Unknown Territory: Mafioso Series Book 3

by Serena Light

  Marco told her to give him some time on his own, and during that time, they finished making the cookies before Nicole eventually decided that she had waited long enough and left.

  Walking into the room, she heaved a breath to find Salvatore sitting on the bed with his knees pulled to his chest and his gaze out the window. Making her way to him, she sat on the edge of the bed and rubbed his shoulder.

  "Hey," She greeted him gently, her heart stuttering in her chest to see him wipe at his cheek. "Hey," Nicole tried to make him look at her, Salvatore struggling against her feebly before sitting with his gaze down, and tears streaking his cheeks.

  "Baby," Her throat ran dry to see the tears and moved closer to him. "Is it Alessio?" She asked, watching him shake his head and exhale shakily and scrub at his eyes.

  "It's just..." He choked and Nicole couldn't describe the pain in her chest, finding it difficult to breathe. "God, I miss her so much..." He managed out as the tears streamed down in a fresh torrent.

  Nicole didn't say anything and hugged him close, as Salvatore clutching onto her in desperation and sobbed into her shoulder, unable to pull himself together. But he didn't want to pull himself together, he didn't want to be composed for this short moment, he didn't care who saw him crying, and allowed himself this moment of weakness. She held him tightly and combed her fingers through his hair, but didn't know how long she did it for.

  Eventually, she found herself sitting with her back to the headboard and Salvatore's head on her lap as she ran her fingers through his hair, allowing him this moment of silence.

  "Can you message Tazio to clear my schedule for the day, please?" He asked her quietly as she nodded and reached for his phone, sending the message to his second-in-command.

  "Do you want something to eat?" She asked him, putting the phone away, sighing when he shook his head no.

  "Where are the kids?"

  "Aurora and Irene were having lunch downstairs and Marco was feeding the twins last I know,"

  "Could you bring the twins?"

  "Of course," Nicole placed a kiss on his temple before slipping out from beneath him as he sat up and rubbed at his eyes.

  Going into the nursery, she found Marco sitting on the couch and chuckling at the two toddlers giggling and running around.

  "Hello," She called from the doorway; all three of them looking up as the twins shrieked 'Mommy' and ran to her. "Hey there!" She giggled as the two clutched at her legs.

  "Want to go see, daddy?" She asked the two toddlers as they nodded. "I can take it from here, Marco,"

  "Okay," He nodded and stood from his place, giving his sister in law a kiss on her cheek as she chuckled at him.

  Holding the twins' hands, she led them into their bedroom, letting them run to Salvatore as he smiled down at them and lifted them both into his arms and kissed them as they blabbered about something.

  "How do you two feel about a drive?" He looked down at the toddlers. "Vroom vroom?"

  "Yes!" Marina nodded eagerly as Nicole looked at him uncertainly.

  "Okay, let daddy get changed and we'll go," He grinned and put them down, the toddlers running to the dogs as they wagged their tails.

  Nicole followed him into the walk-in closet as he went to change from his t-shirt and shorts.

  "Where are we taking them?" She asked him skeptically. "Baby, you know they'd get scared to see Serafina with that tube down her throat."

  "I know," He nodded solemnly. "I thought I'd take them to Serafina, but then they might get traumatized instead, so I'm taking them home,"

  "Home?"

  "Serafina's house. Let them have a look around and show them pictures,"

  "Won't they get confused?" Nicole asked him gently, cupping his face into her hands. "Baby, for now, we are their parents, they're just one and a half years old, any of their caretakers will be mommy or daddy to them,"

  "No, I'm daddy and you're mommy," Salvatore shook his head. "Nicole, they think we're their parents,"

  "Let them," She insisted. "They're babies, Salvatore, they don't need to know their mother is in a coma and their father is emotionally fried, they don't need that. Let Serafina get better and we'll take the twins to her, okay? They won't even remember this time when they grow up. I know it hurts, baby, but don't do this to them,"

  Salvatore sighed and hung his head, a fresh t-shirt in hand as he swallowed the lump in his throat.

  "Fine," He sighed, enveloping her hand with his own. "But we're taking them out for ice cream,"

  "We'll take them out for ice cream," Nicole nodded with a smile.

  "Tell Aurora and Irene to get ready," He cocked his head towards the doorway as his wife chuckled, leaning up and pressing her lips to his in a firm kiss. Once she pulled away from him, she was about to go and tell the girls to get ready when her husband held her back.

  "What?"

  "Happy birthday," He smiled at her, Nicole looking at him in confusion for a moment before realizing it was 11th May.

  "Oh,"

  "Today was the first time we met two years ago," He pulled her back, Nicole smiling at the memory. "And I gave you that pearl choker," He nuzzled into her neck before she pulled back.

  "It was you?" She asked in shock. "The pearl choker was a gift from you?"

  "Yes. SR: Salvatore Regnante," He looked at her in amusement. "Who did you think?"

  "Sabrina Ricci?" Nicole bit her lip uncertainly, a laugh escaping her husband at her words.

  "The Ricci's are the most miserly Mafia family out there, baby," He pulled her into himself as she shrugged. "I hope you don't mind spending your 26th with the kids?"

  "Oh, not at all," Nicole waved dismissively. "As long as it's you at night, I'm good with anything," She smirked at him, her husband raised an eyebrow at the words.

  "You have me every night, princess," He murmured, lowering to her neck to gently nibble at her neck as she clutched at his arm and shoulder.

  "Daddy!" A voice shrieked, both of them pulling apart with a jump as the little boy came running and clung onto his leg. "Let's go vroom vroom!"

  "Yes, yes, we will go," Salvatore chuckled, letting go of Nicole to pick him up into his arms and nodding for her to get the girls. "We will go vroom vroom with Rora and Reen, and get ice cream!"

  "Ice cream!" The toddler clapped in delight, wriggling out of his hold. "Mina, ice cream!" He ran out of the closet as Salvatore stood with his hands on his hips, chuckling at the toddlers before he turned to get dressed.

  Chapter XLI: Charity Gala

  The warmth of the sun wasn't too harsh to stay indoors, and a slight chill loomed in the air with the gentle breeze that caressed the leaves on the tree. Salvatore sat on one of the garden chairs, his blazer draped over the back as he sat leaning forward, lost in thought. Across from him was his elder brother, Arsenio, a finger to his temple in contemplation and looking between them at the marble and steel chest set the latter had gifted the former on his 29th birthday.

  His hand hovered over the chessboard, looking around at his possible moves before Salvatore took hold of his rook and moved it across the board to be in place of Arsenio's knight.

  "Check," The mafia boss stated and put the white tile to the side.

  "I found you," The voice had Salvatore look up before a smile split across his face to see his wife making her way to him, dressed in a plain white loose-fitted A-line dress with butterfly sleeves, her attire matched with brown lace-up gladiator sandals that wound up to her knee.

  "And I found you," He chuckled before standing up to greet her with a hug and a kiss on her cheek. "You're back early," Her husband noted as he retook his seat and settled her on his lap.

  "Yeah, we decided we didn't like anything and ended up having a Slurpee before coming home,"

  "Where is Angelica?" Arsenio asked from across them as he moved his pawn one place ahead.

  "Here I am," Her voice called from above him as she wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed his cheek, her husband smiling up at her. "
Where are the kids?"

  "Playing with the dogs," Both men spoke up as they didn't tear away their gaze from the board. "They want to see if anyone can beat Hades in a race,"

  Nicole chuckled from her place on his lap, resting her head on her husband's shoulder and looking at the chess pieces, opening her mouth with a thought before closing it. A minute later, both of them reached out for the bishop on the board, looking at one another.

  "My game," Salvatore smirked.

  "The same move," Nicole retorted with a face, her husband chuckling before making the move, nodding for Arsenio to make his turn.

  The game went on in silence for a while, Angelica having decided to go inside and prepare something for lunch, while Nicole decided to stay seated on her husband's lap, watching their game unfold.

  "Sir," Tazio's voice redirected their gaze up to him, Nicole having to shield her eyes from the sun. "Sorry to disturb, sir, but there are some matters I'd like to discuss with you,"

  "Mafia or business?" Salvatore inquired as he captured Arsenio's queen, the older man hissing in frustration.

  "Mafia, sir," His second-in-command looked at the brother and wife before looking back at his boss.

  "Well, then, go on," He waved dismissively, reveling in his inevitable victory.

  "Sir, but your-"

  "-There is nothing to hide from them,"

  "We-well in that case," Tazio cleared his throat as Arsenio looked at his younger brother from over his stapled fingers, surprised that he was fine with them hearing this. "Mr. Donatello would like to arrange a meeting with you to discuss a possible pol-"

  "-Political merger for Marco, I know," The Mafia boss cut him short. "Tell him the answer is no,"

  "Also, Mrs. Alfonsi was hoping to invite you to lunch-"

  "-What? So, she can try and seduce money out of me?" He chuckled, Nicole looking at her husband with a raised eyebrow at the words. "Inform her I'll have a representative meet with her,"

  "And, sir...the matter of the...man..."

  "Who double-crossed me, yes? What news do you bring?"

  "Well, sir...no luck on that front, the men are insisting that the commander be changed,"

  "Hmm..." Salvatore hummed in thought. "Alessio is out of the question, Marco is at the hospital, Arsenio isn't in the Mafia, dad has retired, Piero is off duty, and I don't want to lead this search party."

  "You take over," The Mafia boss waved dismissively, grunting when he lost his remaining bishop.

  "M-me?!" Tazio spluttered incoherently.

  "It's high time I place some trust in you, don't you think, Tazio?" He looked up at him with an amused smile, his eyes most likely just as beguiled behind his glasses. "Are we done?"

  "These...these letters came in for you today," He handed a stack of letters to his boss, watching as he took them and held them out to his wife, Nicole raising an eyebrow before taking them uncertainly.

  "Dismissed,"

  With that, his second in command bowed and walked away.

  "Checkmate," Salvatore grinned as Arsenio stared in shock at the board and spluttering incoherently as his younger brother chuckled at his expression.

  "Cheater,"

  "Hey, I won," He shrugged. "You're a sore loser."

  Arsenio muttered under his breath as he fixed the pieces on the board, glaring at his brother every once in a while.

  "Do you want me to hold onto them?" Nicole asked about the letters in her hand.

  "No, read them and tell me what they're about,"

  "You want me, to read official mafia letters?" She looked at him in surprise.

  "They are mostly invitations; contracts come by the hand of messenger's. Just read and tell me what they're about,"

  "If you say so..." His wife trailed uncertainly and opened the first letter, telling him it was a lunch invite from Rolls Royce and another being a social gathering hosted by the senator, both of which Salvatore said he'd think about. Then there was one for dinner and one for a ball, as well as an exhibition, and another social gathering before she reached the last one. "Oh! We have to go to this one!" She looked up at her husband.

  "It's a charity gala," Nicole insisted.

  "What are they raising money for?"

  "The Goodgrace Orphanage," She skimmed through the text, noticing the hesitant expression on her husband's face. "Oh! Please! I've always wanted to go to a charity gala! And it's for a good cause, God will be happy,"

  "I kill people for a living, Nicole," Her husband chuckled. "God wants nothing to do with me,"

  "You never know, maybe you can atone for your sins,"

  "Very unlikely,"

  "Please! Please, let's go!"

  "Who's going to look after the kids while we're gone, huh?"

  "I can," Arsenio spoke up before Nicole could say anything. "Angelica and I don't mind looking after them, and besides, we don't have a hospital shift until Tuesday,"

  The couple looked at the eldest of the Regnante siblings before Nicole grinned down at her husband, expectantly waiting for him to say something.

  "But Nicole," Her husband took the letter from her hand. "It's on Sunday,"

  "This can be our couple activity of the day," She grinned at him.

  "Fine," He grumbled in distaste, his wife squealing and placing a wet kiss on his cheek. "But only because you wanted this. Next Sunday we do what I want,"

  "Agreed," She sprung up with delight and began making her way back inside, Salvatore watching her from over his shoulder.

  "Oh, boy, she's got you wrapped around her finger," His elder brother chuckled as he was packing things up.

  "Shut up," The younger one rolled his eyes behind his glasses, not denying it.

  On Sunday, Nicole had been over the moon with her joy, finally being able to go to a charity gala, that too with her own husband. A part of her was hoping to see people that she knew, just so that she could smile at them and introduce the one and only Salvatore Regnante as her hubby.

  A giggle escaped her at the giddy thought as she looked at herself in the mirror one last time.

  She wore an elegant black maxi off shoulder sweetheart-neckline dress with a slit leg up to her thigh. Her hair had been pulled up into a bun at the back of her head with a few strands left out to frame her face, and her makeup was artistically done to be light and neutral. But the center of attraction was her jewelry. Nicole wore a diamond an emerald set whose necklace had tear-shaped emeralds hanging from every link with the largest one resting just above the dip of her neckline, and earrings to match.

  "Do we have to go?" Her husband's voice groaned from behind her, smitten by her looks. "Can't I just send a cheque and we stay home?"

  Turning around, Nicole smiled at her husband, seeing him standing in a charcoal grey three-piece pinstripe suit with a double-breasted waistcoat and black tie with a matching pocket square. She had to admit, he looked ravishing.

  "No, we can't stay home," His wife made her way to him as he hadn't torn his gaze away from her, watching her dust the shoulder of his already immaculate suit.

  "Why not?"

  "Because if we stay home, how could I ever show you off as my husband?" Nicole murmured, leaning up to touch her lips to his.

  "Ah, and just two days ago you were talking about how this is for a good cause and "atoning for past sins"," Her husband quoted her against her lips, grabbing her wrist and turning them around, having her pinned against the doorway. "You're such a bad, bad, girl,"

  "Only for you," Nicole smirked, kissing him softly. "You love challenges,"

  I love you more, he thought to himself silently, cupping her face into his hands to kiss her properly, but the sound of their bedroom opening had him pull away.

  "Aye! Lovebirds," Marco's voice called from their room, causing Salvatore to groan as Nicole rolled her eyes. "Let's go!"

  "That boy, I swear to God, will die at my hands," The Mafia boss disgruntled before fixing his appearance, Nicole doing the same before they went off to the venue.

&n
bsp; The venue was bedazzling and the people more so. Everyone dressed to their best. They hadn't even taken two steps inside when a couple of men recognized the Mafia Boss and greeted him with bowed heads, inquiring about his well-being.

  "Oh! Who's this beautiful duchess with you, sir?" One of the men purred and took her hand to kiss the back of it.

  "My wife," Salvatore informed curtly, the man instantly letting go of Nicole as if though she had just burnt him, panic rising in his throat to see the cold glare directed his way.

  "Mrs. Regnante!" The man bubbled hysterically. "It's a pleasure to meet you, ma'am,"

  "Pleasure's all mine," She smiled as he chuckled uneasily, excusing himself before disappearing into the crowd.

  They met a few of Salvatore's business associates before a guy came over to Nicole, tapping her on her shoulder as she turned around.

  "Oh my! It is actually Nicole Lombardi!" He laughed in joy and hugged her tight, letting out an undignified sound when he was pulled away. "Hey! What's the matter with you-?" He looked up at Salvatore, his eyes widening to see the Regnante Mafia Boss standing before him.

  "Touch her again, and I'll show you exactly what's worse than death," He told him calmly, the man spluttering incoherently.

  "He's joking," Nicole chuckled from beside her husband.

  "I'm not," He retorted, glaring at the man.

  "This is my husband, Salvatore," His wife continued as if though he hadn't said that, but the person before them thought otherwise.

  "S-since...since when?" He shrieked.

  "Oh, it's been..." Nicole looked up at Salvatore for an answer.

  "2 years now,"