Chapter 62 HOW WAS YOUR DAY?
••Luciana••
"I finally discovered something the good about Sicily." Roman said.
His tone carried that lazy victory sound he used whenever he believed he had made a grand discovery about the universe, or at least about my world. His chair creaked slightly as he leaned back, looking far too satisfied with himself for a man who had nearly licked the plates clean.
We just finished eating, though we couldn't finish it all but we ate a large portion of it with Roman going wild in the side dishes. It was obvious he enjoyed the meal.
He had attacked the table like a general reclaiming lost territory, sampling everything twice and pretending he was only “analyzing flavors.” The empty bowls betrayed him.
"What do you mean?" I asked.
I folded my arms and watched him like a suspicious judge about to reject weak evidence.
"The food" he said. " It is so good. At least now I know the Sicilians have nice dishes."
He nodded as if signing an international treaty of approval.
"You amuse me." I laughed.
My laugh came easier than I expected. Moments like this almost made everything else fade into the background.
He stared at me.
"So you mean there's nothing good about Sicily and yet your family joined forces with mine to take have a marriage alliance. That's quite the opposite."
I tilted my head, raising a brow, enjoying the chance to corner him with his own arrogance.
"It was out of pity. There's nothing the Russia mafia can't handle alone." He grinned.
He looked unbearably proud saying it too, like a crowned emperor of nonsense.
"Oh I see, but you enjoyed the meal." I let the words sit there like baited hook.
"Somehow, yes."
His mouth betrayed him again with that small reluctant smile.
"I know I did a good job even if you are too proud to say it." I said.
Victory tasted sweeter than dessert.
He muttered something which I didn't hear because I had now left the table to drop the plates. When I came back he was already on his phone.
His expression had shifted into that focused business mask, thumb moving quickly, eyes sharp. The switch between warm and dangerous always surprised me, even now.
Shortly, after I sat. He looked up, "So how was your day without me?"
The question came too casually. Like he expected me to go on and talk about how I missed him or sort of. He is getting too comfortable teasing me nowadays. "It was fine and peaceful, I had time for myself." I said trying not to give him the response he must be expecting."
My voice stayed steady. I put on my straight face but my heart did not cooperate.
Probably he wanted me to rant about how it felt not normal because he wasn't around to share some jokes with me, even though I kind of missed him. I sure wouldn't tell him that.
"Hmm" he nodded his head.
That hum carried suspicion. He did not believe me, and annoyingly, he did not push.
"Well, do you feel okay?" I asked.
He raised his head and gave me a kind of look I didn't understand. So I tried to explain myself out, " I mean your injuries and your ribs, if they aren't hurting."
I gestured vaguely, suddenly aware that caring for him had become instinct, not effort.
"I'm totally fine princess." His expression turned into a smile.
"I'm going out with Mildred later today. She wants me to help pick a Christmas gift for her boyfriend."
I watched his reaction closely because this was either going to be explosive or entertaining.
"Mildred has a boyfriend?" He asked in surprise.
His eyebrows nearly climbed off his face.
"Oh yes, but you didn't hear that from me. Okay?"
Too late. The secret had already escaped like a bird through an open window.
If she hasn't tell him then it isn't my place to let him know but the deed was done already. The little I can do is tell him to pretend I didn't say that.
I mentally prepared my defense speech in case Mildred came for my head later.
"Please go with the security team." He said.
'Okay." I answered easily, though a part of me still resisted being watched like a national treasure.
Then there was a moment of silence but I broke it.
"Actually I've been thinking Roman." I said.
My fingers traced the edge of the table unconsciously.
"About what?"
His attention snapped back fully.
"Unm, may I go to Sicily for Christmas?" I pleaded wearing my puppy look.
And Yes, I used the look. Yes, it was strategic. No, I felt no shame.
His expression did not change. Not even a blink of consideration.
"No Luci." He said.
The answer fell like a closed door. He didn't even take time to think about it, the negative response hurts my heart. Hope shrank quietly inside my chest.
"We have a whole family party here every Christmas, the whole extended family and close friends comes around. Everyone spend the day together with lot of activities." He explained.
His tone softened, like he was trying to make the cage look like a garden.
Images formed in my mind. Loud halls. Unknown faces. Judging eyes.
"But apart from you and Mildred, nobody really cares if I'm there or not." I tried to justify myself.
The truth came out thinner than I wanted.
"That's more reason you should be around so you can get used to new faces. It's your first Christmas here, our first Christmas." He emphasized it gently and intentionally.
"Our first Christmas." The way he said it make it seem like we are a thing. Even though we are getting used to each other but we are not a couple, not perfect lover or something. All of this just happened to be.
While I was still mute, pondering in my head. He mentioned again, "Moreso, my father always want everybody to be around. You are family too."
That name again. That man again. The wound behind my ribs stirred.
'Your father?" I laughed. "I bet he even still wants me in this family."
"Don't talk that way Luci, you are my wife and an Orlov now." His voice carried weight now.
"Roman, I know your father hates me probably not before but now I'm sure I'm on his blacklist."
I did not plan to say it. It forced its way out anyway.
"What do you mean Luci?" His countenance changed immediately.
The room temperature dropped with his expression.
"Nothing, I'm just saying." I tried to dodge the conversation.
"Answer me Luci, I know it's not nothing." He insisted.
His eyes locked onto mine. No escape hatch.
"Well, I couldn't control my emotions the other night when you told me what happened and I confronted him while you were asleep."
There. The match hit the floor.
"You did what Luci?"
"He deserves some truth, he can't just do whatever he likes without being checked because he's the Don." I quipped.
My chin lifted even as my pulse raced.
“You went to see my father? Alone?”
His voice dropped. The room suddenly felt too small.