The Mafia’s Forbidden Desire

ROSALINDA.

I missed him. I missed him so much. He shouldn’t have shown up only to make me fall in love with him harder than I already was. He was all that I could think of, and I hated it as much as I loved it.

My family was with me. I was surrounded by the greatest form of love, but I still felt empty, like something was missing, and I knew exactly what was missing-him. It was crazy, but I wanted him by my side all the time.

“Mommy,” Carlo called, pulling me out of my deep thought.

Even after pleading with Mama not to bring Carlo here, she still did anyway. In her defense, Carlo missed me, needed me, and desperately wanted to see me. I was glad she brought him, though, because I also missed him.

“Yes, baby.” I ruffled his hair. “What do you want?”

“I want to watch cartoons. I don’t like the news.” He complained, pouting.

“Okay baby.” A smile curled on my lips as I turned to look at Matteo, who had the remote in his possession, and asked nicely. “Can you please change the channel?”

“Why?” He asked gruffly. “Never mind. No.”

I sighed. “Don’t be such a bully. It’s Carlo who wants it. Not me.”

“I am aware. But still, no.” He muttered, his attention glued to his phone.

“For God’s sake, Matteo. You are not even watching TV.” I groaned frustratingly.

A smug smile touched his lips as he flicked his gaze at me. “I’m aware. I just love frustrating you. And it’s working.”

“I’ll rip your teeth out of your gums if you don’t give the remote to me this minute.” I seethed as I slowly sat up, my eyes growing darker.

He chuckled softly as I approached him. “You’re sick and threatening me.”

Shaking my head, I snatched the remote from him, and I was glad he didn’t struggle because I didn’t have the strength to drag it with him.

I changed the channel to a cartoon station, and Carlo jumped up excitedly, his face lighting up.Ccontent © exclusive by Nô/vel(D)ra/ma.Org.

“Thank you, mommy.” He beemed, and I acknowledged him with a small nod.

“Do you know what I think?” Matteo asked, his head slightly tilted to the side. “I think someday you’ll choose Carlo over me.”

“Someday?” I scoffed as I flopped towards the bed and sat on it. With my eyes gazing directly into his, I continued. “I already chose him over you the moment I birthed him.”

And I meant every single word. The moment Carlo came out of me, I chose him over every living soul. When I held him in my hands, I was filled with an overwhelming love that I couldn’t explain. One I had never felt before. I loved him intensely until Papà took him away from me. I was so devastated and looked for him desperately, but no matter how much I tried, I couldn’t find him. All I got was a phone call from him every once in a while. His voice alone was what kept me going.

“Ouch. Sofia, did you hear that?” Matteo groaned, his gaze darting at her. “She chose Carlo over me. But I’m not that hurt. I have you. I know you’ll choose me over anyone else.”

Sofia sighed, shaking her head as she looked away.

“Are you okay?” He asked, his concerns saturating his features. “You’ve been acting-what’s the word? Weird.”

“I’m fine.” She simply replied.

She didn’t seem to be fine. She looked bothered, and I couldn’t tell if she was acting weird because of the awkwardness between us lately or something else.

A sudden discomfort enveloped me as the thought of Sofia suspecting that something was going on between me and her fiancé resurfaced. Remembering the new connection I formed with Antonio yesterday, being in the same space with Sofia suddenly became suffocating, and I needed to get out of there.

“I want to go and check on Giovanni.” I announced as I briskly leapt to my feet.

Papà sighed. “You are sick. Lie down.”

“But not crippled.” I retorted as I started walking towards the door.

“We might leave before you return.” Mama told me, and I turned to look at her.

“Aren’t you going to see him before leaving?” I asked, raising a brow.

“We went there before coming here.” She informed me, and my lips formed an ‘o’

Rolling my eyes, I muttered. “I am your daughter, but you favorited him.”

Matteo burst out in laughter. “You didn’t know?” He asked as I turned to look at him, my brows creasing. “You really didn’t know that no one liked you?”

“Weak comeback.” I retorted as I trudged towards Carlo and planted kisses all over his face.

“See you soon, baby.”

“Mommy.” He pouted. “Where are you going?”

“I’ll be right back, baby.” I told him, knowing fully well that he would have left before I returned. If I told him the truth, he would cling to me, begging to stay with me, and I didn’t want to get emotional if he did that. We might have known each other physically for only a few days, but our bond had been unbreakable.

I turned to look at Matteo. “You better be a good uncle to him.”

“You wish.” He scoffed, and I shook my head before turning around and walking out of the room.

As I walked through the hallway, I sensed the guards trailing behind me, and I quickly halted. Looking over my shoulders, I confirmed my guess. They were right there, standing just three feet behind me.

“I don’t need an escort. No one’s going to attack me in the hospital. You can go.” I shooed them away, but they didn’t budge. I didn’t expect them to anyway.

Shaking my head, I continued on my way.

“Excuse me, Miss.” I suddenly heard a voice say after a few seconds, and I immediately stopped in my tracks, my heart beating faster.

“You’re limping. Would you like help?” The voice continued, and I slowly turned back to look at him, a smile forming on my lips.

“Hello, brother-in-law.” I muttered, my smile growing wider. “You’re here again today.”

“Yes.” He muttered as he walked past me. “To pay your cousin a visit.”

Not Antonio either. He was going straight to see Giovanni first, just like my family did. I guess no one really liked me.

Trailing behind him, I voiced my thoughts. “So it’s really true that no one likes me.”

He slightly turned to look at me, a half-smile touching his lips. “Who said so?”

“Matteo.”

“You might be disrespectful, but you’re quite likeable.” He remarked, and I couldn’t suppress the blush that began to spread across my cheeks.

“Where are you going?” He asked as we came to a stop in front of Giovanni’s room.

“To see Giovanni.”

Placing his hand on the door knob, he slowly pushed it open. “Then here we are.”

“Mia cugina.” Giovanni beamed as I slipped into the room. The smile on his face suddenly faded and was replaced with a frown as he looked behind me.

“What are you doing here?” He asked gruffly.

“Checking up on you, of course.” Antonio said as he approached him.

Giovanni immediately dropped the frown and forced a smile. “Sorry. I was just, uh, surprised. I wasn’t expecting to see you here.”

“So…” Antonio stared at him for a few seconds before continuing. “You don’t remember anything?”

He shook his head. “Nothing.”

“I was told you guys were headed to see this girl; what’s her name? Ruby? Do you know if you met her or not?” Antonio asked.

He stared at him hesitatingly before finally replying. “No. Why do you ask?”

“Nothing.” Antonio shook his head. “I am just trying to help.”

An uncomfortable silence settled between them, and something seemed off. But that wasn’t important at the moment.

“Speaking of Ruby.” I chimed in. “I still haven’t gotten in touch with her. I am worried about her.”

“Really?” Giovanni asked before flicking his gaze at Antonio, a menacing look playing on his face. “Why don’t you ask him to help you look for her since he’s willing to help?”

No. As nice as Antonio might seem to me, he was still a dangerous man, and I didn’t want him to get involved in Ruby’s life. He could hurt her, knowingly or unknowingly, and I couldn’t let that happen.

My head suddenly started spinning, and I felt myself falling to the floor, but a hand swiftly wrapped around my waist, steadying me. Before I could even process what was going on, I was already scooped into his arms, and instinctively, I hooked my hands around his neck to support myself.

“You haven’t fully recovered. You should be on your bed, resting. I don’t want to ever see you leave your room again, and you better do as I say.” He groaned, his demeanor suddenly changing to a darker one.

I wanted to speak up and tell him that it wasn’t his place to dictate for me, but I didn’t. Because beneath his dark demeanor, I could see that he cared for me. I could see that he was just trying to protect me. So, holding back my words, I allowed him to walk to my room in silence, with me in his arms.

After carefully laying me on the bed, he caressed my cheek as a small smile started forming on his lips. “Be a good girl, Rosalinda.” He muttered, and obediently, like a good girl, I nodded.

Oh, Antonio, What have you done to me?