She Who Belongs to Nikolai

Chapter Twenty - Three

T W E N T Y - T H R E E

[UNEDITED!]

Nikolai was losing his mind. He hadn't slept well the night before without his beauty by his side. It was nice to be surrounded by his family but he missed his beauty. Waking up without her by his side set his mood off and his family could tell as he trailed down the stairs to the dining room sitting in the corner by himself staring at his phone.

"Nikolai," His mother called from beside his father, all of them gazing at him.

"Hm?" He looked up from his phone to see his mother shaking her head at him.

"Can you tune it with us for a bit, child." His father chuckled, Nikolai sighed and placed his phone away.

He tried. He really tried his best to have a conversation with his family but none of them held his interest long enough and he was back to fiddling with his food wanting to leave already. He loved his family he really did, but he's spent his whole life with them and when he finally found a woman he truly loved he didn't want to let her go.

"Did Iniya tell you about her trip to Sicily?" His grandmother asked peaking his interest. Nikolai looked up from his plate nodding his head.

"She had told me you were the one who taught her the recipes." He smiled softly at his grandmother.

"She caught on fast, there was no need for teaching the girl took one look at me making it and already memorized every step." Clarissa smiled.

"And I had the honor of being a test taster." Giovanni quipped beside his wife, "Filled my stomach till I couldn't eat anymore." He chuckled.

"We had taken her to the house, and there I found her love of plants, not only is she a great chef but the girl has a gift for planting, my garden has never looked more alive than when she was there." Clarissa laughed lightly, "You know me, I dreamt of having my own garden but instead of being born with a green thumb I've got one that kills." Nikolai chuckled shaking his head.

"Is she joining us for dinner tonight?" Nikolai shook his head.

"Unfortunately no," He said, "Her and her brothers have a surprise for their father tonight."

"And you don't want to join them?"

"I was, but I also want to spend time with you guys." He smiled at his grandparents.

"Nonsense, you go ahead and spend the night with your lover." Clarissa said.

"Besides son we can all see you aren't paying to anything going around here." Giovanni chuckled tilting his head to their family who were listening to them the entire time. "Iniya is an incredible girl don't disappoint me by letting her go, Nikolai."

"I have no plans of letting her go in this lifetime or the next." He stated strongly, "She is the only woman for me and I'm glad that you and Nan love her as much as I do."

"I better not see you here tonight, Nikolai." His grandmother gave him a teasing smile, "Iniya Valesco has a nice ring to it doesn't it, amore?"

"I agree, mi regina." Giovanni winked at his grandson who stared at them with a baffled expression, "Maybe the next time we visit the states they'll be a bambino running around." Nikolai groaned getting out of his seat.

"That's if she already isn't...." He muttered shaking his head. "Mom I'm going to pick some roses from the garden." He notified his mother who was bouncing Kaden in her arms.

"Alright, pick as much as you want." She smiled waving him off. Nikolai left the dining room leaving his family staring at him with their jaws on the floor, baffled expressions on their faces.