Deadly Nightshade by Sem Thornwood

Chapter 24

Alessio

I have woken up to Bella, squirming in my arms to get away. Almost instinctively, I pulled her closer. “Where are you going, Sweetheart?” My voice was hoarse with sleep.

She stopped her squirming and sighed. “I need to pee.”

I chuckled and untangle myself from her. “Don’t take long.”

“You are impossible.”

“I know.”

I was off work today, but I still checked on my phone when Bella went to the bathroom. Luckily there was no last-minute work I needed to attend or anything because I was going to have to decline. Most of the texts were congratulations on the wedding. There was one concerning text from Antonio, though.

Antonio: Call me when you can. We need to talk.

I really didn’t want to call him now, but it seemed important, so I answered.

Alessio: Is everything okay?

He was probably busy to answer right away, so I put the phone back on the nightstand. When I heard the water running from the bathroom, I smiled to myself like a teenage boy. I never brought dates home. I liked my private space. Having Bella here didn’t feel like an intrusion, though. It felt like heaven. This was the life I have worked my whole life for, and I had it in the end.

When the bathroom door opened, Bella had a sheepish smile on her face too. She walked to the bed, and I was glad to see no trace of pain on her face. When she let herself fall, she said, “It is really not comfortable to walk.”

“Still sore, hmm?”

She nodded, a little embarrassed.

I didn’t want her embarrassed. I wanted her smiling and happy. My hand slowly reached to the hem of the tee she was wearing and sneaked under it, drawing circles on her abdomen. “Good thing we don’t have to left the bed at all.”

Bella rolled her eyes. “I don’t think that’ll go well with me being sore.”

I chuckled, and my hand went north, pinching one perfect puckered nipple. That immediately earned a low, breathy moan from Isabella. I loved how responsive she was to me. “It is good that I don’t have to enter you to make you come.” Then I nibbled her other nipple over the shirt.

“We need to shower.”

My knee came between her legs to push them apart. “Let's get dirty before we do that then.”

“I am hungry,” she objected again, but her dark eyes were filled with lust.

So, I slowly reached her waistband and hooked my fingers on either side. “Good, so am I.”

She didn’t object again. She let me ate her out until she came. Twice. And then she let me carry her to the bathroom. She also let me wash her beautiful body and those silky hairs. It took so much longer than washing my hair, but honestly, it was fun. Everything about being close to Bella was more than fun. It was also fun when she kneeled in front of me and blew me before we finished our shower.

“You suck at cooking,” Bella declared as I was gathering eggs from the refrigerator. Which was hurtful, considering I haven’t even started doing anything yet.

I flickered her nose. “I have been living alone for three years, Bella. I think I can make an omelet.”

“I want scrambled eggs.”

If I was not too happy by the sight of her in my – our – apartment, I would have said something sassy, but I was stupidly happy. “I can do that too.”

She shook her head. I couldn’t blame her since she has never seen me cook before. “You have two siblings who are excellent cooks; you never had to learn how to cook.”

“And you did?”

“If I did, I would be making scrambled eggs right now.”

“Then sit, and wait for me to feed you. After that, we can have a tour and start getting you unpacked.” I waited for a second, considering the other option. “I mean, if you want to live here, of course.”

She did what she was told and hoped on one of the bar stools. Her eyes roamed over the kitchen. “Well, it is a nice apartment. In a good area.”

“With great neighbors,” I added. Antonio was living at the penthouse upstairs, and it was good to have my brother close in case of work emergencies and other things.

Bella giggled. “I might want to redecorate, though.”

“Want to do it together?”

“Don’t you trust me?” She asked, and as I looked over my shoulder, I saw her arching one eyebrow.

I shrugged and gave my attention back to the eggs on the pan. “I am okay with you doing alone too. I was just trying to be cute.”

“Awww,” she hopped off the stall and came behind me. I felt her arms wrapped around my middle, and I thought I would be okay with cooking three meals a day if she would be hugging me like this the whole time. It would be uncomfortable, but I would still love it. “I’d love to do it together. It will make it our home. Until we move.”

Okay, I thought she didn’t want to move. “We are moving?”

She untangled herself from me and leaned to the kitchen counter. “Well, we cannot stay here forever. We will need a bigger house when we decide to have kids.”

My eyebrows shot to my forehead. “You are thinking about kids already.” Actually, I wouldn’t even mind. The idea of having kids with Bella was not frightening to me at all. Yet, I was surprised.

“Of course not,” she sighed and added, “I am on the pill,” almost like trying to soothe me. “But we will have kids eventually.”

“Right,” I said with a smirk.

When the eggs were ready, I served them, and to my surprise, Bella accepted that she liked them at once. I mean, she also added Antonio’s were better, but I couldn’t argue with that. Antonio was a genius at the kitchen.

After breakfast, I showed Bella the apartment. It was not a big one, but I wanted her to know every little corner so that she can feel at home. She told me it was so plain and needed color. I was okay with everything that could make her happy.

Then I helped her unpack her stuff. Luckily, I have already opened up space in the closet and in the bathroom. And yes, I did leave more than half of it to her. I figured she would have more things than me.

“I still have some things to get from the house,” Bella declared just when we were about to be done.

My eyes widen. “You are kidding.”

She laughed and punched my shoulder. “Most of my stuff was at the lake house, but there are still things I need to get from the mansion. I’ll go there this week. No rush.”

I captured her hand. “Want me to come with you?” I didn’t think she was too comfortable being in that house with her father.

Bella smiled with gratitude but shook her head. “I'll be fine. I want to see Verona and Valerio anyway. I’ll go early pack up, and when they come back from school, I hang out with them a little.”

“That sounds good. Emiliano will drop you off.”

“He will remain my bodyguard?”

Emiliano was originally not my soldier, but thanks to Antonio’s push, Giovanni let him go. “Yeah. I thought you would be more comfortable with him around.”

She came up to me and said, “Thank you,” as she showered me with kisses. When she was done, she pulled back a little but didn’t let me go. “I think it’s enough for today. I'm tired. Can we get take-out and watch a movie.”

“It’s a date.”

Oh, I could so get used to this life.

I decided to go get take-out myself and told Bella to relax while I was gone because she was not going to sleep early. I knew she was going to be sore for a few days, but this was no reason for me to stop worshipping her body.

On my way, I decided to call Antonio. He answered my text hours ago.

Antonio: Just call me when you can.

So, I did.

He answered after two rings. “Hey. I wasn’t expecting you to call today.”

“Well, I created time for you among very important things, so be quick.”

I heard him chuckle, but it held no emotions. It was just Antonio trying to act like the rest of us. “I heard some rumors.”

“Rumors are all Outfit has these days.” It was since Aunt Claretta got sick. With a weak Capo, rumors came like a tornado.

“Now it’s different. People are talking about Brando’s death. They think we did it.”

“Think?” I asked sarcastically.

Antonio sighed in frustration. “Not funny, Alessio. Everybody thinks that way. Some are actually okay with it, but some are angry.”

“They really believe I am crazy enough to kill a Consigliere for a woman?” I mean, I was, but I didn’t think people would believe that.

“They don’t think that’s the reason. They think we did it so I can become Consigliere, and I managed it. They also think Isabella is your reward for helping me. They think it’s all part of putting Salvatore in power.”

Antonio was “temporarily” Consigliere for two months now, and we haven’t heard this kind of rumor. Probably wedding was the reason. People came together and started talking. “Most support Salvatore in power.”

“And some don’t,” my brother said.

True, but the ones that supported him were far many. “You think this can really create some problems for us?”

“If Giovanni could prove we did it, it can. He can charge us with treason. They won't believe you did it just for Bella.”

“Of fucking course, but he cannot prove it, right? We were careful.”

“He can’t,” Antonio said without a trace of a doubt. “but he can use the rumors. I am going to talk to Salvatore about it. I just want to give you a heads up. We might have another dirty job in our hands.”

What Antonio was implying was more dangerous than killing Panaro, but there was no way I was going to die any time soon. “I just got married. I am planning to enjoy it before I die in a power war.”

“Good. I’ll let you know when something new comes up. For now, go home, and spend time with Isabella. You deserved it.”

Oh, I really did.