AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“Thanks, Neo. You want the chocolate cookies again?” she calls from the pantry.
“You know it.” I turn my phone over in my palm, willing Angelica to call me. I shouldn’t have fucking hung up on her like that. But fuck, I didn’t want to say something I couldn’t take back. I’ve been itching to go after her all day. The only thing stopping me is Izzy. I can’t bring myself to leave her with anyone else. I have an army of competent, trusted men. And yet, when it comes to this little girl, I can’t and won’t take any chances. Angelica is more than capable of looking after herself. Defending herself. Izzy isn’t. Right now, she needs me more. That’s why I’ve stayed behind.
And that’s why I sent T after her mother instead. Because I can’t leave.
* * *
Twenty minutes into the movie, the alert on my phone sounds. Someone has breached the first boundary line of the property. Shit, I need to see who it is. I need to get to my office. Picking up the remote, I pause the movie. “Bel, we gotta pause for a minute. Come on.” I’m not about to leave her in here by herself. If someone has trespassed onto the estate, someone who shouldn’t be here, I’m shoving her into a panic room and taking care of the fucking problem.
She comes without argument and it makes me wonder how many times this little girl has seen a panic room, or had to stop what she was doing to get to safety. The more I think about it, the more I realize Angelica’s plan to get Izzy out of this lifestyle has merit. And the more it appeals to me. I’ve never once thought about leaving before. Ever. I’d fall on my own sword before I broke my blood oath to this family. To Theo. Never in a million years did I think anything could make me falter in my loyalty to him.
The screens in my office are on and I have a clear view of my mother’s car coming down the driveway. “Fuck,” I curse under my breath.
“Is it someone bad, Neo? Is it that man? Did he find us?” Izzy asks.
“No, Bel, it’s just my mother.”
“Oh, that’s not bad, is it?”
“Depends… She can be a little much. And when she catches sight of you, well, we might not be able to get rid of her. Do me a favor and try not to be so damn adorable while she’s around.” I take Izzy’s hand and head for the front of the house. I open the door, and Izzy and I stand there and watch my mother walk towards us, with unspoken questions in her eyes aimed right at me. “Ma, what brings you by?” I greet her, kissing both cheeks.
“Really, Neo, my son suddenly has a live-in girlfriend and a child and you wonder what brings me by?” Shetsksher tongue at me before bending down. Izzy holds my hand tighter and steps a little closer to my side. “You must be Isabella. I’ve heard so much about you. I’m Julia, but you can call me Nonna.”
Her little eyes widen. “I’ve never had a nonna before.”
“Well, you do now. We’re going to have so much fun together.” My mother stands and pushes passed me before entering the house.
“I like her,” Izzy whispers to me.
“Give it time, Bel. She’s going to smother you.”
“Now, Isabella, has my son cooked you dinner?”
Shit, I haven’t yet. We were so busy stuffing our faces with junk food while watching the movie I forgot about dinner. “I’m capable of feeding her, Ma,” I argue before Izzy can rat me out.
“Neo cooks really good. He makes me ice cream pancakes for breakfast,” Izzy adds, attempting to plead my case while doing the opposite.
“Ice cream is not a proper breakfast food, Neo. Come on, Isabella, you can help me make the sauce.”
“You can call me Izzy. Everyone calls me Izzy. Except my Uncle T—he calls mebella, and Neo calls me Bel. In Italian, that means beautiful,” Izzy rambles on as she follows my mother into the kitchen. I trail along right behind them. I can’t seem to take my eyes off this girl. I won’t let anything happen to her while I’m around.
“Well, I can see why they call you that, Isabella. You’re very beautiful.”
* * *
It takes forty-five minutes and one hell of a mess in my kitchen before we’re finally sitting down at the dining table eating my mom’s pasta. I won’t lie; it’s fucking good. Once our stomachs are filled to the brim with carbs, I realize it’s late and Izzy should probably have been in bed by now. However, we’ve found ourselves back in the theater room, watching the rest ofCinderellawhile my mom cleans up after dinner.
“Neo, I’m heading out. Leftovers are in the fridge,” Mom calls from the threshold of the room. I push to my feet, kiss her goodbye, and thank her for coming around. “Next time you decide to make me an instant grandmother, let me know first. I had to find out secondhand.”
“From whom?” I ask.
“Theo called.”
I roll my eyes. Fucking gossip. “Right.”
“Tell Isabella I said goodbye. I won’t disturb her,” she says, peering into the room.
Izzy looks like she’s almost asleep on the couch. When I hear the front door close, I pick up the throw blanket and place it over her tiny frame. I then sit down next to her, leaving her movie on in the background as I fire up my laptop. I’ve been neglecting work the past few days. Which isn’t good when you’re the fucking underboss of the family and overseeing numerous companies. As much as I try to read through emails and respond to shit, I can’t stop thinking about Angelica. And what she’s doing. I know she’s with Theo. I know she’s safe. But what the fuck are those two up to?
