Chapter 61
Luciano
After a few minutes of letting our mothers gush over our girl I decide its time to whisk her away to introduce her to the rest of the family.
“Okay ladies if I may…” I hold out my hand and our girl blushes from all the affection and takes my hand that I tuck into my arm.
“You ready, Donna?”
“As ready as I’ll ever be, Don“, she winks at me.
Luca opens the door for us and the noise of chatter and soft music fills the air. Underneath the soft lights strung from the trees in the garden I spot the long table across the makeshift dancefloor where my Nonnna and Nonno sit alongside Tony and Luca’s. I begin to guide us through the crowd and we’re stopped by many family and friends along the way.
“Don! This must be the girl the family can’t stop talking about“, my cousin Jeremy says.
Ariana smiles and holds out her free hand. “Hello“, she says quietly.”
“I hear you’re quite the fighter; I hope to see you at Ronaldo’s club now that you seem to be all better“. He scans her head to toe, taking a moment to scan over her full body of tattoos that Luca and Matteo not long finished off for her. Every inch of her body, her neck and face are covered in pieces that represent her strength and resilience to life’s obstacles.
“Oh yes definitely! Although I still have a few more weeks until I have clearance of my legs.”
“No, you will not be fighting any more! A Donna does not fight in underground clubs or anywhere!” I say with force
“Uh I will be. I need to be able to keep up my muscle memory so I can protect myself, thank you very much.” She places her hands on her hips and looks up at me defiantly.
“Actually, honey, this is another thing we need to talk about. Becoming Donna to this family officially means that you’ll be placed with your own guards. Especially with your healing being almost complete and we assume you’ll be wanting some freedom back to roam as you please.”
“What do you mean placed with my own guards? We always have guards around us everywhere.”
“Oh you guys didn’t tell her yet? Well this is an interesting conversation to be a part of!” Jeremy smirks.
“Tell me what?”
“Princess, you are already very important to us, but now you will also be very important to the largest mafia family in this country. We’ve organized a team of very skilled made men to follow you everywhere to make sure of your safety. Jeremy here, is one of those men.”
She narrows her eyes at the three of us.
“We will talk later about you three making decisions on my behalf later.” Then she turns to Jeremy. “Why haven’t I met you before if you are all so important and skillful“, she says sarcastically.
“I’ve been out on certain missions that only very skilled, brave and strong men can do“, he says back sarcastically and flexes his muscles for her making her laugh.
“Alright alright big guy, I’ll allow you to follow me around like a little puppy if that helps stroke your ego.”
He beams at her like he’s been given a gift.
Jlike her Don. Solid choice! I’m going to go tell the guys you’re here and we’ll catch up later once Nonna has had her fill of her.”
He dashes off and I give our girl a quick kiss on the temple as I take her hand and continue our path to the head table,
Luciano darling, long time no see. Care to tell me why you’ve been hiding from your Nonna?” Tony and Luca are getting their own earful from their Nonna’s whilst our Nonno’s sit silently as they usually do when their wives have something to say.
“Nonna,” I walk to her side and give her kisses on her cheeks and a warm hug, “I am sorry, Nonna“, she pinches my cheek and I hear Ariana’s
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hapter 61
sweet laughter that causes all our Nonna’s to stop and turn their heads to her. My Nonna smiles deeply and she begins to stand as I rush to help her.
“Nonna’s, Nonno’s, this is Ariana Salvatore, our Donna.”
“Sweet girl, come here.”
Ariana walks around the table and I move out of her way.
“It is a pleasure to meet you all.” She says sweetly.
“The pleasure is all ours, now off with you men, us ladies need to chat.”
1 see Ariana gulp and she turns to me. I give her a reassuring smile, I know she’s safe here.
“We’ll be at the bar.” I give her a gentle kiss, as does Tony and Luca and we depart.
Ariana
As the men leave, Madre and Mamma join us, Mamma brings me a glass of wine and all chairs are shuffled in closer to mine.
“So, tell us, what are your intentions with our grandsons?” Luciano’s Nonna starts.
“Uh, well… Mrs…” she cuts me off, raising her hand to silence me.
“Nonna, if you love our boys as they say you do, you call us your Nonna’s”
“Nonna…” I giance around at them, “I do love them. We have been through a lot in a short amount of time, and our…relationship as a whole is not simple or seemingly normal. However I do love them, all three of them, each in different ways but equally as much. We have had conversations about what and how we will make this work moving forward and it seems like we’re all on the same page.”
“and that page would be?”
“That we will live happily together, as a unit, a formidable force that chooses to love each other for the rest of our lives.”
I take a large gulp of my drink and look around the table to see all the women smiling brightly at me.
“Good. We were all hoping you would say that! Now lets talk grandbabies because I know myself that I want at least five and I’m not getting any younger, so you need to get a move on!” The other Nonna’s laugh and agree, smiling and nodding their heads. We talk for a while and the atmosphere is like a dream. I’ve never known my mother or had a figure in my life like these women that are just opening their arms to me with unconditional love. Now I have a whole family of them.
“Ladies and gentleman, family!” I hear Luciano’s strong husky voice come through a speaker and I turn my head to see him with Tony and Luca upon a stage to the side of the dancefloor. Madre holds my hand and squeezes it, just like her son, she’s proving to be emotional support in a
time of need.
“It is lovely to see you all here tonight. Family from all over have come together for this special evening, tonight we would like to introduce you to our Donna. Ariana.” He holds out his hand and Mamma and Madre stand and guide me to the stage where they place my hands in their sons.
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