<-I-L-A-<<< "Do you always carry that much money with you?" I asked Matteo as we waited for the elevator.

"It's useful at times." He shrugged.

How can he casually spend that much money and walk without care or worry? Matteo just paid off two years of my rent. How much money is this mafia circulating?

The two metal doors in front of us slid open and we stepped into the empty mobile box. Matteo was carrying the heavier luggage of the two while I was wheeling my suitcase.

We successfully got my stuff into the back of the car. Matteo offered to drive and I let him since I was feeling tired. Strapping myself in the passenger seat, I looked at the time. It was 6:32. We've spent one hour and a half in the city and was time to go back to the mafia house.

>>>-M-A-T-T-E-O-> Ila had dozed off to sleep. She was rubbing her arms to keep herself warm. Ila was slightly shivering. I frowned at how uncomfortable she must be while sleeping sitting upright.

Fortunately, the traffic light had turned red. I took the time to lean over Ila, reaching for the button to send the back of her seat down. After I got her seat to recline, I shrugged off my jacket and placed it on Ila for her to use as a blanket.

Worried that it wasn't enough to keep her warm, I turned on the heater.

<-I-L-A-<<< I woke up in confusion, asking myself the same questions I always ask when I walk up from a nap.

Who am I? Where am I? What year is it?

I yawned as I stretched and realized a few things: I was using Matteo's jacket as a blanket and I was laying down in my horizontal seat.

"We're almost at the house," Matteo informed me.

Even though I had slept through the whole car ride, I was still tired. Seeing in no point of going back to sleep, I adjusted my chair back upright and placed Matteo's jacket on my lap.

A few minutes later, the mafia house came into sight. The house didn't look as empty as we left it. The light from inside wasn't concealed with the blinds and curtains.

As the garage opened, I noticed a lot of cars were there than from when I last saw it. I got out of the car and met with Matteo around the back of it.

I handed him his jacket, "Thank you."

"No problem." He said as he slipped on his jacket.

Matteo opened the trunk and grabbed my luggage. He handed me my suitcase and took the duffle bag.

I got to the front door before Matteo. Hearing the people from inside, I knocked on the door thinking it'll be a faster way to get in than waiting for Matteo to catch up and fish for his keys. The door swung open and I was met with a gun pointed in my face by a woman.

"Who are you?" she asked as she placed the front of the gun onto my forehead.

The redhead waited for my reply but I was too shock to form sentences.

"D-doctor," I stuttered, "Ma-afia's doctor!"

"We don't have a doctor." She said, raising her eyebrows as she pushed the gun, slightly tilting my head backward.

"Aletta," I heard Matteo ordered as he finally arrived at the front door, "Lower your gun."

"Matteo?" She asked. Aletta was confused but she listen to Matteo, bringing the gun to her side.

"She's not lying." He said, standing next to me. "I hired her to be our doctor."

Aletta looked at Matteo who had shifted his weight to his left leg due to the heaviness of the bag and back at me. Suddenly, she brought her gun up against my chest. Matteo sighed in annoyance as if he saw this coming.

"Who is she to you?" She angrily asked Matteo.

"A doctor." Matteo said sternly, "Don't start this, Aletta."

The tension between them too was off the charts. Aletta glared at me. Message was clear: She was claiming Matteo. Without moving my head, I looked at him. He doesn't exactly look like he liked Aletta.

"Put your gun away." He commanded.

She bit her lip to withstand her anger as she reluctantly put her weapon in her back pocket. I didn't realize that I was holding my breath until I relaxed as the gun was no longer pointed at me.

"Find someone to bring the luggage to her room, third guest room on the third floor," Matteo ordered.

"Fine." She said as she muttered and walked away.

After I recovered from my surprise, I asked, "Why?"

"Huh?"

"Aletta," I tried to explain my question, "Why d-"

"Don't worry about it. She's my problem, not yours." Matteo said.

Without Aletta to block the entrance, we walked inside the house. In the living room was empty. I caught a glimpse of people exiting into the dining room. Instead of following them, we walked the opposite way to stairs.

After dropping off my luggage at the foot of the staircase for someone to bring it up to my room, Matteo led me to the dining room filled with people who arrived before us. The room was very spacious even with the 30 people in it. In the middle of the big room was a wide, long table that was huge enough for 50 people if it ever came down to it. At each sitting space, plates, cups, and silverware on napkins were already set up.

We stood at the entrance, waiting for people to pick their desired seats. After the members settled down, Matteo coughed for everyone's attention. Conversations stopped and all eyes were on us.

"Everyone, this is Dr. Ila Archer. She's the newest addition to our famiglia." Matteo said, introducing me as he wrapped his arm around my waist.

I awkwardly smiled and waved as I scanned the faces of the crowd. From what I saw, the mafia was somewhat diverse. Even though there was a lot of adults, there were teenagers and even children. As for race and ethnicity, the majority seemed to be Italian. I saw a few Hispanics, Asian, and White. In the sea of people, I spotted Giovanni. He eyed Matteo's hand that was holding my side and sent me a suggestive wink.

"Be nice or else she'll stick an IV tube up your ass." Matteo joked.

After that, everyone went back to their discussions. Matteo moved his hand from my side to my back, guiding me to two empty seats at the end of the table. Just as we sat down, the doors to the kitchen opened and servants brought food to the table.

"Are they in Il Bisbiglio?" I asked.

"No, they just work for us," Matteo answered as he reached for the glass pitcher filled with ice water. "Water?"

I grabbed my empty glass and handed it to him, "Please."

The dinner was served family style. Big bowls of different types of food laid out on the dining table for anyone to serve themselves. Despite how many people were sharing the table, there was enough elbow space for everybody,

Next to me, Matteo was helping himself to some soup. Feeling shy, my plate was barely full. I watched people comfortably pass bowls to one another and ask for foods that they wanted. I managed to get some caesar salad because it was originally set in front of me.

"Salad is a side dish, not a meal. Here," said the guy sitting across from me, who I recognize from the donut shop. He held out a bowl of pasta in front of me.

"Thank you," I said, gladly accepting the pasta shaped like bow ties.

"Marinara or Pesto?" He asked.

"Marinara sauce, please."

The guy slightly stood up, scanning along the table as he tried to locate the bowl of red sauce.

"Lorenzo, pass the fucking marinara."

"Aiden, why don't you get your fat ass up and get it yourself?" shouted back, who I believe was, Lorenzo. "You need the exercise for your chicken legs."

"But you need to work those scrawny arms of yours," Aiden replied back.

I looked at them, confused. The two gorgeous guys were in great shape. As they bickered back and forth, the bowl of tomato sauce, olive oil, garlic, and bazil stayed still. Matteo nudged my side with his elbow. I turned to look at Matteo who was sliding me a bowl of green sauce.

"Pesto is just as good as the marinara." He said, offering it.

"Thanks." Since I wasn't going to get the marinara sauce anytime soon, I settled for the pesto.

As I ate silently, I observed stuff. Everyone was friendly to one another. I could see that there was a strong bond between them. They were like a big family, conversing and laughing while eating. I suddenly felt out of place for everyone had someone to talk to. People were talking about their day, discussing plans for tomorrow, and gossiping. Even Matteo was in a conversation with the guy sitting next to him.

"Ila, right?" A girl sitting next to Aiden asked me. She was the pretty blond from the mafia portrait that hung in the living room. Overhearing the talk she had with the guy next to her, I knew her name was Marcella.

I nodded since I still had food in my mouth.

"You're a legit doctor?" She questioned, "Like, you went to medical school and everything?"

"Yeah."

Matteo noticed that I had gotten myself into a conversation and stopped conversing to watch.

"Then why are you here?" Marcella asked genuinely confused.

"I got my license suspended." I frowned.

"How?"

"I don't know," I said, faking my cluelessness. I turned to Matteo and asked him, "How did I end up temporarily losing my license?"

He smirked at my playfulness and shrugged, pretending to be clueless as well.

"I didn't get his information before treating him since he was unconscious by the time he was in the hospital. He woke up a couple of hours after I gave him stitches. He asked for water and the nurses weren't there to get him some so I went. When I came back, Matteo disappeared." I summarized, "The CEO of the hospital got mad at the media and took it out on me, unfairly using his powerful position."

"He left?" Marcella asked, rolling his eyes. I nodded my head and shoved the last bite of pasta I had on my plate. "Just like he does on one night stands?"

Marcella smirked as she got a reaction from him. He glared at her as a signal to stop talking. She held up her hands, receiving the message.

"I had to just warn a sister," Marcella said.

I didn't need her warning to figure out what type of guy he was. Matteo does seem like a guy who would have no strings attached, emotionless sex. I remembered the day I ran after him in the alleyway.

"Look, if we fucked, it was a one-time thing," He said, implying that I was a girl he had slept with that came running back to him.

He wasn't one for relationships. Spending the whole day with him, I figured out why. It's hard to emotionally connect with him. He can be considerate and sweet, but when things get too personal, he'd turn into hard, cold stone. Matteo was like a wall with little cracks for me to peak through. I don't know if it was my doctor needs, but I found myself wanting to fix that.

Someone grab me a sledgehammer.

<~> Please show much love <3