Chapter 69 - Sixty-Nine

Most of the car ride was silent. Although Alexis didn't know about the women sitting behind they were tired as well. They had talked a lot during dinner to attract everyone's attention and make sure that everyone felt involved.

And that had consumed a lot of energy. Alexis felt that she had talked enough for the entire year. She just didn't want to talk now.

"Are going to sleep when we go home?" Nikita's sleepy voice was heard. Alexis smiled at how tired they all felt.

"Maybe," Isabelle whispered. "I had prepared their food but I highly doubt that they would have had it."

Alexis frowned a little at that. That was a little too entitled. "Any specific reason?" Why won't they eat? They just had to reheat and serve themselves. If not, then the maid was there to this as well.

"Spoiled brats." Isabelle snickered making Nikita snort in return as well. She giggled a bit.

"And here I thought that I had spoiled Silvano."

"Oh please, " Isabelle commented with a tired sigh, "they are all spoiled. My fault though, so blame me."

"I will hold you onto that," Alexis smirked.

They entered the familiar driveway of the mansion that belonged to Angelo's parents. No idea why, but now Alexis for too tired to even get out of the car and walk inside. Yet they did. Walking inside they saw the men sitting hand watching tv with beer bottles in their hands.

Isabelle walked into the kitchen and clicked her tongue in annoyance when she saw the food as it is placed as she had led it. Spoiling these people were coming back at her.

"Come on, I am eating dinner!" She yelled from the kitchen.

"Wait, you had cooked?" Gabriele asked as he saw his wife bringing out the food from the kitchen. "We didn't know." He frowned.

"Yes, of course, I did. You never eat well at parties and whenever I am out." She placed a plate in front of him. Alexis and Nikita did the same for their husbands. They were too tired to think on their own, so they followed in Isabelle's footsteps.

"So, how was it?" Silvano asked sitting down. "Come on, we are family in here." He pushed.

"It was a ladies night. Shh, can't tell " Alexis whispered, teasing Silvano who hated secrets.

"Yeah, but I won't tell." He whispered back.

"Really?" She asked, pretending to be happy. "But I still don't want to tell it." She deadpanned in the end.

"I don't like you." He grumbled, making everyone laugh.

"Eat up, boys. We have to go to bed, we are tired." Isabelle politely in her terms asked them to hurry to eat.

"Really?" Gabrielle said. "What happened? Too much? "

"Not really, " his wife answered. "It was just. a lot."

"And that does not mean too much?" He mocked. He had practically said the same thing.

"Oh shush."

"It was, " Alexis chimed in. "Talkative."

"We made sure to talk to everyone. No one was left regardless of their ranks." Nikita explained in a low voice.

"Yup, I did as much as I could. There was a playful atmosphere, no one took any offence to anything and everyone was smiling at the end of the dinner. So, a win-win." Alexis added with a little shrug in the end.

Angelo smiled at her as she talked about the dinner. Pride was bubbling in his chest. The woman behaved like a Donna, a woman with a diplomatic front yet she was with a purpose and she was not even aware of it.

He knew what had happened during dinner. The clear challenge of authority that his grandmother had placed in front of Alexis and how his wife had turned the tables in return. Literally.

Now his wife knew what people to be wary of on her own and that would help her in the future.

They had eaten their dinner and a maid had collected the utensils.

"Hey, what about the whole story?" Silvano asked. "When are you telling us that?"

Alexis was sitting in front of him. She got up and started him down making him look at her with suspicion and uncertainty.

Narrowing her eyes at him she whispered, "Never." Fliped her hair and walked away.

*********

"So, was everything fine? Did anyone or anything trouble you?" Angelo asked as he changed in the closet.

"No, it was fine. Everyone was welcoming." 'or so they seemed.' She thought.

She wondered why he even asked. Angelo was a person who knew things better than her yet he asked her. She wasn't going to let anyone bully her in the first place, so telling him wasn't a necessity.

Humming return, he came out while closing the door. Alexis got up from the vanity, which was in every room which was commonly occupied and lied down on the bed.

"I feel bad that we had to come back from our honeymoon for this," Angelo said, hugging Alexis and kissing her neck. "I wanted to stay aloof a little while longer."

"You think I don't know about how you woke up for a few hours in the night to catch up?" She smiled, pinching him a bit but he didn't show any effect.

"Had too, love, had too." He murmured into her neck. "Work is really important and tough."

"You can show me Italy," she compromised. "We still have three days."

"That would be nice," he agreed. "Why are you not concerned about your mother's absence?"

She felt her heart stop for a moment. Why would he spoil it like that? They were cuddling perfectly! Why the hell did everyone think of asking her that particular question?

"Why would you ask me that?" She groaned. "I don't want to talk about it."

"I'm curious," he nudged her. "Tell me, come on."

"She's never really been there, I guess. It was always me fighting my own battle, I did it with my stepfamily, my financial situation and now too, my wedding. She had such an arrogant attitude that she would not even go to her only child's wedding. What and why would a mother do that?" She sighed, this topic had ruined her mood.

"I just want to let go if she wants to go. I cannot keep her tied down with me. There's nothing new to it."

"Yeah?"

"Yeah, " she replied. "And also, I don't like to talk about it. So please, let's not talk about it."

"I'm sorry," he sighed, cuddling her close. "Let's cuddle tonight. I've heard that it makes a person less stressful." She smiled a little. This wasn't the man she met in her apartment. He was different today.

"I have a headache too." She bitterly added. "I have them when I am more tired than usual." She complained.

"Well, " he purred into her ear. His hand was going south and he pulled the gown up and cupped ber. "I have also heard that fingering helps with headaches."

*****

"What is this?" Alexis hummed in taste as she took another sip of the coffee that Nikita had made herself which was quite surprising.

"It's grown in Italy. I have it ordered back home. Do you want to order some as well?" Nikita asked. She loved the flavoured coffee made here.

"Yes! Definitely!" Alexis was immediately a fan of this.

Nikita giggled. Even Alexis looked like an addict now.

"So, what are your plans for today?" She asked Alexis who was fully dressed for the day.

"He's taking me sightseeing!" Alexis spoke excitedly. "I'm excited but the main thing is I want to eat every dish of food available to me!"

"Food?" Nikita laughed. "Not everything's about food."

"Italy is way more than food unlike what you have heard. It's not just food but the place itself. Look for anything and everything, the people, the food, the scenery. Remember to enjoy everything. Like literally everything."

"Were you born here?"

"Yes ma'am," Nikita answered. "Remember to enjoy everything." She remained. 

"Says the one addicted to coffee flavours for different moods."

"Hey, are you ready?" Angelo came and hugged her from behind.

"Yup, where are we going first?" She asked.

Angelo took her hand and walked out of the house. Opening the door for her, he sat in from the other side. Today, he was driving with her.

"No guards?" She asked looking around. That had never happened before.

"Tuscany is my area. Attacking me here would be plain stupidity." He laughed.

"Oh," she didn't know that. She didn't know many things. "Angelo, we just have two days."

"I know, we better make the most of it then." Stopping the car to the side, he kissed her lips hard and fast, savouring the taste.

"I am happy Alexis." He said smiling. "I want to make the most of this." He wanted to. She made him happy, content and proud. He wanted to have her in life until death.

"Me too." She replied.. This time she was sure.