DAMIEN: Book 2 of The De Luca Brothers Series [COMPLETED]

34:

"Gufo, I am so happy you're home!" Exclaims an angelic voice with an Italian accent from the top of the stairs. Apart from the beautiful and very large home, Leone, Toro, Zachary, Gufo and I stand at the foyer as an island against the multiple people zipping around the downstairs floor.

Everyone snaps their attention to the gorgeous woman with perfect curves, luscious dark brown hair and incredible green eyes. The members quickly leave, leaving us down here alone as a group.

Gufo takes my hand and squeezes is reassuringly before answering with just as much enthusiasm, "Madre! You look wonderful, come down here so I can give you a hug!"

She does just that, rushing downwards elegantly and swiftly before embracing her youngest son with incredible ease. How she does that is beyond, especially since she's in a flowing skirt with a vest top and strapped heels, "Mio figlio, How I've missed you since our last visit."

"Just because I'm the favourite," he teases as he releases his mother and gives her a dashing boyish smile. It's obvious he holds such admiration in his eyes for his mother, I would just hate it to mess things up.

"Leone, look how tall you have grown," she teases before engulfing him in a loving hug as well. I've never seen Leone look so soft until now, especially how he hugs his mother with an easy but loving manner.

"I'm the same height as the last time you saw me."

"But you as an adult will always be as shocking every time I see you," she confirms before turning to Toro. She intakes a breath as she sees him hold Zac's hand before offering him a sharp nod to the two. Bitch.

Even though Toro hides it well, I can tell by the tick in his jaw that he's upset at his mother, but Zac places a steady hand on is bicep as reassurance.

She turns to me and I can tell by the look on her face that she's surprised to see me, "Why, who are you young one?"

"Um," I clear my throat and stand up straighter. "I'm Chloe, Gufo's girlfriend."

Damien grins broadly and looks to his mother for... approval? I feel a sense of hurt but cover it up with a smile, although a billion thoughts rush through my mind. I thought he didn't care. I thought he liked me. I thought he'd brush things off if...

"Chloe, that's a pretty name," she says, looking me up and down with a face full of scrutiny. I have to force myself to not call her out for it or grimace, rather putting on my best happy-clappy-unfazed-moronic expression for her to think of me as the best for her son. "What do you do Chloe?"

"I'm currently studying my chemistry PHD," I respond.

"Do you have a job?"

"I used to."

"What was it as?"

I glance at Damion and his face falls which only causes my chest to pain even more, "A stripper."

Her nose wrinkles in disgust and she even takes a step away from me, only pure anger seeps into my blood, especially when Gufo doesn't jump to defend me. What the fuck?! So much for 'us' then. I glance at him and notice the light blush on his cheeks and the hint if embarrassment that flashes across his eyes. She eyes me up and down and only responds with, "Oh."

I clench my fists and bite my tongue, unsure on how to approach this. Worst of all, I feel a pang of humiliation slap me across the face which I've never felt before. I had to do what I had to do, no other jobs near by would have me and honestly: I was good at what I did. Never had I been ashamed of my career choice until now, under the eyes of a snobby woman A.K.A my boyfriend's mother.