The Underbosses Chef [M/M]

50 - Fifty - Matteo Concetta's Point Of View.

Caio brought Ilya and I food from Nonna's last night and all it took was me to ask nicely. Though I told him I would show him a good night if he needed payment for getting us food. Caio spent the night alone because Ilya and I had a sleepover of sorts. He assured me he would be fine for the night and to have a good time with Ilya. He had been surprisingly ok with Ilya taking me with him to get Vito back.

Ilya was still sleeping beside me on the couch. I figured once he woke up and looked after his needs, he would want to get Vito back. I was worried about Ilya, and if he could handle all this. Alessio had given him his ID, driver's license, and a handgun last night. Alessio had made it clear that Ilya was going to be driving Vito's vehicle to go get him back. Ilya was sure he wouldn't need a refresher on how to drive. He said it was something you just didn't forget.

Alessio had spoken to Viktor last night to let him know Ilya, and I were coming the next day, and Viktor had let him speak to Vito. That was all Caio would tell me, and he made it clean not to tell Ilya.

I felt Ilya stretch out, and I looked over at him. "How long have you been awake, Matteo?"

"Eh, not that long."

"Today is going to be bullshit. I can feel it in my soul." He said, pulling the blanket over his head and groaning.

"Are you at all happy to be able to see your family?" I asked.

"Maybe a little. But I don't want them to think that everything is fine and go back to how it was, because let's face it, I am not the person I was then. I am barely holding it together on a good day." He said, pulled the blanket down.

"Be honest with them Ilya, tell them you're still unwell, and may never be their standard of normal."

Ilya pulled me against him and gave me a hug. It was mildly surprising, and I held still. "You sure make a nicer little brother than Alessio. When you're not drugging me." He snorted.

"You consider Alessio your little brother?"

"Hard not too. I'm older than him." Ilya said, letting me go. "I see you the same way. A little brother, I guess. I wouldn't know. I don't have any. Viktor is the closest thing to a brother, and he is older than me."

"How old are you?" I asked.

"Old enough." He groaned before turning to face me. "I'm in my early thirties, not too far off of Maddox and Alexi."

"Huh, well, whatever you're doing is working. I wouldn't have put you too far off from Alessio's age."

"Please, I'd love to be twenty-seven or twenty-eight again." He sighed.

"Did you know Maddox beforehand, since you guys aren't that far apart in age?"

"I knew of him. My memories from then can be a little fuzzy sometimes, but I wasn't in his inner circle, so I didn't know him, per se. Viktor, on the other hand, is the same age as Maddox. I'm sure they have shared some uncomfortable rooms with each other, prior to the peace bond, of sorts."

"Alessio said that's because of you."

"Yeah, my family owed him a favour for finding me. Alessio, being Alessio, went above and beyond."

"That sounds like my overachieving older brother." I laughed.

"We should get up. It's at least an hour and half drive. After breakfast, and getting ready for this, we should be there by noon." Ilya hissed.

"Sounds good."

We parted ways, and I darted back home to shower, shave, and get dressed. Caio was in the shower when I got there, so I jumped in with him.