CHAPTER 30: A NINE-MONTH SOLUTION

ALLESSIO'S POV

I caught the movement beside me, but I ignored it, knowing that it's just Fierro. I am more focused at the sight of Haven happily rearranging and organizing my office.

I'm sure it will be difficult to find a single thing in my office because I wouldn't know where the fuck they're located now, but who cares when she's this happy?

Both Fierro and I moved away when Rosa appeared beside us. She shook her head at us before she entered the room, carrying a bunch of smaller boxes that Haven might need. She's the reason why I'm standing outside since she told me earlier to give Haven a break and stop hovering over her.

When I'm home with Haven, it feels natural to always have her next to me. If I could have her close when I have meetings in my office without boring the life out of her, I would have made her stay with me for hours.

"The soon-to-be Mrs. Cascella looks happy," Fiero teased.

"Is she really, though?"

"What do you mean by that?"

I couldn't help but think that I might be being too selfish for wanting to keep her all to myself. She doesn't know anyone here in this country except for me and the people that are either my family or work for me. The only people she talks to are the people in this house.

I wanted her to always be honest with me, and I will always want to hear her thoughts, whatever they might be about. But I'm not stupid to think that I could monopolize everything that crossed her mind or every feeling that she's dealing with, just like I appear to be monopolizing her time.

There are things she can't tell me or she might be hesitant to share with me, mainly because it's about me. If she doesn't have any friends, who will she talk to? She loves spending time with Rosa, and though I hate to admit it, she's close with Lorenzo and Adriano as well, with whom she spends more time than any of my men because I assigned them to specifically ensure her safety. But even if she became friends with them, it's still a different kind of friendship since they work for me. She wouldn't be comfortable talking about me to them.

I want nothing more but for her to come to me if there's something bothering her, but I can't ignore the fact that a friend could give her a different kind of support and an outside perspective.

"Find anyone who's having a party and get an invitation. If you can't find any, make one."

"A party? Like a wedding party? Engagement party? A babyshower—" The searing look I gave Fierro made him press his lips together to stop himself from smiling. "What kind of party?"

I glanced at the room, and I hissed low at him. "One where Haven can attend to find friends."

He eyed the room briefly, where Haven is still busy with what she's doing, before he turned to me and spoke into our language. "I know Haven is young, but she's not a child. She's not your child. Why do you need to be concerned about things like her making friends?"

"Because I'm the asshole who's consuming and claiming her entire time just because I want her all to myself!"

We both froze to where we were standing when Haven's eyes went to us. I gave her a small smile, but her gaze went from me to Fierro.

"Are you fighting again?" she asked.

Both Fierro and I shook our heads, but it was me who answered her question. "No, gattina. We're just talking about something important. Stay here with Rosa, okay? Call me if you need me."

She beamed. "We got this."

When she turned back to what she's doing, I looked at Fierro and tipped my head to gesture for him to follow me. Fierro did as I asked, and he only speaks up when we're sure that we are far from earshot. "Haven has friends here, Allessio. In fact, she's friends with everyone."

"Friends her age," I said through gritted teeth.

"So you want me to look for a bunch of nineteen-year-old girls so we can set a play date for her?"

The look I gave him could have made someone withered to dust, but Fierro wouldn't be my underboss if he couldn't handle it. Unfortunately.

"Every day, you're giving me more reason to look for a place where I could bury you alive."

"I prefer to be burned alive, thank you very much." He grinned when I just glowered. "But you'll miss me so let's just reschedule it."

"I won't."

"And you'll miss my genius brain," he continued as if he didn't hear me speak. "It's better that we're the ones to initiate the party so we can control the guest list. I prefer if it's for an engagement party, but you're taking your time as if you wouldn't be in your sixties sooner than your bride—" He stepped back when he saw my hand twitch, knowing that he's in danger of being strangled again. "We can have a birthday party for Haven."

"Her birthday is next month."

He shrugged. "Which is just three weeks away. We can say that it's an early celebration because you have plans for Haven on her birthday."

"Plans?"

"I don't know? Take her to another country or bring her to an island where there's just the two of you."

Different scenarios flashed in my mind. I cleared my throat, but by the look Fierro is giving me, he already knows where my thoughts went. "I like option number two. Make it happen."

He grinned. "Alright."

"Invite only those that came from good families." When his eyebrow arched, I sighed. If we're talking about families in our circle, none of those can be really called good. "Families we work closely with us and wouldn't have any motives to use Haven and her potential friendship to their kin for anything else."

"Duly noted," he said, moving away as if to start with it already.

"And Fierro?"

He stopped and looked at me. "What?"

"Daughters only. If any of those snot-nose jerks try to come close to Haven, they'll be the ones who's going to get buried. They'll be buried next to you. Understand?"

He gave me a fake salute. "Sir, yes, sir."

HAVEN'S POV

I was deep in my sleep when I felt the bed depress. I don't need to open my eyes to know who it is. Not that I have the energy to do so right at this moment since I feel like all my energy this morning have all melted.

I organized Allessio's office and kitchen the whole day. I could have done more, but during late afternoon, an unwanted visitor decided to visit me so I ended up sleeping instead of continuing what I was doing.

I felt a hand touch my forehead, and then it went to my neck. I fought my heavy eyelids, and I saw Allessio looking at me worriedly.

"Rosa said you didn't eat dinner," he said softly.

I looked at the clock to check the time and I saw that it's already midnight. He probably just got home. He needed to go with his men for a matter that, of course, I didn't pry into earlier this morning, and he told me that he'd probably come home late.

"Do you want me to call a doctor?"

Despite the pain I'm feeling, I couldn't help but smile. "I don't think they can help. Unless they have a solution to stop me from getting my monthly period."

He suddenly looked visibly uncomfortable. That wasn't surprising. Men and period don't go well together. Especially when it comes to Allessio. He'd probably think that it's his archnemesis since it's the only thing that can stop him from touching me for a couple of days.

"You need to eat something, gattina, and I'm sure I can ask Rosa for something to help with the pain."

"I already asked her for one. It doesn't really help that much." I pushed myself up to a sitting position and gave him a small smile. "I'll be fine. It only hurt during the first to second day."

He paled. "Forty-eight hours? Of being in pain?"

"That's a woman for you." I patted his shoulder. "So... food?"

"That I can solve."

He helped me up as if I'm a newborn deer who can't stand on her own. He didn't let me go even when we were outside of the room as if I'm someone who just gave birth than someone who's simply having her monthly struggle.

I didn't stop him because I knew he just wanted to help. Knowing Allessio, he's the kind of person who doesn't like feeling helpless. It wouldn't surprise me if I find out one day that he's investing in research to invent a drug that can stop a woman's monthly period.

We went straight to the kitchen, and I yelped in surprise when he carried me and placed me on one of the high stools. He quickly turned and left the kitchen, but he came back soon after. When he was back, he's holding a knitted sofa throw. I pressed my lips together to stop myself from laughing when he put it around me. He's acting as if I have a fever, or worse, terminal disease.

I watched him roll up his sleeves, and I couldn't help but stare at his veiny hands. What is it about men rolling up their sleeves and the vein in their hands that makes it so hot?

Allessio rummage the kitchen, lining up ingredients after ingredients. There are a couple of potatoes, onion, carrot, celery, garlic, butter, and a giant block of parmesan cheese in front of him. He also took out a container of broth from the fridge that I know Rosa likes to prepare beforehand.

"What are you planning to make?" I asked when he's done washing the potatoes. "Can you do the preparation here so I can watch you?"

He threw me a grin and did as I asked. He grabbed a chopping board and a knife, and I watched him as he started dicing the potatoes.

"Zuppa di Patate," he said, answering my first question. "It's a potato soup."

"And you're putting a lot of cheese?"

"Not a lot, just the right amount..." He trailed off when he noticed the disappointment on my face. "But for you, I can put an entire factory of cheese in it if you want."

I giggled. He's being silly. "Doubling it would do." I rested my elbow on the table and leaned my head on my hand as I continued watching him. "You said if you weren't a capo, you would have been a professional fighter. But I think being a professional chef better suits you."

"Hmm. You just don't like seeing me fighting in the cage."

If I'm being honest, there's an allure when he's fighting. A dangerous kind. It was hot, I couldn't deny that. But seeing another person try to hurt him is hard for me. A lot of people want to hurt him, Haven. Not just in that cage.

I shook my head to clear it. I can't stop myself from thinking about that, but I can try and stop myself from worrying. It's something I need to live with. That is, if I want to stay by his side, which is something I already decided that I would do.

A couple of minutes passed and the kitchen was filled with a delicious smell. Letting the food simmer, Allessio went to me. "Still in pain?"

"I'll be fine, Daddy," I said with a gentle smile, wrapping my arms around his waist.

He sighed and pulled me close. "I just thought of something."

"What?"

"A solution."

"Solution for what?"

"To stop your monthly period." He leaned down and kissed the side of my cheek. As if he couldn't help it, he repeated it again, but this time he touched his lips on mine. "For nine months at least."

What—oh!