Hope Emily Nightingale

Later that day, I headed to the kitchen to put together something to eat while Nino was in the shower. As I was cooking, Remo, Adamo, Savio, and Fabiano walked in from the gym. They were all just in shorts, their abs impressive, but none had as many tattoos as Nino.

"I thought the doctor told you to rest," Remo stated firmly.

"Cooking is hardly any work, so I'm good," I responded, trying to ignore their eyes on me.

"Hope, you have to rest. Getting shot is a big deal," Adamo said softly, with a hint of concern.

"Not for me. I've been shot before, even stabbed. I just wasn't expecting it right outside the mansion." I gave Adamo a reassuring smile.

The men sat down at the dining table, occasionally glancing my way.

A few minutes later, Nino walked in. The minute he saw me cooking, he frowned.

"You're supposed to rest, not strain your shoulder," Nino said disapprovingly. He walked over, resting his hand on my waist. His skin felt warm as he started drawing small circles on my stomach.

"I'm fine, Nino. I've lived with a shoulder injury most of my life. It's just another normal day for me." I tilted my head back and kissed his jaw.

"You have a shoulder injury?" Savio spoke for the first time since his outburst before I left.

"Yeah. I got it when I was young," I responded, maintaining eye contact.

I let Nino carry the pot to the dining table because it was heavy. I followed him and sat next to him. Remo was on my other side at the head of the table. The chair opposite me was empty.

"Where's Fina?" I asked Remo.

"She's probably still in the room playing with the kids." Remo was about to get up, but I stopped him.

"I'll go get her," I said, eager to escape their attention.

Entering Fina's room, I saw her rocking a crying Greta. I went over and took Greta from her so she could grab Nevio, who was running around knocking over a pen stand.

"Why is she crying?" I asked.

"She bumped her head on the wall while crawling behind Nevio," Fina said, exhausted.

I gently rubbed Greta's head, soothing her as I headed to the dining hall. She stopped crying but was still grumpy, playing with my necklace that had a nightingale emblem on it. I didn't try to take it from her to avoid making her cry again.

As I entered the dining hall, all eyes were on me again. Remo instantly got up and came over.

"Did you forget the part where you have to rest?" Remo tried to take Greta from me, but she clung to my necklace, wailing. Remo quickly withdrew his hand.

"What's wrong with her?" he asked Fina as she entered with a very excited Nevio, who was trying to escape Fina's grasp.

"Bumped her head," Fina said. She handed Nevio over to Remo. Greta sat in my lap as I ate and fed her simultaneously. After a while, she let go of my necklace and reached out to her father.

Remo took her immediately, whispering sweetly to her.

"So where's Leona?" I asked Fabiano casually.

"With her mother. She visits her once in a while," Fabiano said, with a small smile.

"I see."

"Carmine is from the Camorra. He was the one who hired the hitman. He's gone into hiding," Savio said, keeping his eyes on his food.

"That's fine. He'll come out eventually. Now that I'm expecting him to harm me, he'll probably end up in the hospital," I responded casually. Savio's eyes widened for a split second before he masked it.

"So did you poison the food?" Savio changed the subject with a smirk. I didn't know why he was suddenly so friendly, but I played along.

I fake gasped. "How could you even suggest such a thing?" I spoke with exaggerated betrayal in my tone. "If I wanted you dead, I would've stabbed you with my knife collection. Poison is not really my style."

Savio looked stunned. Remo and Nino chuckled at his expression, while Fabiano and Adamo burst into laughter. Serafina, sitting next to Savio, nudged him with her elbow.

"She's just messing with you," she said, trying to hide her grin. Nevio clapped with excitement, despite not knowing what was going on.

"You want me dead, huh?" Savio asked playfully to Nevio while gently pulling his cheeks. Then he gave me a smirk.

"I wasn't expecting that. Next time I'll be the one to catch you off-guard," he said, grinning like a maniac.

"You're on. So far, the score is 2-0," I returned his grin.

Nino gently kissed my temple as I smiled up at him. I officially won my position in this family. I was ecstatic.

As the laughter died down and the atmosphere relaxed, the conversation turned to lighter topics. The sound of utensils clinking against plates filled the dining hall, punctuated by occasional bursts of laughter and the children's playful noises.

Nino's hand remained on my thighs, a comforting presence. He leaned in closer, his voice low. "You really should take it easy, you know. Let us take care of things for a while."

I sighed, looking into his concerned eyes. "I appreciate it, Nino. Really. But I need to feel useful. It's hard for me to just sit around."

Before Nino could respond, Remo spoke up. "Hope, if you don't mind me asking, how did you get that shoulder injury?"

The table grew quiet, everyone now focused on me. I hesitated for a moment, then decided to share a bit of my past. "It was a long time ago. I was just a kid, got caught up in a bad situation. Someone tried to hurt me, and I ended up with a messed-up shoulder. But he ended up with 3 broken ribs, internal bleeding, broken arms and a head injury. So I'd say it was well handled wouldn't you?"

Nino smirked proudly. "That's my girl." I looked at him and squeezed his hand on my thighs.

Adamo looked thoughtful. "And you've been dealing with it ever since?"

I nodded. "Yeah. I went through 2 surgeries but it didn't make much of a difference. It’s just something I got used to."

Fabiano chimed in, "You’re tougher than you look, Hope. Respect."

I smiled appreciatively. "Little late realisation but thanks, Fabiano."

Greta, now content, was back in Remo's arms, her tiny fingers tracing his tattoos. Nevio, sitting on Fina's lap, was babbling happily. The family scene around me felt warm and surprisingly comforting.

Just then, the doorbell rang, breaking the tranquility. Everyone's heads turned toward the sound.

"I'll get it," Nino said, starting to rise, but I placed a hand on his arm.

"No, let me. I need to stretch my legs anyway," I insisted, standing up before anyone could protest.

I walked to the door and opened it to find a delivery person holding a large bouquet of flowers. "Delivery for Hope," the person said, handing over the bouquet and a small card.

"Thank you," I said, taking the flowers and the card. I walked back to the dining hall, curiosity piqued.

"Who are those from?" Fina asked, her eyes on the bouquet.

I shrugged, setting the flowers on the table and opening the card. The message was simple: "Get well soon. We’re not done yet. - C."

My blood ran cold. The room fell silent as everyone read the note over my shoulder.

Nino's grip on my hand tightened. "Carmine," he growled.

Remo’s expression hardened. "Looks like he's trying to send a message."

Savio clenched his fists, anger evident on his face. "That bastard."

I took a deep breath, forcing myself to stay calm. "He’s trying to intimidate me, to make me scared. But it won’t work."

Nino looked at me, his eyes filled with concern and determination. "We’ll find him, Hope. And we’ll make sure he can never hurt you again."

I nodded, my resolve strengthening. "We will. Together."

The sense of unity and determination in the room was palpable. This family, with all its complexities and challenges, had become my family. And together, we would face whatever came our way.