Chapter 2 - The Mafia Boss Who Wanted a Mother, Not an Heir
Luca Moretti's black SUV left the Continental Club at 9:47 p.m.
Nora sat in the back seat beside him.
For the first ten minutes, neither spoke.
She stared through the window at Chicago glowing beneath a fresh layer of snow.
She had expected questions.
Demands.
Rules.
Perhaps even a contract.
Instead, Luca handed her a cup of coffee.
“You look cold.”
Nora accepted it.
“Thank you.”
He nodded.
A few minutes passed.
Then he said, “You can go back.”
She turned.
“What?”
“I paid the debt.”
“You did.”
“You owe me nothing.”
“But you said your house needs a mother.”
“It does.”
“Then why are you telling me I can leave?”
“Because if you stay, it should be because you want to.”
Nora stared at him.
Nobody had ever spoken to her like that.
Not her father.
Not her mother.
Certainly not Carmine Romano.
She looked down at the coffee.
“What happens to your children?”
“They meet you tomorrow.”
“Do they know?”
“They know I brought someone home.”
“Do they know I can't have children?”
“They don't care.”
She smiled weakly.
“Children usually care about things adults think don't matter.”
Luca glanced at her.
“You're right.”
The SUV turned through an enormous iron gate.
Moretti House wasn't a mansion in the traditional sense.
It was a fortress disguised as a home.
Stone walls.
Tall windows.
Black iron balconies.
Security cameras hidden beneath architectural details.
But as soon as Luca walked through the front door, the atmosphere changed.
The silence wasn't threatening.
It was sad.
A large photograph of a woman stood on the piano.
Beautiful.
Dark-haired.
Laughing.
Nora paused.
“Your wife?”
“Yes.”
“What's her name?”
“Isabella.”
Nora looked at the picture again.
“She was beautiful.”
“She was.”
Luca's voice softened.
“She was also louder than everyone in this house combined.”
Nora smiled.
“What happened?”
“Cancer.”
She looked at him.
“I'm sorry.”
“It was three years ago.”
“You still keep her photograph.”
“She was their mother.”
He looked toward the staircase.
“They deserve to remember her.”
Nora didn't answer.
A noise came from upstairs.
Then another.
Then someone shouted.
“MARCUS! GIVE IT BACK!”
“IT'S MINE!”
“DAD!”
Luca closed his eyes.
Nora almost laughed.
Four children thundered down the staircase.
The oldest was a sixteen-year-old boy with dark hair and his father's serious face.
Next came a girl around thirteen.
Then a ten-year-old boy.
Then the youngest, a six-year-old girl clutching a stuffed rabbit.
They stopped when they saw Nora.
Silence.
The six-year-old looked at her.
Then at Luca.
“Is she our new mom?”
Luca coughed.
Nora's cheeks heated.
“No,” she said quickly.
The little girl frowned.
“Why not?”
Nora looked down at her.
“Because your dad and I don't know each other very well.”
The girl considered that.
“Okay.”
Then she stepped forward.
“I’m Mia.”
“Nora.”
Mia looked at the dress.
“Are you a princess?”
“No.”
“Can you make pancakes?”
Nora blinked.
“Yes.”
Mia smiled.
“Then maybe you can be our mom.”
The older boy groaned.
“Mia.”
“What?”
“You can't just recruit women.”
“Why not?”
“Because Dad keeps scaring them away.”
Luca sighed.
The girl beside him rolled her eyes.
“Dad scares everyone away.”
“Thank you, Sofia.”
“I was being honest.”
Nora smiled.
The teenage boy looked at her.
“I'm Marcus.”
“Nice to meet you.”
He nodded.
“We don't need a mother.”
Nora's smile faded.
“I know.”
That answer surprised him.
He studied her.
Then looked away.
The ten-year-old boy stepped forward.
“I'm Theo.”
“You're shorter than I expected.”
Theo gasped.
“That's rude.”
Nora laughed.
He grinned.
“She's funny.”
Luca looked at Nora.
There was almost warmth in his eyes.
Dinner that night was chaotic.
Mia spilled juice.
Theo argued about vegetables.
Sofia texted under the table.
Marcus barely spoke.
Nora watched.
Luca managed everything with the tired efficiency of a man who had been doing it alone for years.
“Homework,” he said.
“Already done,” Marcus lied.
“Marcus.”
“Mostly done.”
“Sofia.”
“Why am I involved?”
“Because you're responsible for math.”
She sighed.
Theo groaned.
Mia shoved peas onto Nora's plate.
“Eat these.”
Nora laughed.
Luca looked at the scene.
Something inside him softened.
After dinner, Nora stood in the kitchen helping Mia with cookies.
Luca appeared in the doorway.
“You don't have to.”
“I know.”
“Then why are you?”
Nora shrugged.
“Because your daughter asked.”
Mia looked up.
“She's good.”
Luca smiled faintly.
“That's dangerous.”
Nora looked at him.
“What is?”
“Getting attached.”
She didn't answer.
Later that night, Luca gave her a guest room.
Large.
Elegant.
Private.
A suitcase had already been placed inside.
Her belongings.
Clothes.
Books.
Her grandmother's old necklace.
Everything she owned.
“How did you get these?”
“My people went to your house.”
Nora stiffened.
“You went into my room?”
“Yes.”
She looked at him.
“That was not your right.”
“I know.”
The apology came immediately.
“I wanted you to have your things.”
She nodded.
Then saw an old wooden box beside the suitcase.
Her grandmother's recipe book.
She picked it up.
“You even brought this.”
“You touched it the entire ride.”
Nora smiled.
“I didn't realize.”
Luca stood in the doorway.
“Goodnight.”
“Luca?”
He stopped.
“Why did you really choose me?”
He looked at her for several seconds.
“My children don't need a woman who can give me an heir.”
“Then what do they need?”
“A woman who won't leave when things become difficult.”
Nora's chest tightened.
“And you?”
His voice dropped.
“I haven't figured that out.”
The door closed.
Nora sat on the bed.
For the first time in months, she wasn't frightened of the next morning.
The next morning arrived with a scream.
Mia.
Nora ran downstairs.
Mia was standing beside the breakfast table, crying.
Her rabbit was missing.
“Someone took Bunny.”
Theo protested.
“I didn't touch it.”
Marcus ignored them.
Sofia rolled her eyes.
Nora crouched beside Mia.
“Where did you last see Bunny?”
“In my room.”
“Then we'll find him.”
They searched.
Under beds.
Behind curtains.
Inside closets.
Nothing.
Then Nora noticed muddy footprints beneath the window.
She followed them outside.
The footprints belonged to a security dog.
And dangling from its mouth was a very wet stuffed rabbit.
Mia laughed.
Luca appeared behind Nora.
“I forgot to tell you.”
“What?”
“Our dog likes toys.”
Nora looked at him.
“So your children have inherited the criminal tendencies.”
He smiled.
“Apparently.”
Mia hugged Nora.
“You found him.”
Nora looked down.
“Yes.”
Across the yard, Marcus watched.
Something in his expression had changed.
Later, Luca found him sitting on the steps.
“She isn't Mom,” Marcus said.
“I know.”
“But she didn't get scared.”
“No.”
“She doesn't know about our world.”
Luca sat beside him.
“She will.”
Marcus looked at him.
“Are you going to marry her?”
Luca was silent.
“I don't know.”
Marcus frowned.
“You look at her differently.”
Luca looked toward the house.
Nora was laughing with Mia through the window.
May you like
“Yes,” he said quietly.
“I do.”
Related Stories
