The Don's Daughter

Chapter 52

RIA'S POV

Today has been amazing so far. I've been getting exactly what I wanted one on one time with my Cole. The outfit he bought me is so cute. I don't think he realized how much Enrica spent though. Not that he would care. I'm sure his accountant handles all the bills.

I have on a black Gucci sweater dress with some tan suede over the knee high heel boots. She picked out a small off white YSL purse to match.  I left my hair down and super curly and did pair the outfit with my tan leather coat and some oversized sunglasses.

Cole looks delicious today too. More casual than me, but I'm grateful for my outfit so I don't mind. Plus he's adorable and tried to match me. He's wearing an off white  long sleeve tshirt with some jeans and his high top brown and off white Jordan's. The best part is the jacket he bought because "it looks like Bane from Batman." Which it does and he looks hot in it.

We are walking hand in hand down the street in the city. Cole is taking me to a store he thinks I'll like. We go up to this brick building and walk down stairs to get to a tiny door that says Beppe's records.

Cole holds the door open for me and my jaw practically drops. I absolutely love this place. There is artwork and instruments up on the wall for sale. There is a whole pop culture section with indie and horror movies memorabila and not to mention rows and rows of vinyl records. I look at Cole like a kid in a candy store and his smile is almost as big. I'm about to wander off when I hear a thick Italian accent.

"Vincenzo!" I look and a man in his late 20s is walking towards Cole.

"Giuseppe!" Cole is actually smiling at another human being so this is strange. He goes and gives a bro hug to the man.

"What brings you into my shop cugino?"

"I'm just bringing my girlfriend out for some food and shopping. Baby come here." He motions for me to join them. I pry my eyes away from some of the artwork and go stand next to my man.

"Baby this is Giuseppe, Giuseppe my girlfriend Ria." He puts his hand around my waist as pulling me closer to him as I hold my hand out to shake Giuseppe's.

"Pleasure to meet you. I'm assuming your Beppe?" I ask shaking his hand and I feel Cole's grip tighten on my hip.

"That I am." He smirks at me.

"I love your store." I'm back to being wide eyed and looking around.

"Grazi principessa." He turns to Cole "La regazza sembra familiare.

"La ragazza capisce ogni parola che stai dicendo. She's Italian" Cole replies and smiles at me. "This is Sergio's daughter."

Beppe looks at me harder. "I see it now you look just like Nikki." I glare at him mentioning my mother. "Ah and there is Sergio. You are a Bottero. Holy shit Vincenzo getting tied down to the bosses daughter?"

"Yeah." Cole laughs uncomfortably. "We are going to look around for a bit Beppe." He tries to change the subject.

"Fallo per favore, let me know if you need anything. Nice to see you keep one around Vincenzo."

Cole grabs my hand and walks me along the aisle. He looks at me and practically reads my mind. "He's a friend of La Famiglia. His family grew up next to yours in Sicily. Sergio conducts buisness here once in a while and helps Beppe when he needs it."

I just nod skeptically and pick up a band tee I like. I think there is more to that relationship but keep my mouth shut.

We browse around the store some more and I pick out another shirt and some paintings I like and head to the register. Cole is looking at the instruments so I may be able to purchase these without him wasting money on me.

"Find everything ok?" Beppe asks me.

"Yes this place is great."

"Thank you." He yells over to Cole getting his attention. "You finally going to buy that vintage fender or just continue to touch yourself to it?" Cole whips his head over to us and gets an angry look when he sees me with my wallet. He stomps over to the register with his stuff in his hands.

God dammit Beppe.

"I don't have the time to play it right now man. Work is picking up." He gives me a tight smile. "Add these as well." Cole puts up some t shirts and a couple of vinyls.

"Signed by Corey Taylor." He shows me the Slipknot album.

"That's awesome baby."

"That will be $304.78." Beppe says ringing it up.

I go to hand him my card but Cole beats me to it and hands Beppe cash.

"Keep the change Giuseppe." Cole says grabbing the bags and my hand.

"Planned on it cugino." He laughs. "Stay safe Vincenzo and nice to meet you Ria. Next time you come in here bring some single bops with you again will ya?"

"We'll stay safe." Cole grumbles as we wave goodbye and head outside. I roll my eyes. I knew Beppe was slightly sketchier than he lead on.

"Will you stop trying to pay for shit?" Cole snarls as soon as we are outside. "It's your birthday weekend and in case you forgot I'm the one taking you out on a date. Can you please let me do the one thing I'm fucking suppose to do as your boyfriend and spoil you?"

"I don't want you wasting your money on shit for me. You take care of yourself, your mother, and you have La Famiglia. I just don't want to be another thing that's draining you." I say sincerely. "Plus I didn't want to embarrass you at your old single stomping ground."

"Are you kidding me right now? Are we really not on the same page?" He's glaring at me.

"Why are you so upset?" I ask as he is pulling me into a park area so we're not yelling at each other on the street.

"Because I fucking love you Victoria. I LOVE YOU. I wasn't suppose to love anyone and you came and changed that." His temper is getting the best of him but I am no longer intimidated by it. "I thought I made it clear how important you are to me. You give me everything Ria, everything. Purpose, love, happiness, a conscious, everything! Giving you what you deserve is not a waste and it's not draining me. You do the exact opposite of drain me baby so stop."

I look at him refusing to let the tears that welled up fall.

Softer he adds. "And once, only one time, I brought a girl there because she had an older single sister and Beppe never lets me forget. It was never my stomping grounds, I promise. I wouldn't have brought you there if that was the case." He rubs his neck nervously.

I wrap my arms around his neck and I hug him. He drops the bag he was holding and hugs me back burying his face in my neck.

"I just want to be partners that's all amoré. I'm so use to feeling like a burden and I can't do thatq1 with you. I'm not trying to be ungrateful." I say while still holding him. 

"We are partners baby. You have never been and will never be a burden."

He pulls away and kisses me wiping the stray tears off my face. "You're not suppose to cry on a date."

"It's the best date I have ever been on. I'm sorry I'm an only child and have no one for your friend." I smile up at him.

"It's the only date you've ever been on." He scoffs and rolls his eyes. "And fuck him. I'm glad you're an only child the world could not handle two Bottero women."

"It's still the best." I hug him again ignoring his other comment just wanting to be wrapped in his warmth.

"Cmon let's go feed you." He squeezes me and kisses the top of my head.

"Ok but you're paying." I smirk at him.