Chapter 81

Book:Falling For The Mafia Published:2024-6-2

Emily
After three weeks
“I don’t like this,” Mathew said, his face tense. “We shouldn’t remove her from the estate.”
Mathew and Nicola had become impossibly possessive and protective in the last few weeks. Nicola’s father insisted that I come into town for dinner with their family. I couldn’t deny that I was nervous as the three of us prepared to leave our safe haven. After all, our last public appearance had resulted in me being threatened by their enemies.
“She’ll be safe at my family’s restaurant,” Nicola countered, his eyes clouded with concern. “No one would dare to touch her in that place.”
“I understand,” Mathew said. “What concerns me is what might happen on the way there and back.”
Nicola sighed, “I can’t put Dad off any longer.” “He’s been requesting to meet with Emily for weeks. If we don’t do it right away, he might put his foot down and force me to return home. He’s been letting me stay at your family’s estate with her. He’s been allowing me to avoid my responsibilities..”
“It’s all right,” I said. I didn’t want Nicola to have to return to his duties. I didn’t want to put his father to the test if being with me gave him a legitimate reason to stay away from his violent business. He loved Nicola, but that didn’t mean he wouldn’t make him do things that went against his true nature.
“We can go,” I added. “It’s only dinner.” I’m confident you’ll both keep me safe. I’m not going anywhere.”
It would be as simple as driving to the restaurant and then back to the estate after dinner. There’d be a brief moment when I’d be on the street, walking inside from the car, but I had to trust that Nicola and Mathew would protect me. Nobody was allowed to approach me.
Mathew’s jaw tighened. “I’m still not fond of it.”
I wrapped my arms around him, making him feel secure in my presence. “Please, let us just leave. I don’t want Nicola to have to leave the city to be with his family. “I require both of you to be present with me.”
It was correct. I needed both of them for more than just protection. I’d become addicted to them, obsessed with them. They held me, cared for me, and loved me. I felt spoiled and loved.
I was head over heels in love with them. I’d been planning to tell Nicola for weeks, but I’d held back after Mathew entered our relationship. I knew it would irritate him if I confessed my feelings for Nicola but not for him.
I was quickly realizing that I had the same deep affection for both of them. It was out of the ordinary, but that didn’t make it any less true.
But it wasn’t the right time to say it. When we got back to the estate tonight, I’d tell them. Everyone was tense, and now was not the time to collapse into their arms and confess my feelings.
I pressed my cheek against Mathew’s chest. “Please? Let’s just get started. I’m confident you’ll keep me safe.”
He rubbed my back. “Always, little girl.” He exhaled a sigh. “I also don’t want Nicola to have to leave us. We can go out to eat.”
“I appreciate it.” I kissed him while standing on my tiptoes.
Nicola’s heat pressed against my back. He wrapped his hands around my waist and kissed my neck while Mathew claimed my lips. They clutched me as if they couldn’t get enough of me, and I couldn’t get enough of them.
Nicola’s hands roved higher, approaching my breasts.
I yanked my mouth away from Mathew’s. “We don’t have time,” I whimpered.
“My father can wait,” Nicola stated.
“No,” I objected. “If we’re going, we should go now. I don’t want to put his patience to the test.”
“That’s not how Dad is,” Nicola insisted. “He’s only interested in getting to know you because he cares about me. He’d like to meet my girlfriend.”
“But if we don’t go,” I countered quietly, “he might make you come home and work for him.”
He tensed up. “That is a possibility.”
“All right, let’s go. The sooner we leave, the sooner we will be able to return.”
“Don’t be concerned, Nicola,” Mathew grumbled. “I’ll pick up where we left off.”
They both took a step away from me after that promise. But each of them grabbed one of my hands, refusing to let go even for the short walk to the garage.
They decided Mathew would drive and Nicola would sit in the backseat with me. Mathew would have to park the car after dropping us off at the restaurant, so I invited Nicola to accompany me. I was, after all, supposed to be his girlfriend.
The term didn’t seem substantial enough to describe my interactions with Nicola and Mathew. And I didn’t like the idea of having to hide my feelings for Mathew from Nicola’s family.
I warned myself that I had better get used to it. We’d have to put on a show of being a couple if the three of us were to hang out. Since I couldn’t hide the fact that I’d been seeing Nicola, we decided to pretend to be a couple.
Imagining life without Mathew hurt like hell. He’d put on an act like it didn’t bother him, but I knew better because I’d seen the cracks in his armor. It was crucial that he feel loved and accepted. Love. He couldn’t stand to be on the sidelines while Nicola cuddled up to me in front of everyone.
It was decided that I would solve that tricky problem at a later time. We needed to get through this meal so that we could return to the privacy of Mathew’s estate and talk about how to handle our relationship in public. That I was dating Nicola was all his family needed to know for the time being.