Chapter 84 No Sleep
Dante's POV
My hands itched closer as the urge to finally end all these burned stronger.
My fingers scraped the base when suddenly, the front door flew open.
“Who's making these babies cry,” Valentina wailed out as she came rushing over to them.
I let out a deep breath as she just saved me from doing something that would have remained with me forever.
She picked up the girl first, throwing her into the air and dancing around with her before placing her back to the ground when she stopped crying.
She then picked up the boy and muttered gibberish to him while also throwing him around and dancing too.
I rolled my eyes at how easily they felt at home in her arms and even stopped all the unnecessary noise.
The little girl even strolled towards her and stretched out her hands like she was begging to be carried.
“There's enough of me to go round, children,” Valentina remarked as she leaned down and picked up the little girl with her other hand.
“You need to learn to take care of kids, Don,” she remarked with a smile as she shook them both in her hands at once.
“Not a chance. I remember now why I avoid having any,” I replied as we strolled towards the entrance.
“You must. Your father had you, remember? You need someone to keep the name going you know,” she shot back.
I nearly shot myself. “Yeah yeah, I've had those lines before. When the time comes for that, I'll get one,” I replied.
She chuckled as she kept playing with the children.
I lost myself while watching her with them, she was a natural and handled them like any good mother would.
I had always wondered what her life before she was brought to work for my dad was like.
The best I knew of her was that she had no parents and practically grew up in the walls of my father's house from teenage years till now.
I had never asked her about her previous life and now felt like a really good time to do so.
“Valentina?” I called out, causing her to freeze while joggling the children.
“Yeah?” She replied.
“I've been wondering, how is your life outside your duties to this family?” I asked.
She looked taken back by the question and even paused in her strides.
“What do you mean, Don?” She asked.
“I'm simply asking if you've got any family, like a husband and children,” I explained.
I wasn't sure if it was the question or the pressure from carrying all that weight for so long.
But her hands began to shake and she looked very uncomfortable instantly.
“Are you alright, Val?” I asked when she didn't say anything for a while.
“Yeah, yeah, I'm fine,” she replied as beads of sweat formed around her head.
“Okay?” I asked with a raised brow as I began to suspect her.
She looked away like she was thinking, then let out a deep breath. “Okay, I have no family of my own,” she finally said.
“Really?”
“Yeah, as you know. I've spent all my life serving this family, never really thought I could have mine,” she said and managed to shrug with the children in hand.
“You never really thought you could have yours? Or you were never really allowed to have yours?” I asked and took a step forward slowly.
She followed, strolling slowly towards the door that was barely a meter away now.
“Both,” she said simply.
“My dad really didn't let you have kids? That doesn't sound like him.”
“He never said it outrightly,” she clarified. “But there was always so much to do here and he never really let me out to explore, so I just grew accustomed to this life and made this my family,” she said in a more relaxed tone now.
I lowered my head and nodded. Then lifted it back to her, patting her gently on her shoulder and smiling.
“I'm glad to have you as part of this family,” I said warmly while rubbing her shoulder.
She stared at me and smiled a smile that said more words than she could ever say at once.
“And I'm honoured to be part of this great family,” she said warmly too.
I smiled. “Now, set these kids down in a room before they pull your triceps,” I joked.
She chuckled and played with the girl again, muttering incoherent words to her.
“If care is not taken, I could adopt them to be mine,” she said, switching over to the boy and doing the same thing.
I chuckled as I opened the door for her to step in. “That won't be the worst idea in the world.”
She laughed and took them in. “Goodnight, Don,” she exclaimed as she went a few steps away.
I smiled. “Goodnight, Val.”
I turned to find the guard standing with his arms tucked in-between his legs. He was probably supposed to open the door.
He bowed his head as I stared at him.
I couldn't tell why I was feeling so kind this night. “Go have a good night's rest,” I said to him as I walked by and towards the elevator.
I walked through the opened elevators and turned in time to catch the stunned look in his face.
Even he was surprised. I guess the only thing left now is to show Serena a bit of this good feeling.
I made my way towards her room, or the room I left for her when the elevator finally got to the top.
The door was closed but I pushed it open anyway. Serena was laying on the bed with her back to me.
She looked fast asleep and I was about to walk away to let her sleep when she stirred.
“Who's there?” She croaked out.
I smiled and took off my jacket after closing the door behind me.
I knew my clothes would bother her, so I took off my shirt too and joined her in only my singlet and pants.
I hugged her from behind while laying with my weight on my left hand.
She turned slightly to my face and smiled. “What took you so long?” She asked, still in a sleepy voice.
“I had business to take care of, Piccola,” I replied.
“What kind of business?” She asked while dozing off.
I smiled and put my hand around her properly, arranging ourselves with me now on my back and her head on my chest with my hand around her waist.
She lifted her head up with a confused look on her face. “What—”
“Shh,” I cut her off, using my hand to push her head down. “Go to bed, Piccola. Daddy's got you,” I added as she laid back down.
I rested my head too and it wasn't long before the exhaustion took over and I slipped into a sound sleep…
It felt like a dream. Guns everywhere and bullets raining through the sky.
It all was a dream till a loud bang dragged me straight out of it.