Hidden Away [Mafioso Book #2] (SAMPLE)

Chapter IV: Cookies

The twins had tolerated a week of their punishment and were already begging for an end to it.

For the last one week, the twins found nothing better to do than interacting with the people present. Their routine having changed substantially to allow time for everyone. The twins often found themselves in their parent's bedroom after they had finished their homework, talking with one another, with Marco, or their parents, and often after dinner, they would have a family debate, Arsenio sometimes coming by to take part in them.

Serafina found that the only time her guards left her alone was when she was in her parent's bedroom.

She still wasn't able to get accustomed to them, given they were cold rocks towards her and she a burden to them. She didn't mind given that she didn't want to get closes to them, but her twin, on the other hand, was very frank and open with them. Talking and laughing, cracking jokes, and retelling fond memories; it was inevitable given that both Gun and Major had been assigned to him since he was a 4-year-old wheezing baby.

The younger twin could tolerate her punishment well enough, but her brother, on the other hand, was going through withdrawal syndromes. Entertainment and freedom withdrawal. Serafina had once found him huddled in a corner and eating his tenth bowl of cereal while muttering all the video game names under his breath along with their respective storylines. Sometimes he would suddenly burst into a song before he would begin to cry that he couldn't listen to it. On some occasions, he could found staring into space and move his fingers in a typing motion as if though he had a laptop before him. It had gotten so bad that he'd start running around the estate, making car noises like a little boy.

To say he was suffering was an understatement.

Both Serafina and Marco knew he had gone crazy.

But on most occasions, Paolo dropped by to keep him company and occupy him long enough to take away the blow of the punishment.

Salvatore, Marco and Paolo would come home together, do their homework and talk once they were finished. Eventually, Salvatore would grow tired and take his medicine before falling asleep throughout the afternoon. During that time, Paolo would spend time with Serafina, sometimes helping her with biology while Marco went off to do his own thing, and sometimes Arsenio would drop by on his day off or after a flight.

Currently, Serafina sat swiveling in her chair, reading a passage from her textbook with Paolo lying on her bed, his face burrowed in the pillow and Gun seated on the floor, casually cleaning his special collection of weapons that were always on him.

She shrieked in surprise when she felt a cold sensation on the exposed skin of her neck. Clamping a hand at the area, she turned around, surprised to see Paolo leaning over her, a mere centimeter away and regarded her with dark eyes.

"You smell nice," He spoke lowly, his gaze fixated on her.

"And that was why did that?" Serafina demanded with her face warming to see Gun looking at the two from over his dirk.

"You smell very delicious and tempting," Paolo resumed, his gaze falling to her lips. "And make me crave cookies. The soft, gooey, crunchy sort-"

"- Let's go make cookies!" She intervened, pushing at his chest and sending him stumbling back on the bed while she dashed out the door and down the stairs. Paolo eventually joined her in the kitchen when she had been melting butter, Serafina hearing him sigh behind her before standing centimeters away from her.

"What should I do?" He leaned down to whisper in her ear, his warm breath fanning across the skin of her nape and having her tense.

Inhaling deeply, Serafina regained her composure before instructing him on what to do and how much flour and sugar to add while he measured the contents before pouring them into a bowl and mixing the contents. Both of them talked lightheartedly as she kept her distance by standing on the opposite side of the counter; tensing whenever he would lightly brush her hand or his arm grazed her side when he would walk behind her to get something.