me and Marcus,” Jane says, setting a cup in front of the coffee making. Her expression grows gloomy.

Elena walks over to her and places a hand on her shoulder. I know what that means. Seeing as she and Marcus don’t have any kids and she’s sad about it, they’re probably trying but it’s not working.

I’m not sure what to say, considering we’re basically strangers. I don’t want to say something and end up upsetting her. “Is there anything fun to do around here?” I ask, hoping to lighten the tension in the kitchen.

Elena walks to the island and sits across from me. “Yes. First, I’ll have to show you around and then you can meet your bodyguards.”

I’m not sure I heard her properly. “Bodyguards?”

“Yes, bodyguards. Don’t tell me Vincent didn’t discuss it with you.

I shake my head so hard it might have rolled from my body and dropped to the floor. “He didn’t.”

“Each of us has two bodyguards to follow us if we leave the mansion. The house is surrounded by more of them.” She must notice how uneasy that makes me as she grins and says, “It’s not easy to have them around at first, but you’ll get used to it.”

I’m not certain I will, but okay.

Jane joins us. “Don’t feel too bad about it. Elena runs a multi-million-dollar company and I own a gallery. Believe me when I say it kills us to not be able to go to work without the bodyguards. My fighting skills don’t mean jack to Marcus.”

“You can fight?”

“I was a detective for years. Of course I can fight.” She crosses her arms over her chest. “I was one of the best detectives in New York. And the youngest too,” she adds.

“Why did you choose to run a gallery then?” I ask, interest piqued.

“I only became a detective to find the person who killed my father.” She pauses. “I quit and chose to pursue my dream after I found out it was Elio.”

I glance at Elena. “How about you? Do you have any crazy history with Elio?”

Elena shrugs. “No, but I had one with David Peterson. Dominic’s uncle. It’s a long story.”

I prop my arm on the island. “We have all day.”

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