Assigned to Her [Mafioso Book#4]

Chapter XXVII: Brother's Keeper

Hey everyone! So I am officially back after my sudden disappearance - sorry about that - but this is the chapter that happens directly after the last chapter's events. It needs editing, so forgive any mistakes you come across. Hope you all like it! Comment and let me know what you think!

***

The Mafia Boss stood glaring at the wooden structure of his office doors. Standing with them shut in his face and the smell of their polish lingering in the air, the sound of muffled chatter reaching him, knowing that his parents were comforting Marco – no, Aleksander – on the other side. Inhaling deeply, he swiveled on his heels and marched out of the east wing, dismissing his guards with a flick of his wrist when they began to follow.

Taking the marble stairs two at a time, he could hear his blood rushing through his skull with his lungs tightening in his chest. Heat flooding him as he gritted his teeth against it.

Making his way onto the third landing, he walked past the open bedroom door where his children sat playing and made his way directly into the room, slamming the door shut behind him as the sound had both the dogs jump up and yap at the violence of the gesture. The sound forcing Nicole to run out of the closet with a hand on her chest and face ashen.

"Dio mio," His wife exhaled at the sight of him. "What was that for?"

The words never registered in Salvatore's conscious. His eyes roaming over the immaculate condition of his bedroom. The bed made with the lounge before him set like a catalog, the flowers of the week blooming in the crystal vase before him. Curtains were drawn open to let some winter sunlight in, bathing the dogs in a warm glow, with the white noise of the TV in the extended lounge humming through the interior. Curling and unfurling his fingers, Salvatore glared at everything before him, chest heaving with the restraint of keeping his breath even, jaw clenched tight and teeth grinding in his skull, face warm and shoulders trembling.

"Salvatore," Nicole called out to him hesitantly, shuffling in her place, not sure if she should walk to him or not. Unable to decipher his current emotional state. "Baby,"

No soon had the word escaped her lips, Nicole noticed the sudden surge of energy in his movement as he kicked the oval coffee table before him. His wife instinctively protecting herself by bringing her arms to cover her head as the wooden structure got thrown back and into the couch, sending both things askew with the crystal vase shattering to the floor, water dampening the wooden flooring.

That wasn't enough for Salvatore, and with an animalistic roar, he upturned the ottoman before their bed, kicking it away as both the dogs barked at his hostility, jumping on the bed and getting out of his way.

"Salvatore!" Nicole called out in panic, rushing forward when he gripped at his hair and let out an anguished scream. "Salvatore," His wife gasped and took hold of his face, wiping away the tears and looking at him with nothing but love in her eyes.

"Baby, what's wrong?"

"It's not fair," Salvatore's voice cracked and he shook his head. "It's not fair,"

"What? What isn't fair?" She asked, leading him towards the bed and settling him on the edge of the bed, allowing him to pull her to him as she straddled his lap, wrapping her arms around his head and cradling him against her chest.

"Did you hear that?" Victoria looked up from her toys.

"What?" Demetrio tore his gaze from the Ken doll in his hand.

"Someone screaming,"

"Screaming?"

"It came from mom and dad's room," She staggered to her feet, Demetrio hot at her heels as they crossed the hallway and his elder sister opened their parent's bedroom door, stepping in to gasp at the condition of the interior.