Names

Adelaide

---

He pulled away from me and all the warmth I had savoured in his embrace dissipated and I was left with only cold air.

He pushed passed Romano and disappeared around the corner. I let out a breath I didn't know I was holding.

"Seconds?" I asked, feebly holding up my empty bowl.

---

Romano held a stoic expression as he made his way back over to the oven where the pasta had been left to keep warm. He dished some into my bowl and some for himself. When he turned back around, he was grinning like a mad man.

"It is a good thing that you said no, cavolo." He purred.

I furrowed my brows and looked up at him. "Why?"

He let out a small laugh and leaned over the kitchen island, closer to where I was sitting.

"Because, carota, I don't allow people in the same team date. It isn't professional. I only have one exception."

His dark eyes pierced through my green and held me captive.

"What's the exception?"

My heart fluttered in my chest.

"A relationship with me of course."

I leaned closer to Romano,

"Isn't that a little hypocritical? What do your employees think about that?" My voice was quiet and sensual, pulling him in.

"I don't care what they think, fagiolo verde, I am the boss and I make the rules. In your time here, I think it would be best if you followed the rules, no?"

(Translation: Green bean)

A green bean?

I've had carrot, cabbage and even a potato, but now I'm a goddamn green bean?

I reached out to him, placing my hand on the back of his head and leaning forward. I lowered my voice and whispered in his ear, "I think I have told you before Mr Acerbi, that I would prefer it if you called me by my name and not by whatever vegetable pops into your head first."

He threw his head back, letting out a hearty laugh. The kind that resonates in your chest and leaves you feeling warm inside.

"Are you finished with your food, Addy? " I nodded as a response, ignoring the nickname he had picked up from Jamie.

"Then come, I will lead you back to your room. It's been a long day, no?"

He walked around the kitchen island and wrapped his arm around my shoulders, leading me from room to room and giving me a small introduction to each room we passed. I breathed a sigh of relief when we reached my room. I really needed to sleep.

"I will come and get you at 9 AM and take you to meet the rest of the team. I have ordered some more clothes for you and they will arrive at about 7 in the morning." He informed me as I walked back into the familiar room.

"Oh and Adelaide?"

I turned around to face him.

"You can keep my shirt but I'll need the boxers back."

With that, he turned around and shut the door behind him.

---

A soft knock on my door woke me up the next morning and I groggily made my way over to the sound. I was greeted by a tall dark-haired lady with a few boxes in her hands. She had her eyes averted and her head down. I could see little beads of sweat starting to collect on her forehead, visible due to her hair sleek ponytail.

"I've brought your clothes ma'am." She stammered out, looking everywhere but my face.

I didn't say anything, she was scared shitless and I didn't want to make it any worse. I moved out of the way, letting her past me and place the boxes on my unkempt bed.

I kept my mouth shut, watching her put the clothes in my closet, not wanting to scare her more than I already had and trudged to the bathroom to wash my face and wake myself up.

I splashed the cool water on my face, savouring the way that the water dripped down my neck. I puled out a toothbrush and brushed my teeth. When I walked back outside, the woman was gone and my closet was full.

He went all out.

On one side of the closet were normal clothes that anyone would wear with jeans, shirts, undergarments and some pairs of leggings. On the other side were things that one would wear on an undercover mission. Fancy dresses, jumpsuits and holsters that I could strap on my body. The drawers concealed a grand selection of knives and small guns.

Perfect.

If there was one thing that this wardrobe was missing, it would be hoodies. I usually wore them on missions where a dress code wasn't compulsory simply because I found them easy to move in and I could conceal various weapons under the baggy fabric. My hidden blades had gotten me out of a lot of sticky situations and I was forever thankful for that.

I'll bring it up to Romano, I thought to myself before mulling over what I should wear for the day.

I decided to keep it simple with a pair of baggy blue jeans and a deep red loose t-shirt. I strapped a knife to my stomach and made my way downstairs.

I found the kitchen easily, remembering the path I took last night and when I made it there, it was empty. No food. No people. No nothing.

Damn.

I was hoping to meet someone else before having to introduce myself to the team I was going to be working with. I made my way over to the fridge to see if there was anything that I could make until I spotted a box of frosted flakes and decided to make cereal like the culinary master I was.

I sat down on one of the stools at the kitchen island and slowly devoured the food I had prepared.

When I finished eating, I washed up my bowl and thought about exploring the house some more before I decided against it. Even though I would be living here it still felt wrong to snoop around.

For an assassin, I'm pretty considerate.

I made it back up to my bedroom a little deflated by my failure to meet anyone in the kitchen. I spent some time struggling to move the heavy wooden chair so that it would face the window and I could relax looking at the view of the densely wooded area that this mansion was immersed in. I plopped myself down in the chair, breathing out a sigh of relief and simply did nothing but think and breathe.

The silence engulfed me.

Two hours later, Romano's knuckles finally rasped on my door, jolting me out my deep thinking session.

"Buongiorno carota, how did you sleep?" He asked, making his way over to me and putting his hands on the top of the chair, gazing out of the window.

(Translation: Good morning carrot)

"I slept like a rock. And you?"

"Rock? Is the bed too hard, cavolo? I can change you to another room if you're uncomfortable." His face was shrouded in worry, making me giggle that he didn't understand the common phrase.

"The bed is perfect Romano. Don't worry your pretty little head about that." I pat his head for effect before continuing, "Aren't we going to meet the rest of the team today?"

Romano pulled a face and briskly walked by me to get to the bathroom.

I sighed and sat on top of the desk, waiting for him to finish. When he emerged from the bathroom, he looked the same except for the fact that his lips were jutted out, forming a pout. Just like a child would do. How is this guy a mafia don?

"Done styling your hair?"

His hand instinctively went back up to his hair, "You ruined it."

I rolled my eyes. He looked the same, I hardly changed anything. Deciding this wasn't worth my time to bicker over, I simply gave in.

"Your hair looks great Romano, as usual. Can we go meet the rest of the team now? I'm sure we're late already."

He gave me a lopsided grin and as a response, and my heart swelled. I was the one that put that smile there. The more time I spend looking at his face, the more I realized how truly flawless it was.

"Don't worry carota, I am the boss here meaning that I could get away with murder and nobody would bat an eyelash. Literally."

I rolled my eyes. This guy is something else.

I followed him through the entranceway and down a labyrinth of hallways and rooms before I realized that we were heading downwards.

"Romano?"

"Si, fagiolo verde?"

(Translation: Yes, green bean?)

He opened a door that concealed a winding staircase going downwards. I looked over at him warily, hesitating to go down the steps, "Are we going to a secret bunker so you can kill me in peace?"

"Trust me porro, if I had wanted to kill you, you would be six feet under by now." He gently pressed his palm into the small of my back but I didn't budge.

(Translation: Leek)

"I don't trust you, mafia man, lead the way," I remarked, narrowing my eyes and nudging him forward by the small of his back.

He chuckled but didn't argue.

After a minute of silence, Romano turned around to look at me, making me almost crash into him. Almost.

"Mafia man?"

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