Page 147 of King Of Order

I stalked into a boutique I’d seen shopping bags from.

The polished floors and high-end display were a world away from the chaos I’d left behind.

The shop assistant eyed me with curiosity, but I didn’t care. I was on a mission. I picked out everything she might need—dresses, shoes, even some skincare products she loved—and wrapped them up before heading back to the villa.

When I returned, Chiara sat on the terrace, working on a canvas.

She glanced up as I walked toward her, confusion flickering in her eyes when she tagged the packages in my grasp.

‘Rio, what’s all this?’

I set my haul down and crouched in front of her, holding her hands in mine, shaking my head, still in disbelief. ‘Chiara, someone broke into your place,’ I rasped. ‘It’s trashed. I’m not taking you back—not now.’

Her breath caught in her throat, her eyes widening. ‘What? My villa? Who—?’

We locked eyes.

I didn’t need to say the name. We both were clear about who was behind it.

‘I got you some things,’ I continued, nodding toward the bags.

She slipped her hands from mine, gave me a curious look, and bent to her knees.

Her cries of delight a few moments later were my just reward.

‘Grazie, bello,’ she said, rising to kiss me.

‘I didn’t want you to go back and see the mess,’ I rasped into her mouth, my chest in a burn of need for her. ‘I’ll deal with his shit later. But damn, you deserve better than that.’

‘Who deserves what?’ Lorenzo drawled, strolling onto the terrace with his baby in his arms.

‘Chiara deserves to know a life of peace,’ I growled to my brother.

I filled him in as he settled in a lounge across from Chiara and me, and he fed a bottle to his offspring. ‘I want my woman as far from her shit stainfratelloas possible.’

Lorenzo burped Gianni, his massive hands patting the tiny form as the infant snuggled into his chest. ‘Che peccatothat your brother sucks,but you have to be safe, Chiara.’

My woman cursed, running a hand through her hair. ‘Fuck, Naples hates me.’

‘Language,leonessa,’ I teased, trying to lighten the mood. ‘We have a child in earshot.’

‘Stronzate,’ she flung at me, tongue in cheek, her eyes dancing.

Lorenzo laughed out loud, startling his little one, whom he comforted with more pats and kisses.

For a moment, I had a thought, staring at Gio. I wanted one of them soon, my loins tingling.

Damn. A few months ago, fatherhood was the furthest thought on my mind.

Now, with a beguiling woman and a baby in sight, I contemplated my own family.

Fuck me.

‘This place is not conducive to our survival,’ Lorenzo rasped. ‘Let alone bringing up a family if you’re fighting or trying to keep off the mafia.’

Beside me, Chiara sighed, her eyes soft as they lit on the bubba.

‘Is that why all of you except Valerio live in Sydney?’

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