~ Massimo ~
"They're probably still sleeping," I said, desperately hoping I was correct, because Niamh couldn't have escaped with my son, right?
The security was tight, especially with the family together. They wouldn't even get past the front door.
"Don't you think they should be here already?" Don Giacomo's eyes were reproving, cutting through the morning air with a cold weight.
"They had a long day and probably needed so much rest," I defended, straightening my spine against the pressure of his gaze.
The look my father gave me felt like he was hovering over me even though he was sitting down and I was the one standing. "Well, they're needed here more than anything; we have a marriage to plan."
"Massimo has a wife and a son?" Aurelio's shocked voice broke in as he exchanged a surprised look with Romeo before looking around the table, clearly still in the dark concerning the latest development in the family.
"Well, she's not officially his wife yet, which means she could be mine instead," Cristiano's eyes gleamed with mischief as he lounged in his chair. "You can see they didn't even sleep together." Soft laughter passed around the table at his jab, and I glared at him, fighting the savage urge to stuff his food down his throat.
"I'll go bring her, father," I said to Don Giacomo instead, who nodded curtly and picked up his spoon to continue eating.
Luis came around to pile up more food on the table—the house chef seriously loved his job, after all, he was paid hugely to maintain this level of dedication and perfection.
"Did you inform my wife about breakfast?" I asked him as he placed the trays gently on the table.
Surprisingly, the word wife tasted good in my mouth and I loved how possessive it sounded, because yes, I won't allow anyone else to have her.
I ignored Marietta's goofy smile and Cristiano's snort as I waited for Luis's reply.
"Yes sir, she said she will be down soon," he replied then added, "That was before I informed you."
"Take me to her room," I instructed him, and he nodded quickly. "Okay sir, in a minute," he said, and I waited for him to dish out the food.
"How come about this?" Aurelio asked, leaning back in his seat and glancing at Don Giacomo.
"Hell broke loose yesterday," Lorenzo exaggerated with a chuckle, or maybe he wasn't exaggerating because, well...
"No kidding," Domino grumbled, placing a packet of cigarettes beside his plate.
"Now I wish we made it here yesterday, Pa," Romeo looked at his father with a sigh.
"Not to worry, Marietta has the story covered," Cristiano winked at my sister who was halfway through sipping her wine.
"No, not me," she flicked her finger at him dismissively.
"I'll do the honor then," Cristiano leaned back in his seat, ready to launch into his own version of what happened yesterday.
I groaned inwardly, not wanting to hear it, and was relieved when Luis was done and gestured for me to follow him.
As we left the hall, laughter sounded behind us and I knew Cristiano had said something stupid.
Maybe he repeated Niamh's unbelievable words about my dick?
I clenched my jaw as her words returned like a poison. I would stab Cristiano with his own fork if he ever repeated those words out loud.
Luis led me to the corridor that contained the guest rooms and after showing me Niamh's door, he bowed and left.
I took a deep breath before knocking, my heart suddenly racing at meeting Niamh again after what happened last night.
The sudden nervousness felt stupid because, come on, I was Massimo Valentino, heir to the Valentino empire for the sake of hell!
The door opened and my heart did several crazy tricks as Niamh's face appeared.
If I thought she was beautiful as a young woman, I did not know the meaning of beauty then.
Because while she was unmistakably Niamh, any trace of the beautiful girl that I made love to at El Paso five years ago was gone.
In her place was a goddess who men will destroy themselves and everything they love to worship. Her hair was longer now, and fell over her shoulders and she had a darkness about her too.
She was clearly expecting someone else—maybe Luis—because a frown took over her face the second she saw me.
I was not mistaken. The woman underneath was not a kitten anymore. She was a tiger now.
"What are you doing here?" Her voice was icy even though the morning was still young.
I wanted to tell her that this was my home and I had the right to be wherever I wanted, but I cut it out immediately.
I desperately wanted us to forget our past and become a happy father, mother, and son, and the sooner we stopped fighting, the better.
But the look on Niamh's face told me I was just dreaming for the impossible.
"We're having breakfast now and the family awaits your presence," I said, forcing my gaze away from her full, tempting lips.
"I can't join you people in nightwear," she said, glancing down at herself.
I looked at her nightgown, the thin material revealing the curve of her hip that lead into her waist, flaring out again when it reached her breasts. A silver locket, dainty and heart shaped gleamed at the dip of her collarbone.
She closed the door a little to cover herself and I schooled my expression immediately to hide the sudden need that busted through my veins.
"I'll get something for you to wear now," I told her, my voice suddenly huskier, and left to find Cecilia.
I instructed her to get any of Marietta's dresses that would suit Niamh for breakfast. She came up with a simple but classic knee-length black dress and Matteo's freshly laundered clothes from yesterday.
I nodded my approval before knocking on Niamh's door again, and when she opened it, the frown was firmly on her face. Even deeper.
"These are Matteo's clothes, they're clean. And you wear this," I instructed her as I handed her the clothes, lacing my voice with authority so she would know she didn't have a choice.
Surprisingly she took them without a fight and was about to shut the door but paused, lifting a brow in question when I still lingered.
"Any other thing?" She sounded irritated, like I was a bug, and I hated it.
"No. I'll be here until you're done," I bit out, my irritation slipping into my voice.
"Suit yourself," she slammed the door on my face.
A moment later Niamh stepped out fully dressed in Marietta's dress, which just looked better on her.
She really had curves that could make a dead man come alive. Her thick red hair was pulled up in a high ponytail and her exposed neck was begging to be kissed.
Her scent of ripe orange—the same that tormented my dreams since five years ago—filled the air and I subtly drew in a breath to fill my lungs with it.
She was breathtaking.
"Good morning, mister," Matteo's voice reluctantly drew my gaze away from his mother and I swallowed before smiling quickly to face him.
"Good morning boy, did you sleep well?" I asked, leaning down closer to his height, and Niamh went rigid beside him.
Warmth and a familiar affection spread through my heart as my son smiled at me politely. "Yes, mister."
I wanted him to address me as his father instead of as a stranger, but I was willing to be patient.
Having him talk to me with a smile was a good start, right?
I stretched my hand to roughen his hair, but Niamh immediately pulled him away from me with a hiss as if I was some infectious disease she didn't want her son to contact.
She wouldn't even let me touch my son?
I straightened and gave her a questioning look. She glared back at me, those turquoise eyes flashing with unmistakable hatred before walking away, pulling Matteo along.
She paused at the end of the corridor, not knowing the way to the dining hall, and turned around to glare at me, clearly displeased that she had to depend on me for anything.
I dragged in a breath to calm my anger that was beginning to rise before taking them to the dining hall. The conversation and soft laughter around the table died immediately we walked in.
"This is the wife and son?" Aurelio studied Niamh and Matteo with eyes that held so much wisdom.
"Uh huh, isn't she a knockout?" Cristiano smiled at Niamh and a subtle smile played on her lips, making my jaw grind as I stiffly settled in my chair.
"True to your word," Romeo mused, giving her a once-over.
I just wanted to punch these guys then take Niamh away from here.
"Good morning," Niamh greeted everyone, not bothering to smile, as she settled Matteo in the chair next to me before sitting at his other side.
The fact that she chose to sit next to Domino instead of me made my heart tighten with anger, but I took comfort in the fact that my son at least was next to me.
"The dress looks good on you," Marietta complimented with a genuine smile.
Niamh returned the smile, though it didn't reach her eyes. "Thank you."
"I see you're the Massimo's wife I've been hearing about," Aurelio smiled at Niamh. He was quite the opposite of my father. "I'm Aurelio, the underboss of the syndicate, and this is my son Romeo." Romeo gave a little hand wave.
"Nice to meet you," Niamh nodded, but there was nothing nice in the way she sounded.
"I strongly believe you both have made the right decision?" Don Giacomo went straight to the point as usual, not bothering with small talk.
"Yes, father," I nodded once. "We'll proceed with the marriage." I looked at Niamh, daring her to counter it.
Surely she must have understood by now that there was no way she and our son will live aside this marriage?
"Niamh, is that true? Do you agree with him?" Juliette sounded concerned, like Niamh's opinion mattered most, which irritated me.
Niamh looked up from her food, her hands gripping her spoon so tightly her knuckles were white.
"Yes," her eyes were moist and filled with both fury and defeat as she whispered. "Yes. I agree."
I let my breath out slowly to avoid letting them know I was holding it, relief washing over me.
"Good. You made the right decision, Niamh," Don Giacomo nodded.
"Too bad," Cristiano sighed, gulping down his scotch. I fought the urge to smirk at him.
"You're really welcomed to the family, honey," Juliette smiled at Niamh then at Matteo who was focused on his food. "Both of you. And you should know that we're happy to have you."
Niamh nodded reluctantly, clearly not believing a single word.
"I should introduce Matteo to the family properly," she sighed, making it obvious that she didn't like what she was about to do but didn't have a choice.
She turned to Matteo with a quick, forced smile. "Matteo?"
"Yes, mommy." My son reluctantly dragged his eyes away from his food and looked at his mother with spices lingering at the corner of his mouth.
"This is our family," Niamh said, gesturing around us.
Matteo frowned a little as he looked around. "Family?"
"Yes baby. This is grandpa Giacomo, grandma Juliette, auntie Marietta, uncle Lorenzo, uncle Aurelio, uncle Romeo, uncle Domino, and uncle Cristiano," Niamh pointed at each of them and still maintained the tight smile on her face as she introduced Matteo to the family.
"The favorite, most handsome uncle," Cristiano chipped in, and a soft laugh passed over the table at his usual claim.
Just when I was wondering if she was ever going to introduce me to my son, she directed Matteo's eyes to me.
"And baby," she dragged in a ragged breath like what she was about to say was her death sentence as she looked at me, her eyes burning with so much hate I could feel the heat from where I sat, "this is your father, Massimo."
A thick silence fell on the hall like a veil as everyone's eyes glued on Matteo, eager to see how he reacted to this revelation.
Perspiration, out of nowhere, rolled down my spine as a nervous feeling enveloped me. I hated feeling weak, but right now I couldn't help it as I and my son held each other's gaze for a moment.
What did he think of me? What had Niamh told him about his father? Had she told him about our past? Maybe a worse story just to make him hate me?
All these questions ran through my head as I waited for my son's reaction to me being his father.