Page 64 of Unbroken (Russo Mafia)

I sit back in my seat, feeling deflated. Folding my arm across my chest, I adjusted my view away from him. This wasn’t what I was expecting when I got back together with him. I didn’t want someone to dictate my life. I wanted an equal. He refuses to listen to me. I slowly get up. I can’t take it anymore. I head upstairs ignoring him when he calls my name. I find Ada in her room playing.

Knocking on the door I ask, “Is it all right if I can play too?”

She looks up from playing with her dolls with a huge, toothy smile. “Yes Charlie. You can be the boy doll.” She hands me a baby doll dressed in a blue onesie, while she keeps her girl doll. It’s been a long time since I’ve played with a baby doll.

“How is school going? Are you enjoying it?”

“Oh, my God! It’s so fun. I love it,” she said, sounding delighted.

“What’s your favourite thing so far?”

She tips her head sideways to think. “I think art for sure or play centres.”

Obviously, the easiest things are the favourite things. What kid wouldn’t pick them. I’m surprised she didn’t pick recess. I spent the rest of the afternoon with her. Lucca can do his own thing. He can come to terms that I’m not one to be ruled by a fucking man. I’m sure he’ll realize this soon, hopefully.

Crawling into bed, I’m tired. I didn’t do anything today, so I can’t understand why. It’s like my mind can’t go on anymore. It’s like I’m tired of being tired. Lucca has been gone all day. He didn’t bother coming home for supper, so it was Ada and me. I sent Oscar a text asking for him to bring some work by tomorrow. I can’t sit around and do nothing all day. I’m not meant to be cooped up like this. Not again.

My brain registers the bed dipping next to me, but I can’t be bothered to open my eyes.

“I’m sorry, that I’m so bossy, Charlotte. It’s for your own good. You’ll see.” I hear Lucca whisper into my ear before placing a kiss to my cheek. He wraps his arms around my body holding me close to his warm body.

By the time I wake up, he’s already gone. His side of the bed is cold. Guess it’ll be another long day for him. I grab my phone to see the time, letting out a groan I throw the blankets off. I drag myself to the shower to get ready for the day. Not that I have anything exciting to do today. Maybe I can convince Lucca to let me leave the house. I’m sure this Seth guy has other things to do then looking for me. Besides, I can go to Dads. He will shoot on the spot. Once dressed, I head for the kitchen. Anna, of course, has beaten me there again with breakfast and coffee already made.

“Good morning, Anna. Don’t you ever sleep in?” I grab a mug, pouring myself a coffee.

“Goodness no, have you met Mr. Russo. That man doesn’t know what sleeping in means.”

“I’ve noticed. Then again, I can’t imagine the amount of pressure he’s been under lately.”

Anna goes about her tasks. “No, I can’t either. But I’ve seen him under worse pressure, and he always pulls through.” Her eyes softened a little.

“You were there when his wife died weren’t you?”

She hums. “I was. It was a horrible time. I thought for sure he would’ve broken down. He was strong, he had to be especially for that little girl. She’s all he has. He didn’t have time to immerse himself in depression. No matter how many times I’ve seen the darkness try. He would never allow himself to. It wasn’t until you came into his life again that he finally smiled more.”

The things this family has been through and are still going through. I would do anything I could, to protect both of them. No matter what. Even if that includes going behind his back and finding this stupid Seth myself and resolving a stupid turf war.

Oscar finally shows up with a box of files.

“Sorry, I figured you would want something to pass the time, and this is what I came up with,” he said proudly.

“Naturally. You are helping me, right?”

“About that, you see I have to help my step aunts, sister in laws goat with something.” He walks backwards to the door.

“Like fuck you do!”

I pop the lid off the box and gawk at all the files. I look up at Oscar and he shrugs.

“Where the hell did you get these? I don’t have that many clients.”

“About that, Sean handed over some to you. Apparently, he was impressed with you or something. He made me nervous when he talked to me yesterday. I thought he was firing my ass.”

“Seriously? I was thinking earlier about quitting and working from home because Lucca put my ass on lockdown.” I dig through the box, taking in all the names on the folders. I can’t believe this is happening. I thought for sure my career was ending.

“Well, I’m here at your service. So, let’s get cracking. We have a lot to go over and I brought my laptop so we can double down. It’ll be like we're at the office. Boss, me around, baby.”

We’ve been at this for hours. Anna has been feeding us thankfully because I would never know what time it was without food. Ada came and tried to help, but she told us she wasn’t much help because she couldn’t count higher than twenty. I gave her an easy job of sorting paper. It wasn’t until Lucca came home; I knew it was really late.

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