Total pages in book: 84
Estimated words: 82121 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 411(@200wpm)___ 328(@250wpm)___ 274(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 82121 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 411(@200wpm)___ 328(@250wpm)___ 274(@300wpm)
“Saully,” he says as I scoop him up in a big hug. “You’re my boy.”
“You’re my boy, big guy,” I say, grinning at Stefania.
She sighs and picks up Cassie instead. “And you know you’re my favorite,” she whispers loudly.
“I’m the favorite,” Brando says, completely nonplussed. “Saully, Steffy lies.”
“Yeah, she does, buddy.” I put him back down and he goes back to stomping on blocks with T-rex.
“Don’t wind him up,” Maddie chides when I kiss her on the cheek. “He gets so excited when you’re around.”
“Showing off,” Allegra agrees. I greet her too.
“How’s it going today?” I smile at Mom, but don’t kiss her. I can tell she doesn’t recognize me today and I don’t want to make things worse.
“Going good,” Maddie says. I take a seat and watch Stefania play blocks with the littles. “Renzo hasn’t worked himself up into a frothing fury yet, which is unusual.”
I raise my eyebrows. “It’s already past nine in the morning and he hasn’t had at least one meltdown? That’s a new record.”
“Don’t you be quick to judge,” Allegra said, jutting a finger at me. “You’re just as bad.”
“You’re not wrong,” I admit with a shrug. “Where’s your man?”
“Work. You know, what you should be doing?”
“Ah, Allegra, I am so happy we didn’t get married.”
She rolls her eyes at me. “I thank God every day.”
I lean back in my chair. The girls go back to chatting and I watch my little sister playing with my niece and nephew. The morning is bright, the sun’s cresting the house, and even though Mom isn’t doing great, at least she seems comfortable. The garden’s sprouting flowers, a flood of them in bright colors; multiple butterfly bushes are scattered all over. Mine’s at the far end of the property. Maddie insists that everyone in the family gets one, including the littles. Brando had one hell of a time planting his, or at least throwing dirt at his mother. The little scamp.
I crave this. It’s strange, sitting here in this chair, doing nothing but observing my family, but I think about it all the time. How peaceful things have been ever since Maddie came into our lives. Now Allegra’s here, and the kids, and it’s only gotten better. Mom will never be the same, but at least she’s stable. The babies are growing fast, and even Stefania’s home from school.
Molly would love it here. I think she would, anyway. I could see our baby growing up with Cassie and Brando, running around the Rossi house, getting lost in the bushes and the flowers, playing tag in the weeds and the woods. Molly could sit with the girls and talk about nothing, or she could sit in my lap in my office and distract me from whatever I should be doing. It hurts, how much I want that.
I nearly married Allegra. It was an arranged thing. I never felt anything for her and she never felt anything for me, but there were a few days when I thought I was going to have a wife, and I liked the idea. Then it was taken from me, and I’m happy that happened—she’s a perfect fit with Gian—but it left a hole in my life.
Only it’s a hole that Molly can’t ever fill.
The others would never allow it. Renzo would kill me if he knew that I got an Irish girl pregnant. She’s not in the clan, but she’s got clan ties—her uncle, her cousin, maybe more, I need to look into it—and that’s bad enough. But the war has touched everyone, and I don’t think she’d be welcome here, even if she’s innocent.
There are the Capos and the soldiers to think about. How would they react if their underboss married an Irish girl? While they’ve been out bleeding and dying on the streets, I spend all my time getting my dick sucked by the enemy? They’ll be livid. We’ll have a fucking civil war on our hands on top of the war we’re already fighting. It’s bad enough Dante knows I slept with Molly and he’s aware that I’ve been trying to see her again. But if he learns that she’s carrying my baby?
I love my family. I love my brothers and my sister and my niece and nephew. I love my poor mother. But they will take Molly away from me.
I told her I’d take care of her, and I meant it. I just don’t know how I can do that right now when everybody is still so damn raw from everything that’s happened.
“Saully!” Brando’s standing at the top of the stairs looking back over his shoulder. Stefania’s right there, making sure he doesn’t fall. “Come play.”
“Can’t, little dude.” I get to my feet. “I have to work.”
“‘Kay, bye.” Brando jumps down the steps and Stefania catches him, cursing at the little beast.