[BL] The Mafia Boss Wants My Body

Chapter 233: Chapter 233: The Hand He Let Go

Before the message could even be marked as read, Matteo’s phone began vibrating violently in his hand as Mark initiated a FaceTime call.

Matteo answered immediately.

Mark’s face appeared on the screen, wearing an expression of pure disbelief.

"You are lying straight through your teeth, Teo," Mark said without preamble. "I know for a fact you don’t even know how to turn on a stove."

Matteo let out a deep chuckle as he stepped into the main living room.

Crossing to the large leather sofa, he dropped onto the cushions and propped the phone against his knee.

"I’m not lying," he replied. "He ate every last bite."

A smile tugged at his lips.

"In fact, I’m going to keep learning new recipes so my baby can enjoy my cooking regularly."

Mark snorted. "Sounds great, but be honest. How was your first attempt?"

Matteo looked at him and let out a low chuckle. "Fine, it wasn’t that good," he admitted. "I added way too much salt. But Adrian ate every bite anyway."

A fond smile crossed his face. "And seeing how he never once made me feel bad about it... How he just kept encouraging me despite how dramatic he usually is... it honestly made me want to learn more recipes."

Mark stared at the screen, his jaw practically dropping.

Then he burst out laughing.

"Wow. Look at you. Completely whipped."

He shook his head in disbelief before smiling.

"Honestly, though, that’s beautiful, man. I’m happy for you."

Mark pointed a finger at the screen.

"Listen, whenever you’re free, come over. I’ll teach you a few cooking tricks to help you learn faster."

He shrugged. "And watch some tutorials on YouTube. It sounds ridiculous, but they actually help a lot when you’re learning the basics."

Matteo relaxed back into the sofa, a rare warmth settling in his eyes. "Thanks, bro. I appreciate it."

Mark’s expression shifted slightly as something else came to mind. "Anyway, Monday is our birthday. What’s the plan this year?"

Matteo rubbed his jaw, his gaze drifting toward the window.

"I can’t say for sure yet. Adrian and I are going out of town tomorrow. When we get back on Sunday, you and I can talk about the celebration. Maybe we’ll hit a club or do something else."

Mark’s brows immediately furrowed on the screen. "Out of town where, Teo? You know I hate it when you don’t give me a specific location. Security is important, especially right now. Where exactly are you going?"

Matteo sighed, already knowing there was no point arguing when Mark slipped into protective twin mode.

"Fine. I’m going with Adrian to the town where his late wife’s family lives. He wants to visit them."

Mark nodded slowly. "And you’re going with him?"

"Of course." Matteo leaned back further into the cushions.

"I’m not planning to follow him to their house. I’ll stay at a hotel nearby while he handles whatever he needs to do. I’m just going to keep him company."

Mark studied his brother’s face through the screen for a moment before finally nodding.

"Alright. That sounds reasonable. Just be careful out there, okay?"

"Yeah, I know. Talk to you later," Matteo said.

With a mutual nod, the call ended, leaving the room in a quiet stillness.

The rest of the day passed smoothly, with Matteo downstairs handling his remaining business while Adrian rested upstairs.

Later that evening, they began preparing for the upcoming trip, packing their bags and making sure everything was ready.

Matteo sent a quick directive to his men to purchase and properly package the gifts they would be taking along, while Harry finalized the reservations for the luxury hotel where they would be staying.

Before they turned in for the night, Matteo sat Adrian down to establish one firm boundary.

"Once you’re done at Elena’s house each day, I’ll be the one picking you up," Matteo said, his voice leaving no room for negotiation. "You are not sleeping over at their house or staying out. I don’t care how late it gets. You call me, and I’ll come get you."

Adrian smiled at the possessive edge in his tone and nodded easily. "Alright, baby."

Matteo glanced down at their itinerary. "Are you going straight to her family’s house tomorrow as soon as we arrive?"

"No," Adrian replied, leaning back against the pillows. "I’ll call them tomorrow night and let them know I’m in town, but I’m going to tell them I arrived late. I won’t go over to their house until Saturday morning."

"Alright. Then that’s the plan," Matteo said.

With everything settled, they put the rest of the world out of their minds. Adrian curled up against Matteo’s chest, and the two of them drifted off to sleep in each other’s arms.

The next morning arrived quickly.

They woke up early, freshened up, and gathered the last of their belongings.

Matteo’s bodyguards moved with practiced efficiency, loading the luggage into the waiting vehicles.

Before long, Adrian and Matteo were settled in the plush leather back seat of the lead SUV, and the heavily guarded convoy rolled smoothly out through the estate gates.

The long drive began.

For the next few hours, the scenery gradually changed around them. Open roads gave way to busy streets, and distant buildings slowly grew into the towering skyline of the city.

But just after they crossed into the city limits, long before they reached the hotel, Adrian’s stomach let out a quiet rumble.

He turned to Matteo with a pout. "Baby, I’m hungry."

Matteo raised an eyebrow, slightly confused. "We’re only twenty minutes away from the hotel, babe. Can’t you wait until we get to the suite? We can order whatever you want."

"No, I can’t wait that long," Adrian insisted, resting his head on Matteo’s shoulder. "I want to eat now."

As always, Matteo gave in to his partner’s demands. Before stepping out of the vehicle, Matteo tapped his earpiece and addressed his security detail.

"Keep a low profile. Stay out of sight, but keep your eyes open. Harry and Ricco, you both come with us."

A chorus of acknowledgments came through immediately.

Even though he knew his men could handle any environment, he didn’t want a massive spectacle drawing unnecessary attention to Adrian.

Matteo and Adrian walked into the restaurant hand-in-hand. They were shown to a private, elegant booth where they ordered a spread of gourmet dishes. As they ate, the weight of the upcoming family visit gradually faded away, replaced by easy conversation, shared bites, and quiet laughter.

Once they finished their meal and the plates were cleared, Adrian checked his reflection in the glass and pleaded softly, "Baby, I need to quickly use the restroom before we get back in the car."

Matteo offered a warm smile. "Alright, babe. Go ahead. I’ll wait for you here."

Adrian stood up and hurried down the hallway toward the restrooms. Matteo sat back and waited patiently while his lead security guard quietly stepped forward to settle the restaurant bill.

A few moments later, Adrian returned to the main dining area looking refreshed.

When he reached the table, Matteo looked up with a knowing smirk. "All done?"

"Yes, baby," Adrian replied with a bright smile. Without hesitation, he reached down, took Matteo’s hand, and laced their fingers together.

Hand in hand, they made their way toward the restaurant’s grand glass entrance.

Adrian chatted animatedly as they walked, gesturing with his free hand and looking over at Matteo, completely oblivious to where he was going.

At that exact moment, two elegantly dressed women were making their way into the restaurant, laughing among themselves.

Because Adrian wasn’t paying attention, he nearly collided with the woman in front the moment they reached the entrance.

Both of them stumbled slightly from the unexpected impact.

The sudden jolt made Adrian snap his attention forward.

The woman, clearly irritated by the near collision, opened her mouth to scold whoever had run into her.

But the instant her eyes landed on his face, the annoyance vanished.

Her eyes widened in shock.

"Adrian?" she gasped.

At the sound of his name, Adrian blinked and turned toward the voice, trying to see who had called out to him.

The moment his eyes landed on her face, all the color drained from his own face.

It was Nora—Elena’s younger sister.

A surge of panic shot through him so suddenly that he reacted without thinking.

Almost instinctively, he yanked his hand out of Matteo’s grasp, letting go as though he’d been burned.

Nora didn’t notice the sudden reaction. Overjoyed, she immediately threw her arms around Adrian’s neck, hugging him tightly. "Oh my god! It has been so long!"

Matteo silently took a step back, his dark eyes turning icy as his hand was suddenly left empty. His expression settled into a cold, unreadable mask.

At first, he assumed she was simply an old acquaintance and expected the greeting to be brief.

But then Nora pulled back and grabbed both of Adrian’s hands, her voice rising with excitement. "Adrian, I can’t believe it’s really you!"

"No way are you leaving yet! Come back inside," Nora insisted, tugging on his arms. "When did you get into town? Have you called Mom yet? Does Grandma even know you’re here?"

Hearing those specific names, the puzzle pieces instantly clicked together in Matteo’s mind.

This wasn’t just a random stranger.

This was Elena’s family.

And Adrian had let go of his hand the very second she appeared.

Matteo didn’t say a word.

His jaw tightened as a cold, dangerous aura settled over him.

He refused to stand there feeling like a secret that needed to be hidden.

Without looking at Adrian, Matteo turned on his heel and walked out of the restaurant alone.

He didn’t glance back once, leaving Adrian standing there alone with Nora...