Damiano

I stand in front of one of the houses my father acquired at the edge of the city. It's more of a mini-mansion, settled where prying eyes would never catch a glimpse of what's going on.

In the morning, I went to pick up Rafaele and headed to the place where the initiation ritual will take place. And here we are.

Entering, the black and white decor inside puts me at ease. My eyes scan the spacious living room, searching for Amara among the recruits waiting on the couches. Nicholas and Fiero are present as well .

"Isa's sister here?" Rafaele asks, furrowing his brow. I grip his arm, pulling him out of the room.

"Now you know who I was looking at that time," I say, releasing his arm.

"Yeah, but you could have told me. And why are you dragging me here? I want to greet her. She is Isa's sister."

"You can't tell anyone about her siblings," I glare at him, and he looks surprised.

"Why?" He seems puzzeled and I dont blame him .

But I can't tell him the reason.

"Just promise that you will keep this secret. I will reward you proportional to your efforts," I smirk, and he understands that pestering me to know more will be useless.

"Whatever. Just get me a car. I will need it from now on," he brushes his hair and looks at me, avoiding making the promise.

"I will. Of course, if you keep your mouth shut," I grab his shoulders, waiting for his answer. Our eyes lock .

"I will, I will…" he nods slightly and adds, "Let's go in. I want to see her surprised face." He smirks and waves off my hands.

"Don't push her too much," I caution as he wants to head inside, a mischievous smile on his face.

"You into her?" he asks, hand on the door's handle already.

"Maybe," I reply, waiting for him to open the door. He doesn't, a sign that he wants more information about what I just said.

"Maybe? I never thought we had similar tastes…" He looks somewhat disgusted, and I hit his head with a smack. He frowns, yelling, "What did I do!"

"We don't. They are different."

"So, you paid attention to her enough to know that? Is weird, Dam…" he smiles and continues, "I guess you like her more than maybe."

Before I could smack him again, he opens the door, and we make the second entrance.

Sigh… This day starts with such bratty energy! That's why I was stressed last night. Rafaele listens to me, but he is mischievous and never fails to stretch my nerves.

Everyone turns their eyes to Rafaele and me. Nicholas comes to me, and before I can tell Rafaele to let Amara be, I am caught by Fiero too.

"Morning, boss," Nicholas is smiling shortly.

"Morning, Nicholas. How are the recruits? Prepared?" I glance at the recruits who look at Rafaele sitting nonchalantly near Amara, without introducing himself. That brat… he does it on purpose.

"Can't be more prepared, boss. They seem excited," he glances at the people who have fire in their eyes.

I'm sure they are eager to finally become made men and have a job for life. Something that normal people only dream of. Here in the mob, you live dangerously, but you know that all your brethren have your back while you serve for life, being paid well.

Sounds like a good deal for me and them .

As for my bitter candy, she appears quite anxious in Rafaele's presence. Her body is stiff, and I'm aware that if I allow her to stay next to him any longer, she will succumb to stress. I believe she worries excessively. I sense that I can understand her more than before, and it brings me a certain satisfaction.

"Great," I respond, keeping my eyes fixed on Amara.

"Boss, just head over there!" Fiero says with a smile, and I frown, glancing at him, unable to tear my gaze away from Rafaele, who is whispering something in Amara's ear.I glare at Rafaele.

"Keep your mouth shut." My anger shifting as I cast a glance at Fiero .

Fiero gulps, realizing that from now on, cracking jokes about Amara and me is off-limits if he wants to avoid catching a bullet between his eyes.

Nicholas is wearing a small smile, and Fiero shoots him a frown. Ignoring the two, I walk with my eyes locked onto Rafaele, who's smirking at me. He's truly a brat at this point.

Standing before the two couches, I boom out, "Today's the big day. You're entering the La Casa Nostra family. Get ready for that oath."

A quick glance at Rafaele and the recruits, "Excuse my brother. Time to introduce yourself, brat," I mutter between my teeth as he smirks, rising to the occasion.

"I'm Rafaele Bendetti, for those who didn't know me ," Rafa says, shooting a glance at Amara, who responds with a frown.

"Come with me." In a low, emotionless tone, I summon him as I head towards the stairs. His footsteps echo, trailing me to the top, where I turn to face him.

"If you cross the line, I'll forget you're my brother. You'll be treated as I see fit," I warn him.

He looks at me and sighs, responding, "I'm fully aware I almost crossed the line. But I kept my promise. The reason? To see how much you care about that girl."

I don't intend to conceal my feelings for her, but I won't exaggerate nor let others exploit her as my weakness.

"You know what I found out?" Rafa is serious, seemingly content with his discovery.

"Surprise me," I reply, feeling concerned. This could confirm something I need to be cautious about.

"You look at her with more intensity and care than you used to look at Mom. Honestly, I was surprised to see that concerned look with that intensity," he reveals. "Better take care of her. You seem in love. I don't think you will ever fall for someone after her."

Smart as he is, I don't want him spelling out what I already know. If he discerned my feelings, I should be cautious. Others won't react like him; Rafa isn't someone who'd manipulate Amara to bring me to my knees.

"You don't have to tell me that," I assert, my heart racing, determined to protect her, just as he suggested. And I will.

"That's my bro," he smirks, and I ruffle his hair with a disgruntled look.

"Cut it out," I say, turning towards the door and knocking. Before anyone responds, I glance at Rafa.

"Do what he tells you to do," I instruct, and he nods, entering the room as an armed man opens the door to let him in.

Sigh…

I retrieve my phone from my suit vest and descend the stairs. The recruits engage in conversation, and to my satisfaction, Amara appears somewhat at ease. Thought, her hands are snug in her jacket, and her hair drapes over her shoulders.

She converses with Emilio, nodding subtly. The boots always complement her, and I'm tempted to say the same about the snug black leather pants. Uttering it, however, would place me in the group of those who can't help but admire her. Nevertheless, it wouldn't be a falsehood.

I make my way to the table on the opposite side of the living room, where Nicholas and Fiero delve into discussion about some new business. Seating myself across from them at the round wooden table, my gaze drifts toward Amara, who can't seem to cease nibbling on her lower lip.

A brilliant idea strikes me when I realize I can reassure her in a certain way. My fingers swiftly tap out a message on her phone number.

- Calm down.

She retrieves her phone, frowning. After closing it, she glances at me while slipping it back into her jacket.

What?!

Is it that hard to reply? How dare this little…?

-Don't ignore me.

She checks her phone again, stealing glances at me. I shoot her a glare, and she bites her lower lip. After muttering something to Emilio, she heads to the bathroom along the corridor, near the stairs, leading to the kitchen and a few other rooms.

Determined to uncover what's going on, I stand up and exit through the front door. Moving swiftly, I navigate the side walls of the house, making my way to the back door situated at the rear of the building. It's a longer route to the bath, but it's worth it. We can't afford the recruits witnessing me chasing after her.

Reaching the bathroom, I kick the door open. She's standing in front of the mirror, arms on the sink . She glances at me, indifferent to the loud entrance.

Without hesitation, I grab her arm, and she pivots toward me. Her eyes reveal no emotion, as if she has everything under control. God… I adore this expression. It's like staring into a mirror.

"Why did you ignore my texts?" I shoot her a frown, secretly glad she did. It gives me a reason to punish her, or maybe I should just calm down.

"I don't know how to type back," she says in a short reply, nearly causing me to burst into laughter. Her ability to surprise me is never-ending. Maintaining a serious expression, I demand her phone.

"Let me fucking teach you," I assert, but she resists, unwilling to hand me her phone. I meet her glare with one of my own, and she bites her lip while holding her ground. Witnessing her glare for the first time, I can't help but admit she looks amazing doing it. Those intense black eyes fixed on me are pretty hot.

I pull the phone towards me, and she resists, pulling it back. In the end, I take a step forward, gripping her waist with one hand. Leaning in, I whisper in her ear, "Give it to me, Amara ." My forceful yet enticing tone causes her to lose her grip on the phone.

As I pull the device with my other hand, it slips from her fingers. Stepping back, she frowns, and the rosy hue on her cheeks makes me wonder if she felt what I felt at the touch.

Personally, I don't care much about the phone, but I did crave the contact with her—having her as close as possible. It felt amazing. Her hair carried the scent of lemon and lime, a fresh and delightful fragrance. It reminded me of a cake I used to savor, sharing the same aroma.My hands reveled in the sensation of her toned waist, and I appreciated the height difference, making her resemble a cat who, despite frowning, enjoyed being patted.

Perfect.

I unlock her phone, and as I glance at the screen, a smirk involuntarily plays on my lips. The messages were from 'Dami.' I swear, that wasn't what I was expecting, but it sets my heart pounding.

"It wasn't me. Emilio put the name… I don't know how to change it," she explains, frustration evident. It's easy to believe her, especially considering her struggle with text replies. Emilio had his fun, and the amusement was well worth it.

She bites her lip, brushes her hair, and I maintain my smirk, indifferent to whether it annoys her. I derive immense pleasure from seeing her in this state.

Amara almost glares at me, but she's putting in an effort to maintain her composure. Her hands tug at her jacket, and now she regards me with a serious expression. She's a skilled actress, but I revel in being the one to momentarily disrupt her facade. And that, for now, is simply awesome.

I guide her through typing, and she watches my fingers with intense focus. After summarizing the steps, I hand her the phone and instruct her to try writing a message.

Bittercandy - I was calm.

That's what she writes, and I glance at her. Would she blush even more if she saw my nickname for her? What kind of reaction would she give? Though, for now, that will have to wait.

Dami - You weren't.

My phone shows Damiano as the name, but the fact that she has it as Dami just makes it so much better. She'll eventually get used to that nickname. Perfect.

Amara frowns and types back .

Bittercandy - I was.

I glance at her, realizing we've lingered in the bathroom for too long. It's time to convey what I had in mind.

"Rafaele will keep his mouth shut." She glances at me for a moment, and I can see the relief in her expression.

"I owe you again…" Her frown reappears. At this rate, she might grow old prematurely.

I stretch my hand, pressing my finger to the middle of her forehead; instantly, her frown disappears.

"I got your back. Don't stress. You'll grow old before me." I offer a brief smile, and she looks down. I retract my hand, somewhat reluctantly.

"I don't understand you…" She mumbles.

"You don't have to." I check my phone and add, "Go. You don't want people looking for you." She flinches, realizing she might have lost count of the time. She passes me, and I gently grip her arm. Her face turns to me, and I can't resist teasing her.

"Keep your act together. I want to be the only one to see your blushing face." I slide her phone in her jacket .

She wasn't blushing, but now she is. I love seeing her react even more than before.

Amara bites her lip, frowns at me, and I hear her mumble as she leaves the bathroom, "Damn it …."

At this point, I can confidently say I've cracked her shell a bit more. And soon, I'll crack it completely.