My Mafia Father's Bodyguard

Chapter 3

Elena's POV

“Where are you going?” Chloe asked with a curious face, still lounging on the bed with her phone in hand.

“Uh… to check something." I said lamely, reaching for the nearest excuse I could find.

“Check what?” Harper’s voice carried that sing-song teasing tone that meant trouble.

“Just—something.”

“Uh-huh. ‘Something.’ Sure.” Harper said with a smirk with her eyes glinting with mischief.

“You’re both hopeless.” I rolled my eyes, trying not to smile.

They burst into laughter before I could even reach the door. Harper muttered something about “checking the hot bodyguard,” and I pretended not to hear it. Honestly, I didn’t know what I was doing. My feet were already moving before my brain caught up.

The moment I stepped into the corridor, I exhaled and laughed quietly to myself.

What exactly am I doing?

“Just taking a walk.” I whispered, as if saying it out loud could justify the ridiculous urge that had sent me out here. I hadn’t even unpacked yet, and already I was acting like a hormonal teenager.

"God, he’s hot."

The words slipped into my mind and stayed there.

And yes—fine—maybe I was going out just to see him again. Maybe.

The corridor stretched wide and elegant, framed by old paintings I barely remembered from childhood. The Russo estate was like a museum. It had always been big and usually quiet. Except now, I could hear laughter from the servants’ quarters in the distance.

Then, suddenly a voice called out to me as I walked.

“Elena!”

I froze for a second before turning and my eyes widened.

“Madam Rosa?” I said in response excitedly.

The woman carrying a basket full of folded linens dropped it instantly, sheets tumbling everywhere.

“Madonna mia!” She gasped before breaking into a delighted laugh. “My little sunshine! Look at you!”

“Oh my God!” I squealed, running toward her. “Rosa!”

She met me halfway and wrapped me in one of those bone-crushing hugs.

“I heard you were coming today but I didn’t know you were already here! Oh, my heart!”

“I didn’t know you still worked here!” I said, pulling back to look at her properly. She hadn’t aged a day.

“Ah! Who else will take care of your papa, hmm?” She teased, wagging a finger. “If I leave, this house will crumble. He can handle business well, but not his own laundry!”

“Rosa!” I snorted, covering my mouth.

“What? You think I don’t know?” She winked, lowering her voice dramatically. “Your father still can’t fold a towel. I caught him once trying to iron socks.”

“He did not!” I said, laughing despite myself.

“He did!” She insisted jokingly. “I nearly called the priest.”

We were still laughing when she reached up and gently cupped my face.

“Oh, bella mia, you’ve grown so beautiful. America has been good to you, hmm?”

“ It was EXHAUSTING....” I said, exaggerating the word, pretending to swoon.

“Exhausting?” Rosa repeated, gasping like I’d confessed a murder. “You hear that, saints? The girl lives in America and complains! You should see me every morning chasing chickens before sunrise. That’s exhausting.”

“So...” She began after a short moment of laughter, waggling her eyebrows. “Did you bring a boyfriend home?”

“Rosa!”

“What?” she said innocently. “I only ask because a girl as beautiful as you cannot be alone. Impossible. The men in America are blind?”

“Can we not do this right now?” I said with a playful groan.

“Oh, we are doing this.” She said, pretending to be serious. “My gorgeous twenty-four year old Elena and yet no man? Mama mia, this is a crime.”

“Okay, first of all, I’m not twenty-four." I laughed helplessly. "I’m twenty-three. And second—”

“Twenty-three, single, gorgeous, and picky,” she cut in, counting on her fingers. “No wonder your papa’s hair is turning white.”

“His hair’s been white since I was fifteen.”

“Because of you!” She said, poking my arm. “You gave that poor man headaches. Remember the time you tried to skateboard inside the ballroom?”

“I was experimenting with physics!”

“You broke a statue!”

“It was ugly!”

We both burst into another fit of laughter and then Rosa gave me a once-over, her eyes narrowing as she checked me out.

“Santa Maria, look at this waist.” She said, circling me dramatically. “And these curves—where did you get these? Not from your papa, that’s for sure!” She said as she playfully reached for my breasts and squeezed them.

“Rosa!” I gasped, covering my chest and glancing from side to side hoping no one had seen us.

“I’m only saying!" She said as she held up her hand in surrender. "You look… how do they say in America? Hot!”

“Oh my God, Rosa, stop!” I nearly died laughing.

“You’ll drive the men here crazy. You’ll see. She said with a wink and we both laughed after that as we went on talking about other things that had been happening in the estate while I was away.

"I have errands to finish." She then said. "But I’ll come up to your room later. And you, missy, will tell me everything about America.”

“I’ll think about it.”

“You’ll tell me.” she said, pointing dramatically. “Or I’ll ask your papa myself.”

We both laughed again, and she reached up to brush my hair affectionately.

“Welcome home, my sunshine. This house missed you.”

“I missed it too.”

She smiled, picked up her basket, and started down the corridor again.

“Don’t do anything I wouldn’t do!” She called over her shoulder.

“That’s not a high bar, Rosa!” I yelled back, smiling uncontrollably.

As her laughter faded down the hall, I turned, exhaling deeply and then standing afar off.

He was standing a few yards away beside my father, both men speaking with a low voice. My father gestured with his cigar, saying something about repairs and shipments.

“Make sure Alfredo repairs the farm and gets the shipments ready—” He then stopped midsentence when he saw me.

“Elena.” He said, with his voice softening instantly. “What are you doing outside already?”

“Just… getting some air.” I lied.

He studied me for a second, clearly unconvinced but he decided not to press further.

Luca turned then and our eyes met. He didn’t smile, not really, but something flickered in his eyes, like he understood exactly why I was there and I tucked a strand of hair behind my ear, pretending to look around.

“I just miss the house Papa and I wanted to enjoy the view before the welcome party.”

“Be careful, cara mia, or you’ll get lost again like when you were ten.” Papa said with a chuckle.

“Papa, that was one time!”

“Three times.” He corrected, lighting his cigar again.

“Fine." I sighed dramatically. "Three times. But I always found my way back, didn’t I?”

“With the whole staff searching for you.” He said, shaking his head.

I tried not to look at Luca, but I could feel him beside my father. The man was like a human statue with better looks. Even the way he stood made me want him even more. The man was sexy.

God, get a grip, Elena.

“You’ll need to brief me later about the deliveries this week." Papa said as he turned to Luca. "But for now, join us for dinner. And make sure the security detail is ready before the guests arrive tonight.”

“Yes, sir.” Luca replied smoothly and Papa then puffed another smoke and looked back at me with a faint smile.

“Have I told you how Luca came to work for me?”

“No, Papa." I responded. "You have not.”

Papa then smiled, turning toward Luca with an almost fatherly pride.

“Ah,” he began, puffing lightly on his cigar. “It’s quite the story, figlia mia. You see—”