Undressed By The Mafia God

Luca’s mouth opened in instant protest. "No, no, no." He leaned back slightly as Vee pushed Matteo closer to him. "He is still so small. I might accidentally break him."

As he said it, his eyes lifted over Vee’s shoulder and locked with Val’s. Then he smiled wickedly. Valentina stopped at the foot of the stairs.

Her breath caught. The words had been for Vee. The meaning was for her.

Vee rolled her eyes, entirely oblivious to the blade passing silently between husband and sister. "Luca, you better learn how to hold a baby right now, or I swear I will have you registered in an orphanage home to care for babies for the month until you learn."

"That feels excessive."

Valentina’s nails dug into her palm. How was Vee laughing? How was her sister standing there smiling while danger curled around the room?

Luca sighed with great theatrical suffering. "Fine. Do not blame me if anything happens."

The sentence made Val’s stomach twist.

Vee smacked his arm. "Nothing is going to happen. Hold him properly."

Luca stretched his arms out with exaggerated caution, as though Matteo were a bomb. Vee placed the baby carefully against him, adjusting Luca’s hands.

"Support his back," Vee instructed.

"I am supporting his back."

"And his head."

Matteo stared up at Luca, wide-eyed and fascinated by the new arrangement. Luca looked down at him.

Vee turned and found Val still standing near the stairs. "Val, hurry before this big baby changes his mind."

Valentina’s mouth felt dry. "Right." She forced her feet to move.

Luca lowered his gaze to Matteo again and bounced him lightly, awkward at first, then with more confidence when the baby gave a delighted little sound. "See what we men go through in the hands of the Scalese sisters," Luca told him solemnly. "We bros have to stick together, pal."

Matteo responded by grabbing at his shirt with fierce approval. Valentina reluctantly headed upstairs.

Vee watched Luca adjust the baby against his chest. "See, it is easy, isn’t it?"

Luca glanced at her. "I have a good teacher, it seems."

"Awww..." Vee’s face softened. "Look at you gunning for extra credit."

He smiled. "Am I going to get lucky tonight?" he asked with a wiggle of his brows.

"If you’re both good boys."

"Both?" Luca grumbled. "Why do I have to be responsible for Matteo?"

Vee gave him a flat look. "Ugh, excuse me...That is what fathers do. They are responsible."

"Not when the reward is getting lucky."

Vee’s brows rose as Luca shifted his attention to Matteo.

"Dude, you better be on your best behaviour."

Valentina’s footsteps returned from upstairs. She carried Matteo’s small bag and a walker. She helped settle Matteo properly into the baby walker, checking the straps twice when her fingers would not stop trembling.

"Are you okay?" Luca asked.

"Yes, yes, of course." She forced a laugh that came out too bright. "Just been running on coffee. Besides," she added quickly, "I am not used to being without Matteo."

That part was true. Now she was handing him to the very man she feared might destroy everything.

Vee smiled, completely unaware of the weight behind Val’s words. "Do not worry. I am here to supervise him. He will give his life before he lets Matteo even fall."

Luca adjusted his grip on the walker handle. "No promises. I already told the dude he is on his own. Nothing is jeopardising tonight."

Vee smacked his arm. Luca pretended it hurt. Matteo found this hilarious and kicked his little legs.

Valentina finally strapped him in properly, then straightened with a smile that felt like glass in her mouth.

"See you in a bit," Vee said.

Val nodded and gave a nervous little wave. Vee waved back. Luca pushed the walker towards the door, moving with Vee beside him and Matteo babbling happily.

Val watched her baby being taken away.

Soon, Matteo arrived at the park with his guardians. Families wandered along the paths. Children ran across the grass. Dogs dragged their owners.

Matteo sat proudly in his walker, looking around. Luca pushed him along the path with both hands on the handle, far too alert for a man pretending to enjoy leisure. His gaze moved from bench to tree line, from jogger to parked car.

"This is nice," Luca said. "I do not think we have ever been on a stroll," he added.

"A stroll?" Vee glanced behind them, then at the path ahead. "That was not a stroll." She said, her tone accusatory. "That was a security sweep."

"It is second nature," Luca said as they reached the park bench. "I cannot help it."

Vee sat first, lowering herself carefully while keeping one eye on Matteo’s walker. Luca allowed himself to enjoy the lie of normal life. A park bench. His wife beside him. Matteo in his walker. The evening moved gently around them.

Luca rested one arm along the back of the bench behind Vee. She leaned into him by instinct. Then he spotted the doves.

A pair of them strutted near the path, heads bobbing. Luca watched them and realised, with a strange little pang, that it had been a while since he visited the animal shelter.

He had meant to go. He always meant to go. Then David happened. Italy happened. Veronica’s pregnancy happened. Massimo’s retirement ambush happened. His life, as usual, had become a collection of disasters standing on each other’s shoulders while shouting for attention.

The animals had been pushed aside in all the chaos.

He opened his mouth. "I..."

"Do not even think about it," Vee said not even glancing at him. She pointed towards the doves. "You saw birds, and now you are about to make this about feeding them."

He smiled. "Babe, come on. I just need to get some seeds over there."

"You are supposed to be watching a baby."

He looked down at Matteo, who was still engaged in quiet negotiations with a leaf. "He looks occupied. Besides, that is why I have you here, darling." he said while standing. "What would I do without you, uhn?"

(powered by 400 power stones)

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