The Don's Daughter

Chapter 18

RIA'S POV

My heart clenched seeing Cole so broken at the cemetery. I know he needed his space but I could not walk away with him looking like that. I'm glad I didn't. I'm currently sitting in his bedroom. It's almost the same size as mine. He has his own bathroom too. I'm on his bed trying to find a good movie. I put on the Bride of Chucky and wait for him to come in. He ordered pizza while we were at the cemetery and just went to grab it from the delivery guy.

He comes in with two pizza boxes, two bottles of root beer and some chicken wings.

"How much do you think I'm going to eat?" I ask.

"Oh, you wanted something?" He says with fake shock.

I roll my eyes and start the movie. He sees what it is and gets excited.

"Awesome! Not at all what I was expecting."

I laugh "I like watching horror movies especially ones that are funny. I figured I go easy on you today" I say picking up a slice of pizza.

"Gee thanks." He bites the piece of pizza I'm holding in my hand. Then gives me a giant grin when I glare at him.

We are finished eating and are now snuggled up together on his bed with Step Brothers on in the background.

I glance up at the ceiling and look around his room. The walls are navy blue with a gray trim. He has gray blackout curtains covering his windows. His only decoration are a guitar mounted on the wall, a wall of hats and a some sneakers on display. It's very Cole, very masculine.

"What's going on in that head of yours?"

"Just noticing how girly I am in your very manly room." I tease and scratch the back of his head.

"Well you are the only girl that's been in here so it's been untainted until now." He chuckles and smiles down at me.

"Really?! I thought the crown prince would have had a revolving door installed for all the wannabe princesses coming through."

"Nah not here. This is my comfort zone. I have enough drama everywhere else, I don't want it in my bed too. I just had the revolving door installed somewhere else." He smirks at me and I slap him in the chest. He just laughs not even giving me a courtesy flinch.

"I was feeling flattered up until that."

"You should. I'm comfortable around you."

I try to hide my blush suddenly feeling shy for the first time in my existence. "I'm glad. Growing up in this lifestyle you have to take comfort where you can."

"Do you ever wish we grew up differently?" He asks.

"What do you mean? Away from the
mafia?"

He nods.

"I don't know anything else" I say shrugging "and I think we'd be bored."

He chuckles. "That's true."

"You were born for this." I tell him. "The power, the respect, the responsibility it has a positive effect on you. Its clear you love it."

"I do." He says. "I don't always like that I do but I do. What about you? Didn't you just want a normal life? Isn't that why you stopped getting homeschooled?"

"You mean came out of hiding?" I practically snort. "No. I just couldn't stand being isolated anymore. And I was sick of being preached the importance of this family that I didn't feel a part of because no one knew me." I blurt out. "I'm a fucking Bottero too and I'm tougher than I look."

"Don't I know it." He chuckles and kisses the bruise on my eye. "Is there a part of the lifestyle you can't stand?"

"The cheating" I say almost to quickly. "I hate how some men just openly cheat on their wives claiming its just part of Cosa Nostra. Cheating on your wife shows a lack of loyalty. Which is the opposite Cosa Nostra. How can you trust your friend to be loyal to you when he broke a vow to someone he supposedly loves?"