His Mafia Queen

19. Motherly Love

~~Lina's P.O.V ~~

"Jenine!" I say with a small smile coming out of the elevator with Nicoli close behind."Lina! It's good to see you." She engulfs me in a tight hug, catching me by surprise just as she did the first night we met."What brings you to my place unannounced?" Nicoli clips annoyance dripping from his words."It's nice to see you too, son." Her hand finds its way to her hip, giving him the same annoyed expression as he is to her. "I don't like surprises, especially when I'm in the middle of work." My lips twitching, trying to contain my laughter. He sure was going to put in some work, though. "Ms. Gretchen told me that Lina got a stomach bug, and I wanted to make sure you're taking care of her." My hand instinctively finds its way to my belly at the mention of it."I'm taking care of my Fiancé just fine without my mother standing over me." I place my hand on his chest relaxing him "Nico she's just checking on me. It's fine." He sighs, brushing his fingers through his hair, a nervous look flashing in his eyes."I'm glad to see you're feeling a little better." She chirps, taking a seat at the kitchen island.

"Actually, Nico, if you'd like to get back to work, you can, I'd like to spend some time with my daughter in law." My heart thumps against my chest at the small name for me.. "daughter in law" I test the word against my tongue, earning a sweet chuckle from Jenine "yes my sweet girl, you will be my daughter in law." Nicoli places a soft kiss against my temple, snatching my attention."I need to go out for a bit with Tony and Frank. Paul will be here." He says with a distaste following his words."Okay, you gonna bring me back a souvenir?" I questions feeling the itch to make someone scream in agony filling me "maybe but that's only if you behave yourself while I'm gone" my breath hitches in my throat feeling my inner darkness waking up fueled by anger and sadness all in one "I'll behave but I want you to breif me when you return." He slowly shakes his head."No, I'll brief you once we have everything we need set up." I raise a challenging eyebrow at him holding his gaze.

"You breif me when you return Nicoli, I want to know." His face begins to harden with a clenched jaw."You two really are so much like Vincenzo and I were." He tenses at the mention of his father's name."I have to go." He clips, kissing me on the cheek."I'll be home soon." He murmurs before walking out, slamming the front door behind him. "That was my fault Hun didn't pay any mind to him." I snap my gaze back to hers, then back to the door, feeling a little irritated over the fact that he seems to be pulling me out of the loop. "You know he really is just like his father." I take a seat across from her at the island."Why doesn't he talk about him?" I question wanting to know more about the man I plan to marry."Nicoli was close to his father.. but he never really wanted to take on the roll of Don. He knew what it did to his father." I nod watching her intently as she begins thinking back on her old life."We had our good times, but when our times were bad, they were bad. Vincenzo hated the French, and when I said hate, I mean loath. They tried to overpower him left and right doing everything they could to turn his men against him."

Her eyes twinkle with tears beginning to surface "One day the French raided the house while Vincenzo was out with Nicoli doing some bonding time like they did every Friday but I guess the French knew that and they came for me." She breathes a shaky breath staring at her hands and I could almost shatter at the sight of sadness "I was taken and tortured for a few days before he found me but when he saw the condition I was in, he lost it.. he lost all control, and that alone brought him to his demise." She whispers quickly, wiping away a stray tear."The French killed him after he killed most of their men.. he was able to set me free, but he never came back to us." She gives me a sad smile as I place my hand over hers on the counter."He blames me for his father's death, I don't think he'll ever see it otherwise." Nicoli never seems open to talking about himself.. I'm not really comfortable talking about myself to him either, but this little piece of him that's now mine to hold feels like a reward in its own way.