Every Mafia's Favorite Girl

A satisfied smile touched Caio’s face the moment Aren’s lips brushed against his.

Wasting no time, he lifted her closer until she was settled entirely on his lap, her legs wrapped tightly around his waist.

When her eyes fluttered shut, he kissed her deeply, savoring the softness of her timid lips while taking care not to overwhelm her.

Yet no matter how carefully he restrained himself, the tension between them gradually began to dissolve.

When they finally parted, Caio’s eyes had darkened with unmistakable desire. Aren’s cheeks were flushed, and her breathing had grown uneven.

"Um... we should..." Aren breathed, her eyes glassy. "We shouldn’t keep everyone waiting... Don Gian must be back by now."

Caio wasn’t faring any better.

Their position pressed his already painfully hard cock directly against her uncovered pussy.

Had the circumstances been different, he knew with absolute certainty that he wouldn’t have stopped at merely kissing her.

"...Good idea," he managed at last.

By the time they finally left the recovery room, Caio looked immaculate again, as though nothing had happened behind the closed door.

He also had the layout of the compound saved on his phone, while Aren had changed into her white competition outfit. The fever that had ravaged her body earlier was completely gone.

Outside, they found Gian already back from the kitchen, waiting beside Jordan with a set of pastries and tea in his hands.

As Caio headed toward the door to find Leo and relay the instructions regarding Aren’s request, Aren hurried toward the two waiting men.

"Father!" she called. "You’re back."

Gian looked up to find Aren hurrying toward him. He looked her over in her new outfit, taking in the energy that had already returned to her, and felt the knot in his chest loosen somewhat.

"Come, Ariana. I’ve got your tea and sweets ready."

Jordan looked over as well, and for a moment, heat rushed to his face again.

"You look very good in this outfit, Ariana," he said, unable to keep the compliment from slipping out. "You’re feeling better now?"

Aren beamed at once, eager to prove just how well she felt.

"I feel as good as new! I could go ten rounds if you let me!"

Her declaration drew laughter from both men, as well as from several medics standing nearby.

For a moment, the pressure of the brutal round ahead seemed to melt away, replaced by the strangely cozy atmosphere of an afternoon tea.

"Come on now, young lady." Gian shook his head, still laughing softly. "You get a couple of injections, and suddenly you’re all overconfident, aren’t you?"

He finally opened the pastry box alongside the tea.

"Now, you love jasmine tea, don’t you? I’ve made sure to get both jasmine tea and Earl Grey."

Together, they enjoyed the excellent pastries and tea in the decidedly unconventional setting of the makeshift infirmary.

Caio returned a moment later, and Aren had already saved him a bite of the lemon cheesecake he liked.

As she sat watching the three men quietly enjoy their pastries, taking small sips of tea and discussing the different flavors, Aren felt something strangely warm blooming inside her.

No matter how awkward the atmosphere occasionally became between the three men, there was something deeply comforting about having them all here with her.

’I arrived in this world thinking I would never get to find a family of my own, like the one I had in my former world and have now left behind...’

’And yet... here I am, surrounded by men who never raised me or trained me, yet treat me as though I’m family.’

’In a world where the normal families I’ve seen don’t treat each other like families at all...’

A warm smile spread across her face.

’...I must have been extremely lucky to have found these men.’

Unable to contain the emotions swelling inside her, Aren gently set her teacup down.

"...Thank you, everyone," she murmured, her voice trembling. "I... I love you so much!"

The words froze all three men where they sat.

Jordan was halfway through a bite of apricot croissant. Caio had the teacup at his lips, while Gian was just about to wipe the cream from his beard, his napkin suspended motionless in the air.

Seeing all three of them suddenly frozen like statues and staring at her, Aren immediately became flustered as well.

’Wait...’

’Is it not customary to say something like that in public in this world?’

’Gah!’

’I said that to everyone at Headquarters all the time, and it was perfectly normal! I thought it was normal to say it here too!

’How careless of me!’

Desperate to correct herself, she waved both hands frantically.

"I-I mean... I’m... I’m very happy that you’re all here with me today! I... I appreciate that a lot!"

Despite her attempt to recover, the men still hadn’t managed to regain their composure.

Fortunately, Gian, the eldest and most experienced of the three, recovered first. Finally lowering the napkin to wipe the cream from his beard, he smiled warmly.

"And we love you too, Ariana. That’s why we’re here, aren’t we?"

Caio was the next to recover, though he still couldn’t quite understand what had suddenly driven her to say that out of nowhere.

He cleared his throat before setting his teacup aside entirely.

"Don Gian is correct," he said simply.

Internally, however, one thought quietly crept into his mind.

’Come to think of it...’

’I’ve never told her that I...’

The thought ended there.

Every neuron in his brain seemed to stop functioning altogether as a question that had never once occurred to him in his thirty-two years of life struck him with the force of a freight train.

’...Wait a second.’

’Am I...’

His eyes widened.

’...in love with her?’

His gaze dropped to the floor and showed no sign of lifting anytime soon.

Meanwhile, Jordan quickly lowered the croissant from his mouth as well.

"Y-Yes... we’re here for you, Ariana."

He looked away, uncertain what the right thing to say was — especially with the other two men sitting right beside him.

’God...’

’How am I supposed to say it back with these two sitting right next to me...?’

Soon enough, he too was staring blankly at the floor right next to Caio.

Gian silently shot a judging glare at the two men who had suddenly found the floor far more fascinating than anything else in the room.

’...These two idiots.’

’Neither of them is brave enough to even say they love her back.’

’Clearly, neither of them has even properly confessed his feelings to my daughter.’

He dabbed slowly at his mouth, ready to say something that might urge the two men to offer a more gentlemanly response.

Unfortunately, just then, a Marchetti staff member rushed in from outside.

"Excuse me! Young Boss! Miss Lombardi!" the man said breathlessly. "The Head Coordinator sent me to ask whether you’re ready to start the final round. The break time is about to be over."

At once, both Caio and Jordan nearly shot out of their chairs, as though that announcement alone had saved them from collapsing beneath the weight of the moment.

"We should probably go," Jordan said.

"Everyone outside is waiting," Caio agreed, apparently just as convinced.

Aren, meanwhile, also felt as though she had been rescued from the disastrous situation.

"Y-Yes!" she said quickly to the staff member. "I’m ready to compete! Please inform the Head Coordinator that we’re coming!"

"At once, Miss."

The staff member offered a quick bow before hurrying away.

Caio turned toward Aren, his composure settling back into place.

"Shall I escort you to the ring?"

"No need." She shook her head vigorously. "I’ll go with Jordan straight to the ring. Can you please bring my father back to the spectator gallery?"

Caio nodded simply.

"Then I’ll watch you from above."

He stepped closer and enclosed her in both arms, placing one final kiss against her forehead as he murmured softly,

"Good luck in the ring."

Aren hugged him back, leaning into his embrace.

"Thank you. I’ll need all the luck."

Then she turned to Gian and wrapped him in a warm embrace as well.

"See you soon, Father. I’ll make our House proud."

Gian faltered for a moment before hugging her back, gently patting her shoulder.

"You’ve already made House Lombardi proud."

When they released each other, Aren turned to Jordan, a bright smile already blooming across her face.

"Jordan, before we go, can you promise me something?"

Jordan turned toward her immediately.

"What is it?"

"Once we’re up in the ring... will you do everything you’ve got to win the fight instead of going easy on me?"

Jordan stalled for a second at the request. He looked at her, taking in the conviction written plainly across her face, and finally found no way to reject her.

"Of course."

He nodded, a warm smile appearing in return.

"I’ll fight with everything I’ve got... after all..."

His smile deepened.

"...we’ve got a bet that I’ve gotta win at all costs."

With that, he extended his arm, and Aren took it. Together, they walked out through the infirmary doors.

Left behind, Caio stood in place for one second longer, his eyes narrowing at their retreating figures.

’...What bet are they talking about?’

For reasons he couldn’t quite name, he didn’t like what he had just heard at all.

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