Stella (Book One of Dark Souls Series)

Granita

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tartufo- truffle mushrooms
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The only thing you could hear in the backyard was the sound of utensils clinking against Esperanza's expensive, porcelain plates.

Ceramic bowls filled with different seafoods and meats decorated the table.

The chaos didn't occur until Zia Alcina opened her mouth.

"Adonis, when was the last time you cooked?"

I looked across the table at him and waited for his answered.

"I suppose it has been some time. Stella does all of the cooking now."

"Ah!" all of the women cooed with gleeful expressions.

I shoved some calamari in my mouth to keep from scowling at Adonis for making me sound like a housewife.

"I take it you have not tried his coq?"

"She loves my cock," Adonis responded immediately. He bit his lip when I kicked him from under the table. The innocent look he sent me caused me to roll my eyes.

His mother and aunt seemed to have caught the joke because they sipped their wine in an attempt to stifle their laughter.

"I had his co-I had the dish in Tuscany," I responded through gritted teeth. How could a table of adults act so childish?

"She loved it," Adonis repeated while eyeing me with a ruthless grin on his face.

"I hate you," I muttered.

Eva was completely oblivious to our conversation. Her and Mario were in their own world as they played their games on their Nintendo switch that Mr. Veretti gifted them for their birthdays.

"I must ask this again-"

"Mamma-"

"Quiet, figlio".

I looked between Adonis and his mother in confusion. "Is something wrong?"

Esperanza smiled and shook her head. "I only wanted to know when we could start expecting children?"

My face paled and my blood chilled at her question. "Ch-children?"

"Yes," the woman responded. "Things seem quite promising between the two of you. While I love Mini as my own, she is not," she finished as she nodded towards my child.

I leaned back in my seat and laid my fork down. "I have not thought about having more children yet."

"I do not see why she would bear his children without his proposal," Adonis's grandmother spoke up. "Besides, she is slimming her figure. Why would she allow a child to mess it up?"

"She is not slimming her figure," Adonis cut in.

"You can add to the conversation about my figure, but you cannot tell your family that we are not having sex?"

His head tilted back slightly as astonishment became revealed. He nodded as if my words had dawned on him. "I am sorry."

I was taken aback by his submission. I was expecting a grit of the jaw and an intense gaze. I could tell he didn't want to fight. Were we making progress?