*One Week Later*
*Caterina*
I jolted awake at the sound of a blaring alarm in my ears and my eyes flashed open, staring at the nightstand, where my phone was vibrating upon the wood, getting closer and closer to the edge with each ring.
I groaned, blinking the crust from my eyes as I reached out, just in ti to catch my phone as it fell from the nightstand. In my hand, I quickly opened the screen, scrunching up my nose when the screen lit up unpleasantly.
Once my eyes adjusted, I shut off the alarm, hating myself for choosing to use math problems as my alarm shut off. I stared blankly at twelve divided by three, my brain trying to whirl to life as I watched the counter going down until it ca to .
I hurriedly pressed the four and the alarm shut off. I stretched my arms above my head, my bones popping rather loudly and before I could even think of getting out of bed, a strong arm snuck its way around my bare waist, pulling my naked body straight into the warm, muscled companion.
Elio mumbled sothing, still asleep as he tucked his head into the crevice of my neck, and I blew out a breath of air. Under the warm covers, with Elio’s arms around —that was where I wanted to stay.
I didn’t want to drag myself out of the warmth of Elio to go sit through my classes at eight in the morning while the professor droned on and on. I grabbed Elio’s hand, intertwining our fingers, and I raised them to kiss his knuckles like he would often do to .
I sighed, wishing I could relax back into his embrace like butter but unfortunately, being an adult ant having responsibilities. Though I grumbled about my professor only having a one-ti slot for this class that was too early in the morning, I gently untangled my limbs from Elio and stepped out of bed.
It was imdiately cold without any clothes on, and I shivered, wrapping my arms around my waist to grasp onto any little remaining warmth as I hurried to the closet. I picked out a simple outfit and headed to the bathroom for my morning routine.
By the ti I had taken a shower, done my makeup, and changed into new clothes, I walked out of the bathroom to see Elio sitting up in bed with his eyes shut, almost like he was still asleep.
I grinned, slowly creeping across the floor in my socks so as not to disturb him and grabbed my backpack.
I gently placed it on the bed and then myself, the bed lowering just a tiny amount of my side, but that was enough. Elio’s eyes snapped open, and he turned to blinking repeatedly.
“Morning, sleepyhead,” I giggled, pulling on my shoes one after another.
This particular pair of sneakers was pretty worn out, but I couldn’t bear to throw it away. My mom had gotten them for for my birthday and I was quite attached to them. Even if the heels looked like they needed so duct tape soon.
“Morning,” Elio yawned, leaning back on his arms as he watched get ready.
“I’m sorry. Did I wake you?” I asked once my shoes were on my feet.
I leaned over the bed, giving him a quick kiss and he barely reacted, blinking slowly like he was still coming back to this reality.
“You were gone,” he finally answered after several minutes. “So, I woke up.”
I laughed, giving him a teasing grin. “Did you want to get so more sleep then, baby? I think you might need it.”
“No.” Elio yawned again. “I have to go check out a few properties with Leo today anyway. It won’t matter if I’m early.”
The scent of bacon and eggs wafted through the air.
“Looks like the cook has breakfast ready,” I said. “I can bring you so if you want to get so more rest.”
“Mm, I’d rather have sothing tastier for breakfast,” he said, pulling into his arms. “You.”
I laughed. “I don’t have ti, though I’d love to stay.”
“Then stay,” he said.
I opened my mouth to say sothing else and he jumped on the opportunity, swallowing my words with his tongue. I moaned into his mouth and let my tongue play against his for a mont of pure bliss. But school was calling , and I had to push away gently. “I need to get ready.”
I could feel his desire pushing against my stomach and he smirked, gently tracing the red blush on my cheeks.
Pinned under him, I was practically useless, but we both knew I could escape if I wanted to. I didn’t, though.
With so reluctance, Elio kissed one last ti then released his hold on , and I almost wished he would firmly drag under the covers and undo all my hard work. I pursed my lips, my unhappiness clear and he smiled as he got out of bed, grabbed so clothes from the closet, and headed to the bathroom.
I watched his fully nude form with appreciation, and he turned to face , his cock fully hard even this early in the morning. He smiled again and then shut the door, cutting off my view. I was tempted to follow him for a minute until I regretfully looked at the ti and grumbled to myself.
The breakfast was even better than expected—French toast with fried eggs and bacon. I thanked the cook and had just filled my plate when Elio ca in. The cook placed two steaming cups of coffee in front of us and Elio looked up, thanking her as I did the sa.
The food was delicious but as I took a bite of the French toast, I lanted over how it had never quite tasted the sa for since Dad passed away. He had a special recipe that he would make for and Mom on those rare mornings when he didn’t have to rush off for work. Now, of course, I understood the rush. The mafia business wasn’t exactly a nine-to-five job.
He did write down the recipe and Mom made it sotis, and I’d tried as well, with less success than Mom had, but it still wasn’t the sa.
I felt a bit guilty now, as I rembered that Mom had tried to make them a week after his death. She had been so proud of it, and I had thanked her by throwing an absolute fit.
Dad’s French toast had been banned ever since. Looking back, I wished I’d been there for Mom better after Dad passed away, especially when she tried to revive his mory with his special recipe French toast. I made a ntal note to apologize to my mother.
The chef’s French toast, of course, was heavenly, and I tried to push all my mories and guilt and regrets out of my head so I could enjoy it more. I really admired the live-in cook’s work. She knew how to make just about everything from fancy Italian fare to simple breakfasts taste even more special. It always amazed how chefs could ti everything perfect so that it was all ready at once and cooked to perfection. That was definitely a skill I lacked.
For a mont, I let my mind wander as I thought about having a family with Elio one day. I’d surely need to learn to cook better then, even with a team of chefs at my disposal. Maybe I’d specialize in pies. Those were always my favorite. Everyone needed a mom who could make a special pie that was better than store-bought. I’d need to think about that more.
But I was knocked out of my thoughts by my second alarm going off, blaring inside of my jeans pocket. I pulled it out, doing the math problem and dismissing it hurriedly. “I need to hurry or I won’t make it in ti.”
I quickly finished my last few bites and reached for my backpack.
“You know,” Elio started casually, poking at his unfinished eggs, “it’s a pain to get up this early every morning, isn’t it? You don’t have to go to school if you don’t like it. I can more than support the both of us.”
I paused, staring intently at Elio as he did the sa to . It seed like he didn’t want to even go to school, though I thought he’d been so supportive of it in the past. But thinking it over, I realized that this wasn’t the first ti he had suggested this and no doubt, it would not be the last. But as always, my answer would remain the sa.
“No,” I said firmly, as I crossed my arms unhappily. “I’m going to school, and I’m going to get my degree, end of story.”
Whether I was with Elio forever, which I certainly hoped I would be, or not, I needed to have so semblance of my own life. I needed sothing that was my own, and getting this education was more important to than I’d realized before.
He sighed, dropping the matter, but I could see how much it clearly bothered him. I knew that he wanted to support , to give the world if he could, but I also didn’t want that. I wanted to be able to stand on my two feet without him, to make sothing of myself through my own effort.
I didn’t get why he didn’t understand that, and he didn’t understand why I kept shutting him down every ti he brought it up. But we’d been through it so many tis that I just didn’t want to fight about it anymore.
“I love you.” I pressed a kiss to his cheek, and he smiled at as I rushed out of the house.
Our compound was father away from school than our penthouse had been, and it was a bit of a drive now that took almost forty-five minutes. I had to rush at this point, so I parked and locked the car, rushing into the building.
I had to reorient myself a few tis, having only been to the classroom twice so far, so I rushed through the halls, counting doors and halls and hoping I was going the right way. I had just turned the corner which should contain the class when I hit what felt like a wall.
I fell back onto my ass, groaning painfully as the items in my backpack spilled across the floor. Even more alarming was that the wall fell onto , pinning on the floor.
My heart raced in my chest, and I stared into two very confused brown eyes.
“What the hell?” was the only response I could co up with.
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