Becoming Mrs DeLuca novel Chapter 31

Chapter 31

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Adrian lefi shortly after introducing me to my new bodyguards. I thought he might have breakfast with the children and me, but apparently, he never did. He startled me when he bent down for a goodbye kiss. I didn’t think he was the type of man for public displays of affection, but maybe that kiss was meant to show dominance. Still, his lips on mine felt nice.

When the front door shut after him, I stood in the lobby, feeling a little lost. I could feel Elia’s and Domenico’s eyes on me as they hovered a few steps beside me, waiting for orders.

I was the mistress of this house now, responsible for two small children and a dog. Trying not to panic, I smiled at my bodyguards. A smile almost always saved the situation. “I’ll have breakfast with the children first. After that, we can go shopping. Would you like to join us for breakfast or do you have a room where you’d rather rest until I need your services.”

Domenico nodded. “There’s a guard house on the premises-”

“We’d like to join you for breakfast,” Elia interrupted him.

Domenico frowned but didn’t say anything. Elia established eye contact with me. He was friendly and open. Domenico definitely had the surly bodyguard act down.

“All right. Why don’t you go ahead…” I trailed off. “Do you know where breakfast usually takes place?”

Elia smiled.

Domenico only shook his head.

I gave an embarrassed smile. “Okay then, I’ll head into the kitchen to find Sybil.”

I was told Serena used to eat in the dining room, but the room was too big and too formal for my taste. The kitchen, however, had a white country–house style with big windows and a long wooden table that showed traces of use.

Sofia rolled around the kitchen in her baby walker while Sybil cooked a sort of breakfast bake with eggs and sausage. Sofia eyed me critically, but she was busy turning colorful wheels on the tray at the front of her walker.

“Why don’t you go ahead and sit down while I get Stefan?” I said. Domenico and Elia sank down in the chairs

at once.

“He doesn’t eat breakfast. He usually runs and hides when I try to get him.” Sybil said.

Turning around to her, I said, “I’ll get him down, don’t worry. Did you walk Milo yet?”

“No, I never do. She’s got the box.”

“I’ll let her into the garden then until I have time to walk her later.”

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Chapter 31

Sybil tuned to me, wide–eyed. “The master doesn’t want the dog in the garden”

“He put Milo there last night so he doesn’t seem to mind.”

“No, no. That was to punish the dog, but it’s not supposed to pee in the garden.”

“Well, that’s going to change now.”

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Elia and Domenico regarded me curiously. I gave them another smile before I headed upstairs.

I had a feeling I knew how to draw Stefan out of his room. When I stepped inside, he was gone. I didn’t find him in his mother’s old bedroom either, but I heard a sound from under the bed. “Stefan? I’m going to let Milo out into the garden so she can run around a bit. Do you want to join us?”

I waited and after a couple of minutes, a dark–blond head poked out from under the bed. He scrambled to his feet and regarded me suspiciously with his tablet clutched to his chest.

I held out my hand. “Come. I’m sure Milo can’t wait to see the garden.”

He didn’t take my hand, but he followed me downstairs. I stepped in front of him when I opened the door to Milo’s prison. She waited right in front of it. The floor behind her was covered with pee and poo. Sighing, I bent down and scooped her up.

Stefan watched me, open–mouthed. I stroked Milo’s fur and his face filled with longing. Remembering Adrian’s words about her snapping, I decided not to let him touch her for now. Both needed to heal before they could really become friends.

Stefan fell into step beside me as I crossed the living room to the French doors. The cold November air wafted into my face. Staying inside, I set Milo down on the terrace. For a moment, she didn’t move, only raised her nose and let the wind tug at her fur. Then she stormed off. My heart skipped a beat thinking she was trying to run away. Instead, she just ran, twisting and turning like a hare. She ran and ran and ran, as if she was delirious with her newfound freedom.

Stefan stood close to me, following everything with childish wonder.

I squatted beside him, even as the uncomfortable fabric of my pants made it difficult. “She’s happy, see?”

He nodded but didn’t take his eyes off Milo. Stefan and I stayed like that for almost ten minutes, and Milo only stopped once to pee before dashing off again. But I was getting cold. Straightening, I pushed two fingers between my lips and let out a whistle. Stefan’s head snapped up to me and his little mouth fell open.

I whistled again, even though Milo was already trotting my way. “Do you want to learn how to whistle like that?”

Stefan nodded slowly.

“Then I’ll teach you.”

Milo wagged her tail hesitantly, but she kept a few steps between Stefan and her. I didn’t know if something had happened or if she’d just never learned to deal with children, but I hoped I could fix both of them.

18:41 Fri, Nov 7 M

Chapter 31

Stefan and I entered the kitchen. The room smelled of bacon and freshly brewed coffee, and my stomach tightened at once. I hadn’t eaten much last night. I’d been too nervous before coming to my new home. And now I was starving. Milo was a couple of steps behind us, her tail tucked between her legs, obviously overwhelmed. I knew how that felt….

Sybil shook her head. “That’s not good. The master won’t like it.”

I only smiled. “Thank you for making us breakfast.”

Sofia already sat in a highchair, but there was a second one beside it.

Sybil set the breakfast casserole down on the table then grabbed Stefan, who started screaming. Despite his struggling, she took the tablet from him and tried to push him into his highchair. Domenico got up as if to help her restrain him.

“No.” I said firmly. Both of them gave me looks. Elia remained, watching me.”

“He won’t eat if he’s not confined to his chair,” Sybil said.

I took Stefan from her, which wasn’t easy due to his struggling, then I set him down on a chair. “Do you want a big boy chair?”

He quieted. Then his eyes darted to the tablet.

“No.” I said softly. “You can have your tablet after breakfast, but none of us are playing games while we eat. You’re a big boy, Stefan. That’s why you can’t play during meals and why you’re allowed to sit on a grown–up chair.”

His eyes met mine and for a moment. The sadness in them seemed too big for someone that small to carry. I swallowed. Without thinking, I stroked his head. He stilled. Clearing my throat, I straightened and pushed his chair a bit closer to the table. “Can you get a pillow?” I asked Domenico. He disappeared and returned a couple of minutes later with a throw pillow.

“I have to lift you so Domenico can put the pillow on the chair so you’re taller, okay?”

Stefan gave a small nod. I grabbed him under the arms and raised him then quickly lowered him on the pillow. Now his head was level with the table.

I took the seat beside him. Sybil gave me a small thankful nod before she turned back to Sofia, who refused to be spoon–fed.

“Eat,” I told my bodyguards before I scooped a bit of the casserole on my plate.

“Do you want to share a plate with me?” I asked Stefan, holding out a fork to him. After a moment of consideration, he took it. I pierced a slice of sausage and stuffed it in my mouth. “It’s good. Try it.”

He only poked the food with the fork. Soon Milo hovered under the table, obviously hoping for scraps. Before I could stop him, Stefan threw a slice of sausage on the floor, which Milo scarfed down at once.

“Stefan!” Sybil exclaimed, but I raised my palm.

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Chapter 31

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The little boy jutted his chin out and one look at his eyes told me he was about to retreat into himself if I didn’t do something.

“If you want to feed Milo, you have to eat too. How about this? For every bite you give her, you need to eat

one in turn?”

Stefan considered that for a moment before he gave a quick nod then speared the smallest slice of sausage on the plate and pushed it into his mouth. He chewed and swallowed, then tossed another scrap down for Milo.

Sybil sighed. “The master won’t like that. The dog isn’t supposed to be in the kitchen, much less get food from the table.”

It wasn’t ideal, but if this bargain got Stefan to eat, I’d take it until I could figure out why he acted the way he did and could fix it. I almost laughed. How was I supposed to fix traumatized children and a neglected dog?

By trying. That was all I could do, and I would try, because Sofia, Stefan, and Milo, and maybe even Adrian needed me.