Bound To My Mafia Stepuncles novel Chapter 37

3/31

Bound To My Mafia Stepuncles

Chapter 37

Aria’s POV

Matteo shuffled the deck, his long fingers moving lazily, each card slipping between them with an ease that felt practiced -too practiced. The way he handled them made me suspicious, like he was toying with me before the game even started, setting me up for failure before I even had a chance to play.

I was already regretting this.

The four of us sat around the dining table, the warm glow from the chandelier overhead casting flickering golden light over our faces. A half–empty bottle of whiskey sat on the counter nearby, the amber liquid catching the light like it held secrets of its own. The room smelled of leather and spice, of the faint musk that clung to the triplets no matter where

they went.

The air was thick with something I couldn’t quite name.

Maybe it was the heat in Matteo’s smirk, the way it curled slow and wicked at the edges like he already knew how this night would end. Maybe it was the way Enzo kept watching me, his gray eyes dark and unreadable, like he was already predicting my downfall. Or maybe it was Dante–silent and calculating, his fingers tapping lightly against the table, waiting.

I should have known better than to agree to this.

“Let’s make it interesting.” Dante said suddenly, breaking the silence.

I glanced at him warily. “How?”

lips twitched. “Winner gets to ask the loser a question. No dodging”

I frowned. That hadn’t been part of the deal. “Since when?”

Matteo’s smirk widened, “Since now. What’s wrong, gattina? Scared?”

The way he said it sent an unwanted shiver down my spine.

I straightened, refusing to let them see my hesitation. “You wish.”

Enzo leaned back in his chair, stretching out like he had all the time in the world. “Then let’s play.”

1 grabbed my cards, swallowing my nerves.

I wasn’t about to back down–not when they were clearly expecting me to fold.

But as soon as the game began, I realized just how outmatched I was.

I lost.

Badly.

Enzo tilted his head, his expression, deceptively relaxed. “What was your childhood nickname?”

My fingers tightened around my cards.

Chapter 37

God, of all the questions….

“Pass,” 1 muttered.

Matteo tsked, his tongue clicking against his teeth. “Ah, ah. No dodging, remember?”

I shot him a glare. “Since when do you care about rules?”

His lips curled. “Since it benefits me.”

I exhaled sharply, my shoulders slumping. “It was… Button.”

Only my dad used to call me that, I never knew why though.

Silence.

Then-

Matteo let out a low chuckle, his amusement slow and syrupy, stretching the moment. “That’s adorable.”

I scowled. “Shut up.”

He didn’t. If anything, the teasing curve of his mouth deepened, his gaze flicking over me like he was committing the

name to memory.

Then he leaned in slowly. Tell me shut up again and I’ll bend you over this table and smack you till you’re so sore and the imprint of my hand doesn’t leave your ass for days

I barely had time to recover from what he said before the next round began but his words left an ache between my legs.

I lost again

I gritted my teeth as Matteo leaned in, his voice dropping to something darker.

“What’s something you’ve never told anyone?”

A lump formed in my throat.

I should have expected something like this from him, but still, the question felt heavier than I’d anticipated.

My gaze dropped to the table. “I” My voice faltered. “I used to pretend I had a different life when I was a kid.”

The room went still.

Dante’s fingers paused mid–tap. Enzo’s bead tilted slightly, as if considering. Matteo… just watched.

I forced out a small, humorless laugh. “Forget it.”

Matteo’s smirk faded slightly. “Didn’t have to what?”

I didn’t answer.

2/4

Chapter 37

The air between us was thick, charged with something I wasn’t ready to name.

My skin felt too hot, my heartbeat loud in my ear

I needed to win a round.

I needed to turn this around before I lost more than just the game.

I

This time, I focused. I ignored the way my pulse had gone erratic and forced myself to think.

And miraculously–I won.

Dante raised a brow as I turned to him, relishing my victory.

“Your turn,” I said, my voice steadier than I felt.

He didn’t react at first. Just waited.

I took a slow breath, choosing my words carefully. “Why do you always keep your emotions unreadable?”

For the first time, he hesitated.

A flicker o of something crossed his face. Something almost… uncertain.

Then he exhaled, rubbing a thumb over his bottom lip. “Because showing too much gives people leverage.”

nus, like a weight neither of us was ready to lift.

His words sat heavy between us,

I swallowed.

The game continued, but something had shifted. The questions became more personal, more intimate.

When I won another round, I turned to Matteo, tilting my head. “Why do you call me gattina?”

He leaned closer, voice low and deliberate. “Because you remind me of a kitten.”

1 blinked. “A kitten?”

A slow, knowing smirk. “Small. Stubborn. Always ready to scratch.”

My breath caught..

I should have rolled my eyes, should have laughed it off, but the way he was looking at me made it impossible. His voice was softer now, his body just a little too close, his scent lingering in the space between us.

The air pulsed, thick with something warm and dangerous.

I shifted slightly, but his gaze never left mine.

Dante cleared his throat. “Next round.”

I forced myself to focus.

3/31

Bound To My Mafia Stepuncles

Chapter 37

Aria’s POV

Matteo shuffled the deck, his long fingers moving lazily, each card slipping between them with an ease that felt practiced -too practiced. The way he handled them made me suspicious, like he was toying with me before the game even started, setting me up for failure before I even had a chance to play.

I was already regretting this.

The four of us sat around the dining table, the warm glow from the chandelier overhead casting flickering golden light over our faces. A half–empty bottle of whiskey sat on the counter nearby, the amber liquid catching the light like it held secrets of its own. The room smelled of leather and spice, of the faint musk that clung to the triplets no matter where

they went.

The air was thick with something I couldn’t quite name.

Maybe it was the heat in Matteo’s smirk, the way it curled slow and wicked at the edges like he already knew how this night would end. Maybe it was the way Enzo kept watching me, his gray eyes dark and unreadable, like he was already predicting my downfall. Or maybe it was Dante–silent and calculating, his fingers tapping lightly against the table, waiting.

I should have known better than to agree to this.

“Let’s make it interesting.” Dante said suddenly, breaking the silence.

I glanced at him warily. “How?”

lips twitched. “Winner gets to ask the loser a question. No dodging”

I frowned. That hadn’t been part of the deal. “Since when?”

Matteo’s smirk widened, “Since now. What’s wrong, gattina? Scared?”

The way he said it sent an unwanted shiver down my spine.

I straightened, refusing to let them see my hesitation. “You wish.”

Enzo leaned back in his chair, stretching out like he had all the time in the world. “Then let’s play.”

1 grabbed my cards, swallowing my nerves.

I wasn’t about to back down–not when they were clearly expecting me to fold.

But as soon as the game began, I realized just how outmatched I was.

I lost.

Badly.

Enzo tilted his head, his expression, deceptively relaxed. “What was your childhood nickname?”

My fingers tightened around my cards.

Chapter 37

God, of all the questions….

“Pass,” 1 muttered.

Matteo tsked, his tongue clicking against his teeth. “Ah, ah. No dodging, remember?”

I shot him a glare. “Since when do you care about rules?”

His lips curled. “Since it benefits me.”

I exhaled sharply, my shoulders slumping. “It was… Button.”

Only my dad used to call me that, I never knew why though.

Silence.

Then-

Matteo let out a low chuckle, his amusement slow and syrupy, stretching the moment. “That’s adorable.”

I scowled. “Shut up.”

He didn’t. If anything, the teasing curve of his mouth deepened, his gaze flicking over me like he was committing the

name to memory.

Then he leaned in slowly. Tell me shut up again and I’ll bend you over this table and smack you till you’re so sore and the imprint of my hand doesn’t leave your ass for days

I barely had time to recover from what he said before the next round began but his words left an ache between my legs.

I lost again

I gritted my teeth as Matteo leaned in, his voice dropping to something darker.

“What’s something you’ve never told anyone?”