Page 37 of Mafia Daddy

I lean back, studying Milo instead of the pieces. “It says the game is still in the middle stage. Many pieces still on the board. Alliances can shift. Sacrifices may be necessary. But the endgame… the endgame is still forming.”

Milo bites his lip, processing my words and probably his own thoughts on this damn situation too.

The air between us feels thicker than it did a minute ago. He’s thinking about last night, I can see it in the faint blush creeping up his neck. The ice cream. The way he came hard in his room while I was out handling business. My hidden camera never lies, never misses a beat.

I decide to push just a little.

“Would you like to play?” I ask, voice low. “Real game. No engine. Just you and me.”

Milo’s eyes flash with surprise and something hotter. He hesitates only a second.

“Yeah,” he says, a small smile tugging at his lips. “I’d like that.”

I reset the board slowly, placing each piece with deliberate care. Milo watches every movement. The chess match about to begin feels far less important than the one already unfolding between us.

And for the first time in a long while, I’m not entirely sure who has the advantage.

Milo settles into the chair across from me, his posture a careful mix of curiosity and wariness. He tucks one leg beneath him, eyes moving over the reset chessboard like he’s already trying to read my strategy before the first move.

“Like I said, I play,” he says, a touch defensive. “A little. My dad taught me the basics when I was younger. I was never serious about it, though.”

I allow myself a small smile.

“A little is more than most people manage.”

There’s a spark there… challenge, interest, maybe even a hint of excitement. For a moment, the tension eases. But this boy is nothing if not able to put me on the edge of my seat.

Milo traces the edge of the board with one finger. “Are you and Paolo… friends?”

The question is casual on the surface, but I catch the subtle probe beneath it. He’s fishing. Looking for leverage, information he might pass along, or simply trying to understand the man who now controls his life.

Smart boy.

But predictable.

I lean back, studying Milo. “I respect Paolo. He has modernized his family in ways many old bosses refused to do. He is disciplined. Ruthless when necessary. But we are not friends. In this life, friendship is a luxury few can afford. Allies, yes. Partners in certain ventures, perhaps. But friends?” I shake my head once. “No.”

He absorbs that, lips pressing together. I can see the wheels turning behind those dark eyes.

I decide to draw the line clearly. “The business side of my life is exactly that. My business. If we are going to build any kind of understanding between us, Milo, you will need to learn your place. You are under my protection. You are part of this household. But you are not my advisor. You are not my lieutenant. You do not get to ask questions about deals, alliances, or how I handle threats. That road only leads to disappointment. Or punishment.”

The words land exactly as I intended.

Milo’s cheeks flush: partly with embarrassment, mostly with irritation. His jaw tightens. For a second I think he might argue. Instead he reaches forward, flicks over my black king with a sharp movement, and stands up.

“Fine,” he says coldly. “Keep your precious business to yourself.”

He turns on his heel and walks out, the door closing behind him with a deliberate click, not quite a slam, but close enough to make his feelings clear.

I stare at the fallen king for a long moment, then shake my head disapprovingly. But a small smile tugs at the corner of my mouth despite myself.

The boy has guts. Real ones. Most people in his position would have cowered or tried to manipulate with sweetness. Milo pushes back. He tests boundaries. And he’s smart enough to know exactly what he’s doing.

I wonder, not for the first time, whether one day he could become a true asset to the Kovalev family? A boy with his bloodline, his fire, and an ability to read a room could be formidable at my side.

But that day is a long way off, if it ever comes at all.

Right now Milo is still a Lentini. Still raw. Still dangerous in ways he doesn’t fully understand.