Dinner with the Mafia ✔

Chapter 15

I slept later than usual last night as I talked with dad until it was three in the morning. We caught up on some business deals and contracts and chatted away, so I was pretty knocked out. I felt too comfortable in my new bed, but that had to come to an end because the door burst open, making me wide awake and alert.

"If you want to fucking sleep in, don't turn on the fottuto alarm at five in the damn morning!" he yelled, and I jerked from my bed and fell.

"Good morning to you too." I looked up at his face and saw his veins almost pop. He looked attractive, and I felt insane for having this thought at five am. "Go back to sleep if you are that upset."

"I slept at four! And once I wake up, I can't get back to sleep. Grazie!" he reasoned, and I sighed, feeling a bit guilty for the annoying alarm.

He was bipolar, for sure. One minute he is charming and kind; the other, he is like this...

I struggled to untangle myself from the blanket that fell with me, so I gave up on freeing myself and stayed at his feet. "Then come run with me. That way, you introduce me to safe roads to run freely every morning. I have been running for years and will not break my healthy habit now."

He looked at me for a while and eventually agreed, but I felt I was blackmailing him into agreeing to such a small favor. "Let's go. I will leave you here if you are not ready in ten minutes," he said and helped me stand up. I got dizzy from standing up so quickly, and I accepted my fate and got ready to kiss the floor again, but Dario wrapped his hand around my waist firmly and steadied me. "Careful!" On instinct, I placed my palms on his chest and got socked into his eyes for a second. Damn, he is beautiful.

"Thanks," I snapped from my gaze once he cleared his throat. I quickly stepped away from his touch as if it had burned me, and I saw something flash in his eyes. "I only need five."

After he left my room with a weird expression, I rushed to the bathroom. I brushed my teeth, tied my hair, and picked my favorite sports outfit since it had a pocket for my phone. Before I turned off the lights, I sent a quick message to Phoebe to let her know I was still alive. She immediately flipped me off with a sticker. Lovely.

"Four and a half minutes," he said, impressed at my precision as he showed me his screen.

The motherfucker timed me.

I rolled my eyes. "I don't lie. Now let's go."

~~~

"The safest route is through these woods. I have many enemies, and I am sure word got out that I have a guest now. You made quite a scene at the airport with my grandpa; even my mafia members heard about it. So, it's only a matter of time until someone makes a move on you to try and piss me off. You will never leave my side, do you understand?" he explained as we jogged through the woods. We took the road behind his house, which was utterly breathtaking. The green was spectacular and eased one's worries, despite having to run with a supposedly intimidating mafia don.

"Yes, okay, capisco! Now shut up and let me enjoy the scenery."

"Questa mocciosa!" he murmured, and I grabbed my phone to translate what he said. I was pretty sure it was an insult, and little brat made the cut to irritate me. It sounded more offensive in Italian. It was probably his tone.

"Wanker!" I smiled, and he shook his head.

"Stupida."

"You are stupid. Now seriously, shut up." I jogged faster, so I was ahead of him, but he did not let me enjoy this short-term victory of mine. Dario ran, and I struggled to keep up due to his wide and fast strides. I looked to my right and saw another path that led to the same tree ahead, so I took my chance and swerved.