Belladonna (Billionaire Boys Club #1)

Chapter 43

Lucas:

"Come here, amore mio." Mamma says to me when I walk into her sitting room.

I sit beside her and watch as she puts away the book she was reading, laying the blanket over my legs and running a hand through my hair when I lean back onto the sofa, closing my eyes.

"Are you feeling okay, bambino?" She asks.

"Mhm." I hum.

"Are you sure?"

"I'm fine, mamma."

"And everything has been well? Nothing new? Nothing exciting or interesting has happened lately?"

My brows scrunch in confusion but my emotions are temporarily clouded by the nice feeling of the head massage my mother is giving to me.

"Not really."

"I see." She sighs. "So, you no longer wish to share things with me?"

"What?" I open my eyes and look at her.

"It's okay. I guess I should have expected it. You are no longer a baby who wants to tell his mamma everything."

"What are you talking about?"

Her grip on my hair turns painful as she pulls on it. "I'm talking about the fact that you like Madelaina."

"Mamma!" I hiss, hand going to my head.

She eases up and crosses her arms over her chest.

"You do. Don't you?"

"I-"

"And don't lie. You cannot lie to me."

I slump back into the sofa and stare at the ceiling. "I...do."

She gasps and seats my chest. "I knew it! Why didn't you tell me?"

"Because i didn't even know until a week ago."

"A week?" She exclaims.

"I'm sorry. I just didn't- I've never liked anyone before. At least...not like this."

"Oh, bambino. You are such a boy." She shakes her head.

"What?"

"Nothing. Anyway, tell me now." She smiles. "Tell me everything."

"Mamma." I groan.

"You have kept this from me for a week, Lucas. A week. And you call yourself my son." She scoffs.

"Okay, okay, fine."

I tell her all of it. From how she intrigued me since the start. How as we began to spend more time together, I grew more fixated. Everything leading up to now. Apart from a few minute details, of course. Like yesterday's kiss.

My mother squeals like a teenage girl as she listens to me practically go on and on about how fucking obsessed I am.

If Angel saw me right now, he would have nothing but pleasure out of telling me how pathetic I am. Hell, if I saw myself I would be banging my head against a fucking wall.

"Oh, I love that girl. She is beautiful and smart and strong. She will be a wonderful daughter-in-law."

My eyes widen. "Mamma! I'm not getting fucking married right now."

"Language," she scolds and I roll my eyes. "And why not? I'm getting old, now. I want to hold my grandchildren before I get buried beneath a pile of dirt and animal fences, thank you very much."

"You're thirty-eight!"

"Exactly. Who knows how long I may have left? I may look twenty but I sit, read books and debate whether we should add more plants to the house, all day. I'm withering, amore mio."

Jesus Christ, this woman is dramatic.

"You're not withering and I'm not getting married, mamma."

"But you will."

"Not now."

"Oh, but you would look so handsome. Madelaina would look so gorgeous and the babies you will have will be just as beautiful-"

"Oh my fucking god, I'm not getting married, ma! Besodes, I don't even know if she likes me back." I sigh out that last part. Although, the way she kissed me yesterday would beg to differ. But, that is only if that wasn't just physical attraction on her part.

At least I know I still have that going.

Fuck me with a chainsaw.

"Fine, fine. No marriage." She relents. "But you do like her?"

"Did the ten minutes of me talking at you about her not clear up any confusion?"

She rolls her eyes and swats my shoulder. "You know, I really don't know where you get this snarky attitude from. It certainly was not from me."

"Of course not. Nonna was always just talking about her other daughter named Verona in all of those stories."

"Hush, you. Do not argue with your mamma."

I let out a laugh and let a smile Grace my lips.

She places a hand on my cheek and strokes it. "Now, do you want me to help?"

"Help?"

"Of course. Me and Mattea have been planning for you two to get together since the ball." She says as if it was obvious.

"You what?"

"Don't act all surprised."

"I am surprised."

"Come now. Ever since we were introduced and told each other about our families, we knew that there would be a time you would meet. And just as we hoped, you have grown to like one another."

What the actual fuck?

"Wait, wait, wait. So you're saying you planned this?"

"Well, not necessarily." She amends. "It was more a hope than anything else. But, when we saw you come home from when you were out, we asked you to prepare dinner to drive you further together. A little nudge, really. You two did everything else. A five percent to a ninety-five."

Again. What the actual fuck?

"Comunque, I will ask Mattea if she has noticed anything and then we will go from there."

"Wait, what?"

"Don't worry."

"What do you me-"

"Oh, I cannot wait for this to happen." She stands and begins to walk towards the door.

"Mamma!"

"Ti amo, tesoro!" She shouts as she leaves.

"What just-?" I look around the room as if there is an imaginary audience or person that can tell me the answer of what the fuck just occurred here.

Alas, there is nobody. Just me, wondering what my insane mother is going to do with the information she now possesses.

And since I have nothing else to do with my day, I take out the bottle of wine that she keeps in a hidden little mini fridge by the fireplace and drink straight from the rim.