Mafially Yours

20

I laid my head back in my chair and let out a long breath I was holding back the whole ride. Driving for six hours to get back to the mansion was exhausting. I closed my eyes not believing that I was finally back home after three nights of sleeping away from my house.

"What's wrong, Huncho? Are you that tired?" Layla giggled.

I closed my eyes and nodded.

"Let's go." I forced my body to get out of the car. I waved at her to walk before me. My eyes followed her heels as they created a rhythm before my eyes and her skirt that she used to catch my eyes did as she pleased.

"Amazing mansion," she spoke, pushing her hair behind her shoulder as her back still facing me.

"Yeah. It was Brad's choice."

She giggled and waited for me to open the door.

When I did, my eyes automatically connected with Elena's eyes and we both chose to not break the eye contact. But the longer it got the more irritated I got. She didn't react, she didn't warn the guys, she didn't say anything. It made me feel like my presence and my absence were the same to her.

I wasn't sure what was going on. They were sitting in the kitchen and around the counter which was why standing in front of the front door allowed me to see everything. The music was loud and the lights were dimmed. They were drinking, talking, and laughing. Elena was sitting down, across from Fred whose back was facing me.

"Guys!" I growled. My voice rang across the tall walls and the high ceiling, bringing all eyes on me, except Elena, who looked down at the game on the kitchen island in front of her.

"Huncho!" Marco hurried to me followed by Sanchez. Sanchez tapped my shoulder and pointed at Layla with his chin and Marco nodded. I closed my eyes and shook my head. They will always be the children of this house.

"Welcome back," Fred said.

"Welcome back, Huncho." Damien's deep voice groaned at me from the end of the room, "You won't introduce us to your friend?"

"I will explain everything after dinner," I stated.

"Oh! Been a while, man! Are we Friday today?"

I was going to correct him on who Layla was but Elena's eyes looked up from behind her cards, scanning Layla from head to toe so I stayed silent, letting her think what she wanted. I just wanted to enjoy a little moment of annoying her before everyone found out who she was.

Elena didn't look up at me again, she was focused on the card in her hands which made me notice the cards in Fred's hands too. They were playing cards. I took a deep breath to not make any stupid move in front of Layla and shook my anger off.

"Sanchez, we need your amazing cooking to welcome our guest," I spoke loudly.

"Of course!" He got up and started gathering the stuff.

Layla and I sat on the couches at the other end of the room. She was talking to me but all my attention was on Fred and Elena who were laughing and playing as a four-year-old couple. It made me wonder what I missed. How can three days change so much?

Marco and Sanchez called us to the dining room. I guided Layla to sit next to me where Elena usually would sit. But Layla is a guest, I couldn't have thrown her in the middle of the boys. When Elena saw, she just directed herself to sit among the boys. Not seeing her get bothered or showing that she was even just surprised made me realize that maybe I didn't really care about Layla. Maybe I just wanted to know what Elena would do. I wasn't at ease with the idea that she got closer to the boys. I wanted her to only come to me when she needed something.

"The food is amazing!" Layla leaned in hitting my shoulder with hers, giving me the side eyes then directed them to thank Sanchez for the food. "Huncho was right about your cooking."

"Huncho is always right about everything." Sanchez chuckled making her giggle and hid my chest.

I looked up from my plate and saw Elena's eyes fixed on Layla. I was just then satisfied. She was biting her bottom lip, her brows were furrowed and her nostrils were flared. I smirked. I placed my arm around Layla's body and pushed her to lie closer to me, "ain't I?"

"Of course you are. You're Huncho!" As expected, she flirted back. And as expected, Elena dropped her fork on her plate and got up. I took a sip of my whiskey to hide my smile.

"Thanks for the food, Sanchez. Fred when you're done eating come so we can finish this game and I win you again." Elena smiled. We kept playing back and forth on who can anger the other more and again the roles were reversed and we went back to her getting on my nerves.

A couple of minutes later, Fred followed her. And I could hear them again, laughing about her winning and him begging her to give him another chance to "whoop her ass". Her laughs were getting louder with time.

"Okay, time for seriousness. Meeting room in five, boys." I shouted.

I got out of the dining room and saw them sitting on the kitchen island, still playing their stupid game. Before I said anything, Layla interrupted me.

"Huncho, I think I will head out. It is getting late and I still have a long drive. I won't be able to stay for the meeting."

Too bad I had so much planned to irritate Elena more.