by Serena Light
"It was beautiful,"
"Thank you," Salvatore chuckled getting under the cover and rubbing his hands together to feel warm. "Is it just me or is it getting colder," His teeth chattered as he cocooned himself in the blanket.
Nicole laughed at how cute he looked wrapped up in the duvet with nothing more than a tuft of black hair visible as his crystal blue eyes peeked out at her. Joining him under the covers and moving closer to him, tangling her legs with his and wrapping her arms around his waist with her head rested beneath his chin. A laugh tore through her when he shrieked as she slid her hands under his shirt.
"Ah! Fuck! Cold! Cold! Cold!" He shrieked at how frigid her hands were against his warm back as she giggled hysterically, watching him squirming to get her hands out of his shirt.
"You bitch!" He exclaimed in mock aghast once he took out her hands, attacking her sides with tickles as she squealed, writhing beneath him as he pinned her against the bed, laughing at how hysterical she was.
November had come and gone and both Salvatore and Nicole were very content where their marriage was headed. They did not face any adversities or argue much over the spam of the month, both of them stole secret glances and chaste kisses, neither one being too comfortable with a public display of affection, but showing each other just how much they appreciated the other in the confines of their bedroom. Now, every night after dinner, Salvatore would play some instrument for her for about an hour before they went off to bed.
"Hey," Nicole greeted with a smile, stepping into their bedroom, surprised to see Salvatore standing by their bed. Tossing her bag on the sofa, she went over to him, wrapping her arms around his neck as he encircled her waist, leaning down to place a quick peck against her lips.
"Hey,"
"How come you're home before me?" She asked with a raised eyebrow, playing with the strands of hair at the base of his neck.
"I was waiting for you get home,"
"Oh, really?" Nicole smirked, gently swaying side to side with him. "And why is that, cuore mio?"
"Hmmm..." He hummed, pressing his forehead to hers. "Because I have a surprise waiting for you,"
"What is that?"
"Come,"
Salvatore led her out the bedroom and down the stairs before taking her to the backyard and into the dense canopy of trees that surrounded their back of the estate. She asked a couple of times where he was taking her as he just told her to wait, just as a clearing was nearing them, her husband halted her, turning her around to blindfold her. Taking hold of her hand, he led her rest of the way, Nicole stepping over the ground carefully in fear of hurting herself.
Eventually, when the branches ended, he took off the blindfold, Nicole blinking to adjust to the brightness before seeing a lush green clearing with a small house made entirely of glass standing in the center of the circle.
"A greenhouse?" She asked in confusion, looking at the knowing smile on Salvatore's face with a raised eyebrow.
Her confusion turning to bewilderment as he dangled a key before her.
"Go on," He urged, placing the key into her hand and cocking his head in the direction of the greenhouse.
Shrugging she began making her way across the clearing, looking at the greenhouse and squinting as she noticed things inside. Not plants, no, they looked different, more colorful.
Nearing it, she realized that all the colors weren't only colors, they were paints. A gasp escaped her as her heart beat erratically, hope rising in her throat as she ran towards the entrance, unlocking the glass door before stepping inside, her mouth agape to behold the sight before her, her eyes as wide as that of a child's on the morning of Christmas who discovered Santa had come in the night.
Before her, the glass structure which looked like a greenhouse from outside was actually an art studio inside. There were tables lining three walls and shelves against one wall. A variety of canvases, papers, paints, brushes, and various other materials organized and placed neatly on everything. It was like an artist's heaven. Everything and anything she could dream of – she could think of – was all there: pens, pencils; paints in acrylics, oil, pastel, watercolors; varying brushes, papers for all the mediums and canvases, a canvas stand, every color, everything. She even had a music player in the corner with a seat and stool and a blanket as well.
Nicole covered her mouth in shock, a laugh bursting through her at the sight of it all.
"I heard artists need good lighting, so I thought what better than light from all four directions?" Salvatore's voice spoke from behind her as she turned around, a wide grin across her lips as she tackled him, the suddenness having him stumble back with a chuckle. "You like it?"
"I love it!" She exclaimed, peppering his face with kisses as he laughed at her. "I love it!"
"I'm glad you like this,"
Nicole released him going back inside to look at everything, pulling out the drawers and looking at the paints and the material, touching the brushes, her head spinning with all the variety.
"This is your little haven," Salvatore informed from the center. "No one has access to this are beside you, and no one can come in unless you wish it."
"Not even you?"
"Not even me," He confirmed. "This is your version of my music room."
"My own art studio," She gasped, clasping her hands before her, even pinching herself to ensure she wasn't dreaming.
"You can work here even in the night. There are spotlights installed in all four corners, and you don't have to worry about finding your way in the dark because I had them install lights in the forest for and ease."
"Oh, you're amazing!"
"I'm going to leave you alone with all this, and I'll give you a call when dinner is served, alright?"
"Yeah," She spoke in a daze, much too busy admiring everything as he left her to be with a grin on his face, Salvatore's heart leaping in his chest to see her so ecstatic.
"She likes it?" Tazio's voice directed his gaze up as he exited the forest, unable to help the chuckle that escaped him.
"She loved it," Salvatore shook his head with a smile, patting his shoulder. "Thank you, you did great,"
"Hey, it was your idea." Tazio raised his hand, refusing to take credit for his boss's wife's happiness. "And your money. It's all you."
A laugh escaped Salvatore at his words as the two walked towards the estate, not talking about business, rather talking about mundane things like two old friends.
He worked throughout the day with a smile on his face, getting a lot of people worried about his health as even his younger brother checked his forehead to see if he had a delirious fever to account for his happy mood. He went around, shaking hands, and smiling at the men, his eyes utterly warm as he kept sprouting appreciations throughout the day, complimenting every man that stepped inside. The mafia boss even stopped to talk to the guards, asking how their families were doing, surprising them all, but they still told him about their families and loved ones.
Salvatore insisted that Tazio, Piero, Francisco, Russo, Alberto, and Marco all join him for dinner in the dining room. They all had looked at each other uncertainly before accepting the invitation.
Once dinner was served, he gave Nicole a call, telling her that dinner was served as he insisted that they all settle down. Tazio, Piero, Russo, and Francisco sat to his left while Alberto and Marco sat to his right, leaving a chair for his wife. Taking his seat at the head of the table, he told them to dig in as Nicole would join them in a minute. Just as they had all begun eating, their boss's wife came bounding in with a streak of blue paint on her cheek, a face-splitting grin and her hair in a messy bun as she wore a white button-up over her clothes.
"You're he-" Salvatore began speaking, pushing his chair back to greet her, but being surprised by Nicole's lips on his own, everyone at the table holding back their choking to see the scene before them as they all awkwardly redirected their gaze's. Marco staring at the ceiling as Alberto beside him covered his eyes. Tazio staring at his food, with Piero putt
ing a hand to his right side, hiding them from his peripheral view, Fransisco looking at his glass with newfound fascination as Russo looked at them with a gaping mouth, turning away when Fransisco kicked him under the table.
"That was unexpected," Salvatore spoke once she finally pulled away, the grin still on her face as she removed the white shirt to show the grey high necked sweater and black skinny jeans she had on below.
Despite them having saved her a seat, she decided to sit down in Salvatore's lap, once more taking everyone by surprise as they held back their coughs and chokes. Her husband looked just as surprised as everyone else, but let out a chuckle and placed a kiss on her temple as she nibbled on the bread beside his soup.
"Hello," She greeted the men at the table, everyone giving her awkward responses in return. "I know Marco, aren't the rest high ranked officials of your Mafia, Salvatore?"
"Yeah," He nodded once he swallowed the soup. "Tazio is Uncle Romeo's son and my second-in-command." Salvatore pointed him out as he gave a wave of his hand.
"Piero is Major's son, and one of my Capos, and so are Alberto and Russo, who are Uncle Vincent's and Gun's sons respectively. Fransisco is Hulk's son and my head of Staff and training. And you obviously know Marco who is my protégé."
Nodding, she smiled at them all, asking them questions and chatting throughout dinner, everyone still a little taken aback by the fact that she was having dinner in Salvatore's lap or the first thing she did upon entering being that to kiss him.
Once they all had dinner, Nicole told Salvatore that she was heading upstairs to wash up as he nodded, allowing her to leave as they all watched her leave. The moment she was out of earshot, he whipped towards the men at the table, giving them warning glares as they all tried to suppress their snickers and laughter.
"So, bro," Marco started with a teasing smile. "Are you hard like an uncooked noodle or hard as iron?"
A roar of laughter erupted as all the men clutched at their stomachs.
"So, bro," Salvatore retaliated, shifting in his seat. "Would you rather I cut off your balls or the entire thing? Mom and dad don't have an issue with a eunuch."
The men stared at Marco with laughter bursting through them.
"Man, how did you handle her sitting in your lap for so long?" Alberto asked.
"And she kept moving, too," Tazio piped in, the men nodding as Salvatore shook his head at them.
"I honestly have no idea, but I swear my balls are turning blue," He groaned, standing from the table and leaving them to laugh a bit more.
He had just entered and hadn't even closed the door when he was pushed against it, Nicole's lips on his again. Momentarily taken aback, he regained his senses and kissed her with as much as she was.
"I loved your gift," Nicole spoke into his mouth, kissing him breathlessly as he worked on removing his blazer, followed by the tie and button-up, and never even tearing his lips from hers as she worked on unbuckling the belt. Salvatore gripped her waist and it suddenly occurred to him that she stood before him in a black lace bra and matching panties.
"Fuck, what are you doing to me woman?" He groaned as she led him towards the bed, pushing him back, forcing him to land with a bounce on the mattress, and within seconds she was on top of him again, kissing him fervently.
"This," She whispered into his mouth as she trailed her hand to the front of his slacks, unbuttoning the front as his breath hitched at the feeling of her delicate fingers sliding over the front of his boxers, the sensation having him grit his teeth.
"A thank you for giving me happiness," She murmured, connecting their lips again when she slid her hand into his boxers and grabbed him, forcing a groan out of him as he threw his head back.
Chapter XVII: Changing Seasons
The weather was beautiful; no doubt, however, the beauty of a decrease in temperature came along with Salvatore's wheezing. The outdoor cold made breathing hard on him and if she sat outside with him for an hour, he would take a shot from his inhaler every couple of minutes. The chill was tough on his lungs, she knew, but he didn't complain, as a matter of fact, he didn't say anything about it.
As the days progressed, Nicole watched her husband's condition deteriorating. His coughs sounded like there was a dessert in his lungs, and he was slowly beginning to get sick. She knew that if he just rested for a couple of days, he'd feel better, but despite telling him to take a day off, he wouldn't listen. When she realized telling him to take a break wouldn't help, Nicole devised a new method of having him stay in bed.
"You're still working," Salvatore noted when he stepped out of the walk-in closet in a shirt and trousers.
"Yeah, Christmas is hardly a week away and Jackie increased the workload before our holidays."
"I'm going to sleep," He placed a kiss on the top of her head.
"Okay," She nodded with a soft smile, watching him take off the trouser and shirt, leaving him in his boxers before he got under the covers.
His wife waited for him to fall asleep, and the moment she was certain he was content, she got up from her place, silently making her way to the closet. Grabbing a duffel bag, she removed all the dress pants, jeans, and trousers from his closet, placing them into the bag, knowing he wouldn't be able to work without any pants, and given that he was shameless enough to go work in his trousers she had to remove them as well. Tiptoeing to his bedside, she picked up the discarded trouser, adding it to the bag and slipping out the room.
"Here. Hide them as well as you can,"
"With pleasure," He grinned, giving Nicole a two-finger salute before walking away.
"Where did you go?" Salvatore's sleep ridden voice asked once she entered, having been awoken by the door closing too loudly.
"I just went to drink a glass of water," Nicole got on the bed, gently running her fingers through his hair.
"Do you still have work to get done?"
"A little,"
"Leave it," He yawned. "You can finish it tomorrow. Just come to bed,"
Chuckling at him, she placed a kiss against the tip of his nose and slipped under the covers, cuddling close to him. Salvatore pulled her flush against him, burying his face into her neck before promptly falling asleep.
Nicole awoke with a shriek when she felt someone pull her by her legs. Her eyes snapped open and winced at the brightness of the room, all the lights turned on.
"What?" She groaned, rubbing her eyes, her legs on either side of Salvatore's kneeling figure.
"Where are they?" Salvatore asked her calmly.
Pulling her hands away from her eyes, she took in the indifferent expression on his face as he asked the question.
"Where is what?"
"My pants," He clarified, Nicole's eyebrows raising at the word. "They are all gone. What did you do with them?"
"What makes you think I had anything to-?"
"-You're a horrible liar, Nicole." Her husband interjected. "And no one else has access to my bedroom beside you,"
"Our bedroom," Nicole corrected. "And I hid all your pants since you've been working so hard. You should stay home today, with me."
She looked up at Salvatore kneeling between her legs, looking at her with a raised eyebrow, amusement clear in his eyes as a smirk formed on his lips.
"I don't think anyone I've ever known has gone this far to get me out of my pants," He smirked, slowly leaning over her body as her face flushed.
"No, that's not-"
"-If you wanted me to take them off, all you had to do was ask,"
"No, I-I-I just think you could use with a break," Her voice became shrill as he leaned closer.
"Really?" Salvatore drawled, his tone clearly indicating that he didn't believe her. "Do tell me, Nicole, what do you expect me to do in 24 hours when I'm not working?"
"You could read a book," Nicole suggested meekly. "Or watch T.V, sleep all day, or cook-"
"-Or you," He threw in the suggestion.
"Or me," She agreed without thinking, her mind suddenly registering what s
he had said. "What? Wait, no! I have work!"
"So did I, but you very conveniently hid all my pants," Her husband stated nonchalantly, forcing a gasp out of Nicole when he placed his cold hands against the warmth of her sides. "So, I think you should be punished,"
"I-I-I did nothing wrong," Nicole squeaked, biting her lips when his hands traveled higher.
"Oh, are you sure about that, Gattino?"
"Y-yes-yes," Her breath came out labored, when he gently pushed the shirt off her stomach, causing her to clench when he blew cold air onto the exposed skin and eliciting a shuddered breath when he placed an open-mouthed kiss against her stomach.
"You want to tell me where my pants are?" He asked, placing tender kisses across the seam of the waistband.
"I-I don't know," She squeaked when he gently dug his teeth into her skin.
"Think a little harder, sweetheart,"
"I seriously don't know," Nicole exhaled when he began to lower her sweatpants, inch by inch, her heart drumming against her chest. "Marco hid them."
"Want to repeat that?"
"Marco hid them,"
Within the blink of an eye, he got off the bed and out the room, Nicole staring at the space above her in confusion until she heard a shriek resonate throughout the estate.
Jumping out of bed she ran down the stairs, seeing the men shaking their heads with his three Capos standing in the doorway of the dining room. Walking towards them, she couldn't help but stifle a laugh, seeing Salvatore in nothing but his boxers standing on one side with a suit-clad Marco on the other, both of them glaring at one another.
"Give me my pants," Salvatore demanded.
"What makes you think I have them?"
"Nicole is easy to break,"
"Traitor!" Marco gasped when he caught sight of his sister-in-law.
"Give me my pants, Marco!" Salvatore stated, moving towards the right when Marco moved left, the older Regnante following the action.
"No!"
"I'll call mom!"
"You wouldn't" The younger brother gasped, narrowing his eyes at his older brother.
"Oh, buddy I would." Salvatore cackled. "I'll call mom and tell her of all the things you've been doing behind her back."