Italian Mafia Romance

chapter 14

I held my arm around her as Ava sobbed on the bed.
"Antonio I am so sorry for what my father did to your mother."
"Don't apologize for your father's actions. You couldn't have known." 
"Yeah true. ugh I should probably pack." She took a deep breath before standing up. 
"Hey wait… we can stay here one more night. If you want." I told her. 
"No, I want to see your place. And besides now that Dante knows my hotel room, I don't exactly feel safe here anymore." she said moving towards the dresser. 
I got up to help her. I handed her clothes as she piled them into her suitcase. She moved towards the bathroom and grabbed her things. we finished packing and moved down to the lobby. she walked towards the front desk and asked to be checked out. 
"And what card to you want to pay this on?" the receptionist asked. 
"Mine please." I said handing him my card. He took the card and rang it up. 
"Is that all for you miss?" he asked her in a very heavy Italian accent.
"Yes, thank you." she said then we both walked out. 
We drove towards my house, speeding through the coastal areas. 
"I know there was something you wanted to show me. what was it?" 
"it's not here. After we meet with Gaia we can go somewhere if you want."
"Like a date?"
"yeah like a date. I know of a great place. it's my favorite hide out. you'll love it." 
"Any day with you is my favorite." I glanced at her from the driver's side. it was then that I realized I am completley in love with her. We drove up to the front gate of my house. 
"well welcome to my humble home." I've always wanted to say that. 
"Holy crap this is huge. I have never seen a house this big." I stopped the car in front of the doors and got out and opened her door. I could tell she was fascinated with my house. 
I smiled at her as I grabbed her bags. 
"They don't have houses like these in California?" I asked her
"Not like this. I mean my house is good sized but… This is bigger."
"Just wait until you see the rest of the house. want the grand tour?" I showed her the rest of the house starting with the back. 
"WOW!!!" was all she could say as we stepped on the balcony. we stood there for some time 
"I can't help but think about what my father did."
"yeah I know. I just wish you didn't have to know. It isn't fair to you." 
"What's not fair is your mother is gone because of my father. Maybe this is the life for him."
"No, that is not true. your father is not should not be a mobster. He got out one day and he can do it again. Or maybe we get him to change his mind. get him on our side against Dante." 
"Do you have an idea on how? you heard him  he is standing behind Dante. He isn't willing to change his mind." 
"People can change right? maybe he will." 

"Antonio, I know my father he won't change his mind." 
"Let's go. I have lots more to show you." I told her walking back inside. She followed me inside and I watched as her eyes went wide. 
"This is your kitchen?" She asked awestruck. 
"My favorite room." We then reached the staircase. 
"Up here are the bedrooms." we walked up the stairs towards my room. 
"Holy crap! How is this a bathroom? it's so big!" 
"hahaha yeah but just wait." 
"behold my room." I said as I opened my door. Ava's mouth fell opened at the size of my room. 
"OMG seriously!!!!" I laughed at her reaction.
"I take it you  don't want to go back to the hotel?" I jokingly asked her. She giggled as she walked around my room.
"No. Don't get me wrong the hotel was nice but this beats everything. so Does your brothers have houses like this?" she asked me. 
"Kinda. Mostly much more than this but they live and breathe big." I sat on my bed and watched as she explored every inch of the room.
"If you want you could unpack everything and make yourself at home." I offered. she moved to her suitcase and opened it up unpacking everything.  
After a while of watching Ava my phone peeped indictating a text message. 
"hey Antonio it's me Gaia. I was wondering if we are still meeting up tomorrow. let me know, thanks." the text read. I quickly messaged back.
"Yes, we are still meeting up. I am bringing my girlfriend with me. She's a really nice girl, you'll like her." I sent the message and brought my attention back to Ava.
"Who was that?" she asked me.
"that was Gaia. She was checking to see if we were still meeting up tomorrow." I told her. My phone peeped indicating another message. 
"Great, I look forward to meeting her."  After she finished unpacking we headed downstairs. 
"So what do you want to eat?" I asked her 
"How about wine. I don't feel very hungry yet." 
"How about a merlot?" She shook her head. I poured us a glass and walked towards the back doors. I handed her her glass and we walked out onto the patio. 
"So I have been wondering what theme you want your club to be." she said after a while.
"Intimate. I want it to be a place where you can relax, dance if you want but just relax and be yourself. But at the same time I kind of want it to be like the club we met at." I turned around to face her. 
"Ava, you have been my inspiration, my rock. I just wanted to thank you."
"Antonio, you're the one that made it happen. I just put the thought in your head." 
"well nothing has happened yet but right now we have to think on what we're going to say to Gaia." 
"the same thing we told your brother.the same offer"
"the same thing we told your brother and the same offer." she told me. 
"sounds easy enough doesn't it?" I don't know why I'm so nervous. 
"Can I ask what she was messaging you?" 
"she wanted to confirm we were still meeting. and when I said I was bringing you with me she said she couldn't wait to meet you." Ava smiled brightly.
The sky turned into night with just a little color left from the sunset. Ava turned her head towards the sky and gasped.
"beautiful." she said lightly. 
"Yes you are." I told her. she glanced in my direction with the most beautiful smile. My smile. 
I leaned in to kiss her but she beat me to it. She kissed me passionately. I pulled back out of breath. 
"we should go in. we've got a busy day tomorrow." I told her. we walked inside and up the stairs into my bedroom. she grabbed her pajamas and walked into the bathroom to change. She came back wearing a sheer nightgown. My eyes went wide. 
"What? Does this look ok?" She asked. I nodded my head absolutely speechless. She climbed into bed and curled up next to me. I pulled my arm around her and we laid there enjoying each other's company in silence. After a while we slept peacefully and contently.