Undressed By The Mafia God novel Chapter 23

Chapter 23: He Provokes Me On Purpose

Nonnina clicked her tongue and swatted the back of his head lightly. "Always with the dramatics. You kill family, you rot from the inside. That’s the rule."

"He provokes me on purpose."

"Of course he does," she said, unfazed. "He’s jealous and bored. Dangerous combination."

Luca stared at his plate without touching it. His appetite had vanished, replaced by the slow churn of thoughts he didn’t like examining. His wife. Bianca. Julian’s words hit too close to the bone, scraping at guilt Luca preferred to keep locked away. He had married out of duty, yes, but abandonment still left a stain.

And now there was another woman. One he’d bought. One he couldn’t stop thinking about.

"You look distracted," Nonnina said gently, reading him like she always had.

"I’m fine." Luca picked up his fork at last, though his mind was far from the food. Veronica’s fire flashed behind his eyes. The way she fought. The way she hated him.

Luca’s phone pinged softly against the dining table. He glanced at the screen without much thought at first, fork still in hand.

Then he saw the image of Veronica as Cassidy opened the car door for her. Her body angled toward him in a way Luca did not like one bit.

He stared at the picture, the muscles in his face going rigid. The dress she wore was shorter than he liked.

He typed his response.

’Stay on her. Keep me updated. Let me know as soon as she gets back home.’

He locked the phone and placed it face down, forcing himself to pick up his fork again.

He chewed mechanically. He had told her to get her affairs in order. He meant it. He was not cruel enough to deny her closure. Or was he? Honestly, he had no idea the height of his cruelty anymore.

Nonnina hovered nearby, arranging dishes, watching him from the corner of her eye. She had raised Luca long enough to read the subtle signs. The stillness. The way his shoulders remained squared even while seated.

"You barely touched your food," she said at last, pouring him a glass of juice and setting it down in front of him.

"Not hungry."

"Liar," Nonnina replied calmly.

"Nonni," he started, then stopped. He exhaled slowly. "I’m going to be having a house guest for a few days while I prepare where she will be staying."

"She?" she echoed.

"Yes," Luca answered shortly, hoping the clipped tone would end it there. He took a sip of juice, eyes fixed forward, already bracing for impact.

"She," Nonnina repeated again.

Luca set the glass down with care. "It’s temporary."

"Who is she to you?"

Luca exhaled slowly through his nose, already regretting the conversation. With Nonnina, there was no such thing as breezing past anything.

"A business sort of thing," Luca said.

"You never bring work home," she said simply, stating a fact carved from years of observation.

Luca shifted in his seat. "It’s not work work," he clarified. "It’s...personal business. Just for a few days. And she will be gone."

"You want any arrangements made for her?" she asked.

He nodded. "Yes. Get her a personal attendant. She should have access to whatever she needs. I’ll give you a card to give to her. If and when she needs it." He paused briefly, then added, "She can choose whichever car she wants from the garage. Driver on standby if she prefers."

The list came out smoothly.

Nonnina’s eyebrow lifted slowly. "You sound like a man setting up a kept woman," she said dryly. "Or a mistress."

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