28. Adam
Adam
The way Eliza's feet shuffled in her spot was rather adorable. I mean, her nervous energy wasn't cute, but I didn't have any tricks to ease her nerves, unfortunately.
Leaning down, I kissed her forehead and squeezed her jittery hand tightly.
"Darling, breathe before you pass out." I could see the quickening rise and fall of her chest with each breath; she was a few seconds away from full-on hyperventilating.
"My parents are going to adore you, especially my mom. "
It probably didn't mean much coming from me because they were my parents, but I spoke the truth.
They adored Eliza the moment I told them about her, and even after I told them about her past and Asher, they still loved her.
Actually, after they heard about everything, I was pretty sure they loved her more.
They weren't judgmental people by any means. The only thing they cared about was if Eliza was a good person on the inside and if I was serious about her. When those two check boxes were ticked off, they went full in with loving Eliza and Asher way before even meeting the two.
"Eliza, they already love you, so don't sweat it." Hailee tried to calm Eliza by rubbing her shoulders, but that only seemed to make Eliza tense up more.
Asher lurched out of my arms, wrapping his tiny ones around his mother's neck to comfort her with a baby hug. "Mama?" Of course, poor little Asher had no idea what was going on; just here for the ride.
Breathing deeply, Eliza plucked Asher from my arms to fully snuggle him. "What if they—"
She didn't get a chance to finish her worried thought with how the door practically flew open with my mother's excited greeting. A flurry of Italian was thrown our way, along with my mother's arms and kisses.
Hailee and I were instantly suffocated by our mother's scrawny arms that were somehow stronger than a damn python.
Our faces weren't spared from how much she smothered every inch of our faces in smooches.
"Oh, my babies, I missed you so much!" Stepping back, she looked at us up and down with her observant eyes, her lips twisting a bit in a frown.
"You two have gotten so skinny! You need more meat on your bones!
" She grumbled something in Italian about how we were walking sticks and that we had no love on our bodies for others to appreciate, as well as other stuff along those lines.
In an instant, her head snapped over to Eliza and Asher, both of whom stood there with a dumbfounded expression.
Of course, the moment my mother's attention landed on them fully, their faces widened a little with shock when she somewhat tackled them with a hug.
"Oh, you two are just the sweetest-looking things! " My mother gushed.
Eliza's eyes drifted over to me in a cry for help as my mother sweetened them with compliments that were almost teeth rotting. Sighing, I settled my hands on my mother's shoulders. "Mamma, you're scaring them." Chuckling nervously, I pried my mother away from Eliza and Asher.
" Mia rosa , this is my mother, Maria." Adam chuckled, smiling proudly.
With a nervous chuckle of her own, my mother simmered herself down to a more doable energy level; hopefully her toning it down a bit would be enough to not overload my poor Eliza.
"Oh dear, I'm sorry. I'm just so happy to finally meet my little Adam's woman and my new little grandson," she apologized in a softened voice, reaching back out and hugging Eliza tightly.
"You look so much better and prettier than the pictures Adam showed me. Really, you are such a doll."
"Mamma, you're making her blush." Hailee giggled, smiling happily at the scene with me.
Laughing softly, my mother released Eliza to give Asher her full attention. "Oh, and this little man is just the most handsome thing ever," she spoke in a baby voice while wagging a finger at Asher. "Hi there, my little one. You are just the plumpest grape in the field now aren't you."
At least Asher wasn't too freaked out with my mother.
Granted, I didn't have any doubts about Asher taking to anyone because he was the friendliest child ever.
Sometimes, his lack of stranger danger terrified me, if I was honest. The amount of times he's followed and gone up to basically anyone remotely friendly looking scared the hell out of me because I knew how fucked up some people could be.
At the very least, Asher never strayed too far from me, Eliza, or anyone who was his immediate caretaker.
Still, the fear of him being kidnapped or going missing was always present whenever we went out.
The fact James was now out there didn't help ease my anxiety over the whole situation any.
Thinking about that bastard getting his hands on Asher made my blood boil and the veil of red cloud over my vision.
If that ever happened, then that'd be a nightmare come true for all of us, especially Eliza.
I didn't want to imagine the devastation Eliza would go through if such news were ever to reach her ears.
She knew nothing about James being in the city, and she never would as long as I could help it. James will be a thing of the past, and he will no longer be a problem for much longer.
Any minute now, a message from one of my men informing me of James's capture would buzz on my phone.
"Wait, where's papa?" Hailee interrupted the warm moment with her confusion.
A hard knock at the door pushed it open, and in came my stumbling father, who nearly tripped over all the bags and luggage he had in his arms.
Instinctively, my feet scrambled over to my father, and my arms shot out to catch him before his body hit the ground.
"Dad, I have men for a reason, and I'm also here to help.
I don't want you throwing out your back or something at your age," I fretted, pushing all the things away from my father so he wouldn't grab at them.
"Just because I'm old doesn't mean I can't whoop your ass still. I'm more than capable of handling some bags and your mother's luggage," he shot back at me with a sneer.
"Your stupid pride is going to put you in the grave, I swear," I grumbled with a roll of my eyes. "Why do you guys have so much stuff?"
While using me as support, he patted my chest with a hearty chuckle. "Then you better watch out for this pride as well 'cause you are just like me," he remarked, letting out some winded breaths. "And all that stuff are things for the kiddos." He tried to wave it off, but Hailee didn't let it slip.
Groaning rather playfully, Hailee ran her hands through her hair before looking at our mother with a flat glare. "Mamma, Adelaide has way too many toys and clothes."
Rolling her eyes, my mother swatted a playful hand at Hailee, dismissing her while keeping her eyes on the two kids who occupied her arms. "Oh, there's no such thing as too many toys and clothes for these little ones." She giggled, tickling the toddlers with her nose.
"Oh, just let your mother be a grandma. It keeps her sane and off my ass," my father joked, barking out a laugh that earned him a few kicks to the shin from my mother.
Nudging my father's hand, I nodded at my nervous rose. "My little rose, Eliza." My voice swelled with pride as I smiled at her lovingly.
Then, I flickered my gaze from her to my father. "Darling, this is my father, Antonio."
Lightly tapping my mother out of the way, my father stepped up to Eliza, hugging her comfortingly. "Welcome to the family, Eliza," he greeted her warmly, releasing and stepping back. "Sorry for my wife's eagerness. She gets excited very easily, especially when it comes to our kids' love lives."
My father remained quiet for a moment, studying Eliza carefully while maintaining a friendly smile.
"Are you sure you can put up with my son?
He's got a hard head that one, and I would know because he got it from me," my father asked with a diffusing chuckle.
Then, his expression turned serious. "Is he treating you right?
If he's not, then I want you to tell me so I can set him straight," he told Eliza sternly, throwing a glare my way, the one that meant I better be the proper person he raised me up to be.
Turning her loving eyes to me, I watched as Eliza's nervous face lit up with a tender smile.
"Adam is perfect, and I mean it. He's done nothing but treat me so right and proper.
" Tearing her eyes away from me, she looked at both my parents with eyes full of utmost gratitude.
"I hope I can raise Asher up as well as you two raised Adam. "
Letting out a happy sob, my mother set the kids down to attack Eliza with a tight hug. "Oh, you are too kind. You and Adam will raise your little boy just perfect, don't you worry."
Now, I did feel a little bad for Eliza when my mother pulled her off to the living area, asking my poor darling every question possible on God's green earth.
A part of me wanted to help Eliza out, especially when she threw me those panicked eyes like some deer being caught in the headlights, but my father dragged me off to the patio before I could step in.
So, all I could do was hope that Hailee would save Eliza if things got a little too deep and far.
Even as my father dragged me away for some privacy between us, I couldn't help but keep my gaze trained on Eliza until a firm slap to my back forced my attention elsewhere. "How are you, son?" my father asked in a tired voice, with an equally tired smile.
Sucking in a deep breath, I rolled my head back to look at the clear skies for a moment.
I knew what he was asking. It wasn't a simple question to see how I was doing overall.
"Perfect, honestly," I answered truthfully with a big smile.
"Business is going smooth as usual, and I'm just basically doing light admin work.
I've got so much time to myself and Asher, and honestly, my life couldn't be more perfect right now. "
"Then why do you look like your face just ate shit?" My father deadpanned.
Opening my mouth, I quickly shut it because correcting my father was pointless. "It's just a little hiccup, that's all, but it should be handled pretty soon." Hopefully.
"Adam, what did you do?" he pressed me with a heavy sigh. "It's never a little hiccup with you."
Grumbling internally, I rolled my eyes a little before deflating with a huff.
"Eliza's ex got away from me earlier, and that was kind of not the plan…
" Trying to hide things from my father was pointless because he'd either pry it out of me with his own hands or find out some other way.
"And Eliza has no idea about any of that… Or my plans."
Sighing heavily, my father gave me a grave look. "Does she know about… that side of you?"
The air around us instantly mugged up with a heavy tension.
My father didn't need me to verbally answer him, my grim silence being enough of one.
"Adam," he sighed heavily with a disappointed groan and shake of his head.
"You cannot keep things that huge from her.
I know it's not easy, but it's better for you to tell her sooner rather than later.
" Crossing his arms, he looked at me pointedly.
"You need to tell her before she finds out by other means, and that's when things will really get messy. "
Running a flustered hand through my tousled hair, I huff out an exasperated scoff.
"I know, but… I don't know how to tell her or even start letting her in, and what if that pushes over the line?
I mean, Eliza is just… Perfect. An angel.
If I told her that the man she is with is a mafia boss, she's going to run for the hills.
" Sighing in defeat, I hung my head in my hands and shook it.
"I wish I could tell you the right thing to say, but I'm at a loss myself for that situation.
" My father flashed me an apologetic smile, patting my shoulder.
"Just tell her the truth, and if she really is the one for you, then she will stay.
I know it's probably not what you want to hear, but that's the most basic foundation.
If a person really loves you, then they will learn to work with all your bad as well as your good. "
My father's head turned to look at my mother through the patio door, a nostalgic smile gracing his face.
"No one is perfect, even your mother and I, but a huge part of making a relationship work is communication and compromise.
" Looking back at me with a warm smile, he squeezed my shoulder.
"You cannot build a relationship on lies, nor can one survive on an untruthful one.
No matter what, she deserves to know everything about you. "
Unfortunately, I had no response because my father was right.
I mean, the only thing I could do was agree with him, but I couldn't tell him that I'd tell Eliza right away or something.
Yes, I knew I needed to tell her, but I was still iffy about it.
Call me a bad, horrible person, but I seriously debated keeping my mafia life a secret from her even after my elderly father advised me otherwise.
Things probably would blow up in my face like a shit bomb when she finds out, and I should try to mitigate all of that by being upfront with her now rather than later. But I couldn't do it. I felt like a complete prick, but I wanted to keep her in the dark forever.
"Adam." My father's stern voice pulled me from my thoughts. "I know what you're thinking. You have that stupid face on you right now, and whatever you're thinking, don't."
Sighing heavily, I dropped my hands to my sides, shoving them into my pockets. "But what if—"
"No!" My body shook a little from my father's firm shove. "Lies never belong in a relationship, and omissions count as lies, too. Nothing good ever comes from that toxic sin."
Hanging my head, I peered up a little at my father with a pathetic look, watching as his tense shoulders relaxed with a deep breath. "It is going to hurt, but how much it does, and the damage can be controlled by you."
Yet, I swore to never hurt my darling Eliza.