Chapter 132: You Are Cute
Chapter 132: You Are Cute
Domenico
The sound from my phone interrupted Camilla from what she was just about to say and when I looked at the screen of my phone, I saw my mother's junior sister's number. She hasn't called me in years or any of my brothers. In fact, since the death of our mother who was her elder sister, she cut ties with us.
The only reason she would be called now call is if someone was dead or something else important enough happened to set her pride and anger aside and make the first move.
"Sorry," I apologize to Camilla as I picked up the through my car Bluetooth system.
The look she sent me told me it really wasn't a big deal which I nodded to in genuine thanks.
"Hello," I said, already tense for the conversation that is to come.
"Domenico?" A small voice cries through the speaker, my little niece's sobs filling the car.
"Harper?" I was startled but forced my voice into calmness.
"What is the matter, baby?"
Harper is my niece, even though her mother cut ties with us, we don't joke with her. We always took care of her and considered as our precious little sister. She means everything to us as our mother was unable to give birth to a baby girl, she automatically becomes our little sister and we can pull down the world just to make her happy. She taught us to sing lullabies and read bedtime stories just to put her to sleep. She is our priceless diamond.
But if my aunt knew she was in her office, using her phone… I don't even want to finish that thought.
"Ca….can you p..put me to bed?" She asked through her overwhelmed breaths, stuttering as she tried to keep quiet over the phone.
"Where is aunt and uncle?" I asked, not noticing how tense I had grown until Camilla placed her hand overtop of my own on her thigh.
Although my aunt is upset with us, she thinks if her sister didn't marry into a mafia family, she would still be alive. But she never once deprived us of the right to be with our niece. We were always welcome to the house just to see Harper and nothing else.
"They left for a party."
Which means they left her with the servant for the night. Harper has never managed well with them and I don't blame her either. She deserves her parents by her side and I very well know that she can't sleep without someone more than just a hired helper there. Looking at Camilla, she whispered to me.
"Go to her, whatever mystery plans you have thought up can wait an hour or two, don't you think?"
Her words allow a part of me to relax, giving her thigh a teasing squeeze in appreciation.
"I am on my way, Harper, okay? You listen to what the nanny asks of you and then I will come and see you in about ten minutes. Can you do that for me, kiddo?"
"Please come fast. I tried to reach out for Adriano and Gregorio but I couldn't get through them. I am waiting for you." She said before the line abruptly went dead between us.
I don't know why I would have expected anything less than understanding from Camilla but I am still grateful for it. The thought of my aunt leaving just a seven year old girl with strangers was just the cherry on top.
"I promise, this won't take very long. It will just be a story and then lights out…"
"Domenico, it really isn't a big deal." Camilla interrupted me, brushing my words off and truly not viewing this as disruption.
"I am excited to meet her anyways, I always wanted a little sister growing up but it just never happened."
Honestly, Harper isn't really our biological sister but I don't think I could ever go back to not having her in my life anymore.
"I am sure she will love you, she had a really hard time with new people though so don't be sad when she doesn't speak to you. Enjoy it even and once you get her talking, she will never step up."
Camilla's eyes crink at the corners slightly as she laughs at my words, easing the last bit of worry from my body. Just this little thing meant the world to me and she doesn't even realize it.
Pulling into the extensively long driveway that leads up to my aunt's house, I watched as Camilla's eyes went wide at the sheer size of everything. Going straight through the gates and nodding in acknowledgement at the guards, I parked as close as I could to the main entrance, sighing as I got out of the car and walked around to open the door for Camilla.
Just because she was capable of doing it on own doesn't always mean she should have to. Besides I would do it a million more times if I could get to see her cutely blush in thanks again the way she just did now.
Taking her hand into mine, we walked side by side up to the patio stairs until I found myself unlocking the entrance door. Since we always come here to visit Harper at any time, we have the door code, let just say this place is like our second home where our little sister lives.
"Domenico!" Harper smiled
She was so busy caught up in her excitement that she didn't even notice Camilla as she rushed passed and threw herself around my legs.
"Hey, kiddo." I bend and hug her, her motions clear that she has tried but desperately fighting it.
"You remember me telling you that I met someone the last time I visited?" I said, turning my head with hers as she finally realized we weren't alone in the room.
"This is Camilla Ranger, my girlfriend."
"Hi," Camilla said, offering a claiming smile to her.
"Domenico had told me so many great things about you."
As expected, Harper didn't say a word to her, though we both watched as she looked her up and down slowly. She typically does this with strangers and I felt her nuzzle slightly closer to me in shyness before looking up to meet my eyes. I only gave her wink, silently telling her that she is okay and that she is safe. As if needing to see yet again for herself, she looks back to Camilla in seemingly deep thought before leaning up to my ear.
"Is she a princess?" She whispered, though considering she is only seven, she hasn't exactly mastered the concept of being quiet.
I watched as a grin split wide across Camilla's face at her words, her eyes meeting mine in amusement.
"Yes, she is my princess." I replied as I kept my gaze directly on Camilla as I spoke, loving the way she smiles for entirely different reasons this time.
I felt Harper nodded against me before pulling out of my arms, using one of her small hands to indicate that she wanted us to stay for a moment. Before I could say anything else, she ran off back up the stairs and to where I am assuming to be her room.
"You are cute." Camila's voice pulls my attention away from the staircase, my eyebrows raising in question as I stand from my crouched position.
"Cute?" I question with a tilt of my head, that word not being even close to one of the things I would describe myself as.
"I didn't realize you were so good with children." She said, taking a step towards me and slinging her arms over my shoulders.
"So that was cute?"
I grinned as my fingers found their way to her hips, pulling her in close enough that I could feel her body better against mine.
"Only with Harper." I said, tucking a small strand of hair behind her ear.
"She is the child I would do this for, well I would probably do it for you too if you asked me to tuck you in." I teased as amusement flashed across her features.
"The last time I checked, I wasn't a child." She said, emphasizing her point by closing the little distance between our bodies.
"Well you are ten years younger than me." I said as she straightens slightly, her heels putting her much closer than usual at eye level with me.
She used it to her advantage too as she looked at me dead serious before speaking.
"If being twenty-five makes me a child then you are a grandpa at this point."
I couldn't help the laugh that fell past my lips, this conversation is completely useless but entirely perfect at the same time. Just as I opened my mouth to retort another comment, Harper appeared and I stopped myself at the sight of her descending down the stairs.
Camilla pulled away a little so that we were now side by side as the two of us watched my little niece walk with her hands behind her back, clearly hiding something from us. Looking at her feet as she moved, I waited for her to come to me but instead she stood in front of Camilla, gesturing to her to bend down.
I angled my head and kept quiet as Camilla crouched in slight surprise, making sure she stayed down in the process. From this angle, I couldn't see what Harper was being so sensitive about but I swear my heart stopped for a second as her hands came around to her front, her fingers holding a delicate toy crown.
I know Camilla's breath hitched as well as the twisted metals of golds and silver were placed on top of her head. She effectively shocked us all.
"Now you are a real princess." She mumbled nervously, not waiting to hear Camilla's response before she was suddenly tugging at my hand.
That was a very huge thing for her to do and I didn't stop her as she silently told me she is finally ready for bed. With a nod from a nearly teary eyed Camilla, I smiled as I was led away, knowing that in a few minutes, the beautiful woman who I get to call mine will be waiting for me.
"Domenico, do you think Adriano and Gregorio had found their own princess? Because I also want to give them a crown." Harper mumbled against my skin as I was approaching the stairs.
I turned around to see that Camilla has the same expression as mine. How do we tell her Camilla belongs to the three of us?
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