The Greater Bond

Chapter Nine

Luna Camorra and Allliandra Ivanov (Picture at the top)

Rl name: Lauren de Graaf ,
...

Buffalo New York
Di Amoré's Estate

Chiara was being summoned to her grandfather's office. She wrung her hands together, suddenly anxious about what he'd say.

She knocked on the door three times before going inside.

"I have barely seen you Chiara. " He said. He sound disappointed. Chiara had never let his grandfather down. His tone had struck her hard.

"I'm sorry." She trembled. "Was that why you cut the party short, Gandpa? "

"Come sit here."

She closed her eyes shut, breathed out,and when she opened it again, she moved towards the seat and settled down.  She clutched the armrest as Paulo stared straight at her.

"I've let you down." She spoke.

"You're a Di Amoré's Princess. The only heir. You should not cower but you've left the guests who wanted to get to know you. I give you free reign in order to ease yourself into this life not to run from it." He growled lowly.

"I'm sorry." She gripped her dress in her hands.
A Guilty conscience and his grandfather angry at her was not a feeling she was used too.

"Tomorrow is another day to prove yourself. Do not make the same mistake, Chiara. I expected better from you."

"I-" the words were stuck in her throat as she stared at him. She valued Paulo's thought of her. He was the only person in the world that was truly there and loved her.

"Ah, Do not cry, ragazza dolce. I know this is all knew to you." He let his anger go. "But don't let what happened tonight happen again." He continued

Chiara expelled a deep breath. "I understand granpa. I'm won't be a coward." She said.

Letting a fleeting silence take over, Chiara composed herself as she unclenched her hands.

"You danced with Matteo Camorra." Paulo spoke after a while.

"I did." She answered, looking up at his face.

"He'll be Don of the Outfit when he takes a bride." His expression was neutral but she got what her grandfather was going at. She was not going to bite his bait.

"Luna mentioned that." She answered easily.

"What do you think of him?" He asked.

"He's alright." 

A frown settled on Paulo's face.

"Cassius told me you showed Lucian the greenhouse."

"Yes, I met him at the helipad." She stared at him with her bright eyes.

La mia rosa. His words of parting were etched in her mind. He called her his rose. There was no denying that he saw the power that she held with her name as she did with him. Why else would they be playing with each other?

"Why did you bring him there?" Paulo asked, his voice hard like he had found fault to her actions.

"I don't know." Chiara answered, a lie. 
There were several answers to that question. It was because of the way he stared at her, how his eyes sucked her in the first time they sought hers. And it was because she sensed his power and she liked that.

"He will be the next capo dei capi in a couple of years."

"I didn't think of that."

Paulo grunted, somehow he knew when she was lying.