Chapter Thirteen
It was morning when Amara woke up and realized that she was in bed and her window was closed. She thought she was dreaming last night when she felt someone was carrying her back to bed and whispered her to sleep and everything would get better.
But better was the last thing she was feeling when she recalls what happened to her and Rick and Peter! she quickly got up as she thinks of her dear sassy assistant.
She hurriedly tries to check up on him across the hall, but clumsily slumped from the bed with a loud thump. She cursed and shrieked when her door burst open by a buff sleek well-dressed man who looked at her, quickly scanning her for any injuries.
“I’m fine, if you can help me up that’ll be great.” She said looking annoyed at the underboss.
“Right, you should be more careful, or Amber would say you’re as clumsy as me.” He gave his awkward smile and easily help the slim woman to her feet.
Their face was inches apart when she was standing dangerously close to him, he cleared his throat and told her that they were all waiting for her downstairs.
“… I was sent to get you.”
“Peter?”
“He’s already working on his phone, Paolo is setting him up with a laptop while he’ll try to get his later on today…” he told her as she goes to the bathroom while telling him to keep on talking louder as she closes the door behind her.
The underboss was irritated by her attitude as if he was supposed to report to her but kept on going with his words.
“… so, if you have a list of what to take you better tell your assistant. Your father’s funeral will be held at ten this morning, we’re…”
She was out of the bathroom the second he mentioned her father’s.
“… ehm, we’re discussing how to get you in and out of there quickly.”
Her eyes were glassy, he could see that she was trying to stay strong in front of him. And she looked like she was about to crumble when she asked her next question.
“and Antonio’s? his funeral, can I come?”
Matteo raises his eyebrow, he was surprised that she might even think that she was forbidden to attend her boyfriend’s funeral.
“Antonio’s will be held later on this afternoon around two or three because we have relatives and associates joining us from across the states.”
He could see that she quickly wiped a tear and blink her eyes several times, he felt a funny feeling for her as if he likes her for being strong. He admires how she handled herself and wanted to appear to be strong.
But then he quickly turns his back when she took off her pants and shimmied herself into the black dress that must’ve been laid out by Martina, Amber’s personal go-to maid of the house.
“Okay, you can turn around and help me with the zipper.” She said methodically as if she has been dressing in front of strangers before, and somehow that knowledge bothered him.
He finished with the task and they both headed downstairs five minutes later. She looked pale but naturally beautiful, and there was something graceful looking at her in the black knee-length mourning dress. Matteo dismissed his thoughts quickly knowing that she was untouchable.
He knows that she was above his pay grade and that she was still in mourning, lastly, he wouldn’t know what to do with a woman and a relationship.
He was boxing his mind back to his schedule for that day, not wanting to think further to the very wealthy beautiful fragile-looking woman in front of him who was trying to be strong for the funeral of the two men she loves.
“Amara, you looked beautiful. Come join us, I’ll have to check on the kids right after this then you and I will be busy with our schedule.” Amber greeted her with a hug tiptoeing in her heels.
“You are a giraffe.” she laughed as she patted her back making our beautiful Amara feel welcome.
“Morning Amara, please sit down… and you Cara is the one who comes in the cutest small package. And I love you with all your flaws.” Leo said when he walked into the dining room and give Amara his brotherly hug, then kissed his wife chastely and squeezes her ass playfully.
“Leo! you caveman! we have guests!” she warned her tall Italian mob boss husband, but blushed when he raises his eyebrow challenging her. It was like they were talking in their own language… aww… so sweet. Okay, for those who haven’t read their story go check out Romancing the Mafia.
Now, let’s get back to our madam billionaire who was just about to start her day.
Amara ignored the two lovers and darted her vision to Peter, she quickly hugged him and he smiled at her sweetly.
“Gosh, I felt so loved. I should’ve done this a long time ago.” Peter was a bit numb from the medication but it didn’t affect his witty comments.
“Peter!”
“I’m sorry boss…” he hugged her back but quickly reported about the upcoming event. About her father’s funeral and Antonio’s, and that he would get her stuff to the Lombardi’s residence.
“We’re not staying here. We’ve extended their kindness enough. I will meet up with Albert and arrange for new guards from other security agencies, and we w…”
“You will do no such thing, you’re under my protection. Antonio would’ve killed me if he knows that I’m not protecting you. Until we get the person who did this you will be under my protection. We have a safe house for you, we will keep you safe and you can still resume your work as usual.” Leo authoritatively cut her words.
She was a bit shocked by his words, she has never been told off in such a manner.
“Leo…” she was about to object when Leo said his name.
“Please, Amara… do this for Antonio?”
“Okay, for Antonio.” She relents and sits next to Peter.
She asked and Leo told her that he had taken care of Rick, with her lawyer and the authorities.
Matteo was watching her the whole time, he couldn’t seem to peel his eyes off of her. He could see that she was taking a deep breath trying to keep her composure. He was afraid that she would finally break at some stage.
“Matteo, you will be accompanying Amara, and Peter will be with Paolo as he takes care of things with her lawyer. You will take two of our men and be with her twenty for seven. We will brief everyone after this, but now let’s have some quiet family breakfast before my kids roam the house.”
Amber took his hand and caressed it and he smiled at her. With his words, everyone starts to eat their breakfast while Matteo was still looking at Amara who barely touches her toast.
He was quiet and unconsciously started studying her.
Leo invited Amara and Matteo to his office right after Peter and Paolo left for her Penthouse. They discussed the safehouse and her security details. They were to leave for her father’s funeral moments later.
“My deepest condolences for your father, but Amber and I would not be joining for the funeral. I would like to keep our involvement in your issue a secret and show them that you are under another private security, not us. I want whoever is responsible to think that you’re still vulnerable…”
“And when they start getting clumsy, we will move forward with our plan,” Matteo added to Leo’s explanation.
“Exactly.” Leo closes their conversation as he started to get up from his chair hearing his children screaming from outside his office door.
“I’ll text you my number, call me in case of any emergency.” Leo walked to his office door and let his kids into his office.
“Daddy! Daddy!” the beautiful chirpy twins runs to Leo, while Amber was holding on to the baby. Amara saw an older boy by her side busy with his Rubiks cube.
The little screams pinched her heart knowing that she had also visited her dad’s office whenever he works from home when she was little.
She took a deeper sigh and clutch her hands tighter, looking at their family affection knowing that she had lost that part of her life.
“Matteo, I think Amara needs fresh air and I don’t think she wouldn’t want to be late?” Amber reminded the underboss as he was looking detached from the situation.Exclusive content © by Nô(v)el/Dr/ama.Org.
She knows that Matteo had always been lacking in the empathy department. And he didn’t think that seeing the twins’ closeness to their dad reminded Amara of her childhood memories of her and her dad.
“Come, we should leave right now.” Mateo finally speaks when Amber gave him the deadly glare.
She took a deep breath and blink to clear her glassy eyes, then nodded and start walking straighter with her head up not looking like anyone who was about to bury her dearest father.