10 Book 1 : Chapter 10 The Lorens

October 11th

As we approached the door, Leonardo slipped his hand into mine. I tried to retract away, but he only squeezed painfully tight and pulled me closer to him.

"Behave," he hissed.

A second, the large door opened and the warm glow of lights fell onto us.

We faced a woman, not old but not young either, with a friendly expression and floral apron.

She radiated warm and good energy and as she looked from Leonardo to me, she began frantically brushing the flour off her apron.

"Leo! Some warning would have been nice!" She exclaimed now tidying the wisps of hair that escaped her bun, "it's not every day I meet my eldest son's mate."

She then turned to me, "you must be Ella."

I smiled nervously before she pulled me into a tight embrace, "it's so lovely to meet you."

Her eyes were soft. Her skin a subtle olive colour and her smile, genuine and beaming.

"I'm Leonardo's mother," she said before a steely man came from within the house and joined her at the door.