Hey Rom-Cubs,

I love that we get to witness Niccolo and Ada, as he affectionately calls her *wink + giggles*, fall in love. It warms my heart, even if for a while. I hope you beauties enjoyed this chap. And not to worry, there's a lot more where that came from.

Here's the eleventh installation.

ENJOY!!! XD

Please

Stay Radiant Loves!!!!

Thanks for all your support. XD

xoxoxoxoxo.

- Ang

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Niccolo's Chocolate House

Chapter 1

*Dari*

I woke to an eerie silence, and without a second to spare, my eyes shot to the hospital bed to see no one there. My heart sank at the sight.

The beeping of the monitor that I began to recognize as his heartbeat no longer echoed through the air. At once, I became frantic and trying my best to breathe, even as my heart was breaking all over again.

Stored-up tears escaped my eyes, trailing down my cheeks to rest at my chin before falling to my arm. No ... no ... he couldn't go ... he couldn't leave me like this ... not when my life was in such a mess.

I roused myself from the visitor's chair, crossing the path of the polished hospital floors to my papa's empty bed, sinking into the soft surface before abruptly curling into a foetal position. I tried desperately to captured what was left of his warmth ... his essence.

The room was vacant except for me. I couldn't tell where Niccolo had gone but it was apparent that he no longer had a reason to stay. There was no reason to marry Niccolo again if my papa was gone. He didn't love me and neither did I him, but marrying him would've been what was best for my papa.

I didn't get to say goodbye ... to tell him how much I love him. I tried desperately to bite back the tears that stung my eyes.

Footfalls reached my ears from out in the hallway and at the sight that I found in the doorway, tears came pouring out as I became inconsolable.

I hid my face behind my hands, not wanting him to see me like this. I heard echoes of his footsteps as he crossed the room, coming to stand beside my papa's bed. He tried to hold my hand but I wouldn't let him. I felt something calloused against my cheek only to realize, his thumb gently grazed a path down my cheek, causing me to shudder involuntarily. At the action, I peeked from behind my hands to see him, staring down at me with a softened gaze.

"What on earth are you doing?" Niccolo asked, catching my gaze even from behind my hands. "We have to leave. Your papa's waiting for us in the ambulance."

"What?" I asked, beyond pissed that my papa would be moved without my knowledge or consent. "What do you mean, he's in the ambulance?"

"I told them to put him there," Niccolo revealed and at once my sights were reduced to narrowing slits. He noticed but remained nonchalant as I pulled myself to face him.

"You ..." I began, stabbing at his solid chest once with my finger only to note he less than budged. "... told the staff to put my papa in an ambulance while I was asleep and without asking me first?! Are yo-"

At once, his hand gripped the back of my neck, pulling me headfirst into an assault, as his lips covered--no, consumed--mine capturing my breath and silencing me all at once. He closed the gap, standing between my thighs as my neck craned to increase his access and he nibbled against my bottom lip.

Suddenly, he pulled away, allowing me to draw my first breath in minutes. He smiled triumphantly, and I couldn't explain why I felt fortunate that I was one of few he'd ever revealed it to, but I was.

His calloused hands found mine, drawing both to him as he pulled me to stand, allowing my body to whisper against his solid frame before stepping away and leading me out into the hallway.

It had escaped me, once again, where we were when we shared our heated embrace. I realized now that the door had been opened wide all along, leaving only a little to the imagination. I lowered my head, suddenly embarrassed at our forwardness just as Niccolo pulled me to him at my waist as we walked the busy hallway.

I felt like I was under a giant microscope. Worse, in a court of law being accused of wrongdoing. I felt his hand squeeze my side a little, prompting me to meet his gaze and I think for the first time really, I notice that they are a dazzling sapphire blue.

Before long, we found ourselves outside the hospital at the ramp where the ambulance was patiently waiting. Only one door stood open, I realized as we drew nearer to the vehicle. Niccolo helped me inside and I near broke down at the sight of my papa. He was tucked neatly into a gurney with an EMT present beside him. I joined him, finding my papa's hand in euphoria. He smiled as he saw me and I began to tear up again.

"I love you, papa," I kissed his hand as Niccolo settled beside me. I was tempted to lay my head against his chest to make sure this was real but I resisted as the ambulance began underway.

"Stop crying, Dara," My papa said and I was happy to hear his voice though he should do less talking to conserve his energy.

"Ok, Papa," I kissed his palm once more before placing it gently beside him on the gurney. "Ok."

I leant against Niccolo's arm which lay stretched out behind me. He held me at the waist protectively and I could feel him staring at me. I didn't return his gaze as I was still angry with the manipulative bastard.

He had no right to do what he'd done. Not yet, anyway. And what's new, he was already taking control where papa was concerned? Who did he think he was? I wasn't sure how he managed to get acquainted with my papa or warm him up to the idea that we were engaged to be married in the near future, but my papa seemed to like him. Not that I was sure because I'd never had the time to have a boyfriend, not that Niccolo was and not that I had many suitors, to begin with.

We rode in silence with only the mechanical sound of the engine and the tires crunching against the asphalt to fill the void.

I couldn't tell my papa that I was marrying Niccolo to take care of him, he would flip in an instant. Especially, after he found out how Niccolo got around to proposing in the first place.

Papa loved me too much to allow me to be used for his personal gain, even if his health were to deteriorate from the lack of treatment. That's also why I didn't tell him about my eating habits or lack thereof. I wanted what was best for him at all costs even if I had to starve myself to accomplish it.

It was a while before my eyelids grew heavy. I leant into Niccolo for stability and he tightened his hold of me while I listened to the rhythm of his beating heart. I fell asleep to the sound moments later.

I jerked awake at the sound of a door being opened from the outside, my head knocking against something solid, causing me to yelp in pain.

"Ahia," I didn't know what it meant but it sounded like a cry of pain.

The door opened and Niccolo retrieved his arms. I mumbled my apologies as he lent me his hand. The EMTs manoeuvred my papa in the gurney while I stood dumbfounded at the picture before me.

This must have been the most dashing hospital I'd ever seen. I manually held my teeth together to keep my jaw from dropping as my eyes soaked in the sight.

"Welcome to your new home."

Am I doing the right thing? I feel like I'm using him for his resources, wasn't that shallow of me? Wasn't he using me for mine, which consisted of love? That is if he would get it. It was no secret that neither of us loved the other. So why were we doing this again?

"Ada!" The sound of my name, well Niccolo's name for me, caught my ear pulling me from my reverie.

"Yes," I asked a bit clouded.

"Your papa is calling for you." He said at once, drawing my attention to his security detail which consisted of about a dozen menacing men that had come to assist.

The EMTs held my papa to the side as they waited for me. I glanced back at Niccolo to see him already engulf in conversation with his men, prompting me to head in my papa's direction.

"What's this I hear about this being our new home. Did you win the lottery or something?"

I inhaled at his question. Papa didn't like to beat around the bush but I was still adjusting to the idea of this grande house being our new home, there was not much to be said.

"I'm getting married papa." I panicked. Hopefully, it didn't show in my voice.

I smiled despite myself. It was something I always dreamed of telling my papa. I knew that he worried about me being lonely and, who would be there to protect me when he was gone. One thing, I knew I would get out of this marriage is protection.

I'd always dreamed of being married and despite how shallow it seemed that it wouldn't be as real as they come, I was happy to tell my papa, even if only to soothe his woes.

A hand caught me at the waist and I near flinched but I had to sell this engagement if anything or he wouldn't believe a word of it.

Despite being a young age when my mother left us, I still remember that look he gave my mother. I knew without a doubt that he'd loved her, even if she didn't love him back. Before everything that had occurred, I'd thought that my mother would be there for moral support on my wedding day but, reality had kicked in just then putting an end to my naïve fantasies.

I stood beside my betrothed, sporting the most genuine smile I could muster before pulling him in for a kiss. It was my mistake. I felt something shift within my belly as Niccolo held my cheek tugging on my lower lip with his teeth.

"Hmmmph," The sound interrupted od, startling us apart but something strange happened.

A glint flickered in his eyes as he continued to hold my cheek and I stared back at him, trying my best to decipher but despite all my best effects, the glint had vanished from his eyes, sending me on a one-way ticket back to reality.

"We are getting married, Sir," Niccolo added with a boyish grin as his calloused hand glided down my arm, raising the hairs on my skin even as he held my hand. I closely followed the gesture, only to look into his eyes again.

"Congratulations to you both," Papa said, smiling like a baby who'd met an angel. "And non-sense about this, Sir. Call me Jaden or Papa for now on."

"Thank you, Papa," I kissed him on his cheek as the EMTs were finally able to take him in now that Niccolo was present.

Niccolo unlocked the door with his keys before turning the knob and pushing it open. He unlatched the other side, enabling the EMTs to carry my father inside.

"There's a guest room downstairs for easy access. You can set him up in there." Niccolo instructed as I gazed up at him in wonder. Had I misjudged him or was this an act to please my papa? Either way, I was grateful to have someone else care about him besides Josie, Tionnè and me.

When he finally looked down at me, I tiptoed tentatively to reach his lips, pecking them before biting mine in anxiety as I relaxed my feet.

"Oh, Nikki you're home I was wondering where you've been the entire nigh-" I stepped from his embrace to see Krysta had entered the room. She eyed us both with interest before she giggled. "It's nice to see you again, Dari,"

*END of Chapter Eleven*

TRANSLATIONS

Italian - English

Ahia - Ouch