“Sí, chica.”
I slip into bed next to Flora. I showered on the flight back down to NYC from Boston. I had to dispose of the blood splattered suit and scrub myself to make sure I carried none of Lorenzo’s DNA evidence on me. My hair’s still a bit damp, but I’m presentable enough to be near Flora.
“I’m glad you’re home.” She speaks around a yawn.
“I didn’t mean to wake you.”
“It’s all right.”
She snuggles closer to me, putting her head on my chest and draping her arm over my belly. Her left leg slides between mine. I wrap my arms around her, and my hand rests on her ass.
“It’s over, little one.”
“Really?” She’s a lot more awake now.
“Yes. The man who started this understands what he did wrong. He won’t come near you except to apologize.”
She pushes up onto her elbow and gazes down at me.
“A syndicate man is going to apologize to me?”
“In front of his wife. Don’t be alarmed when you see the bruising. It’ll be worse than it looks, but he’ll survive.”
She stares at me before she nods and settles back into her spot alongside me. She kisses my chest and gives me a squeeze.
“Thank you, Daddy. I love you.”
“I love you too,chiquita.”
Epilogue
Flora
“Damn, Daddy! Let me catch my breath.”
Pablo just chased me around our backyard and into the house. Of course, he caught me before I could make it up the stairs to our room. For some reason, he didn’t appreciate finding panties beneath my skirt. I took off running out of the living room, and he followed. We’ve been playing the same games for nine years. I get to see a lighthearted side of Pablo even his family rarely sees.
“You are going over my knee, little one.”
“I’m already over your shoulder, and you’re already spanking me.”
“I know. You’re going over my knee, so I can finger you and play with that plug in your ass.”
“We’ll be late for Josue’s birthday party.”
Javier and Madeline’s little boy turned six today, and they’re having a party for him. I doubt it’ll rival his fourth birthday when he got a polo pony. That was as much about the little boy following in his father’s footsteps as it was prolonging Javier’s revenge against Marco Mancinelli.
Josue’s the oldest but not the only member of his generation. We’re the indulgenttíaandtío. Pablo’s taken lessons fromTíoEnrique, who used to spoil Pablo, his brother, and their cousins when they were kids. Apparently, he brought all the best snacks to games when his brother or sisters and their spouses couldn’t make it. It’s wild, but all the parents in the Four Families had snack duties at peewee, little league, and high school games since the guys played with and against each other.
“Then you better not come, that way I don’t have to punish you for a second thing.”
“Pablo, my skirt comes to my knees, but it’s breezy today. I’m not going commando around your entire family since the kids will be there. If the wind blows my skirt up?—”
“Then you better hold it down. It’s never happened.”
“But it could.”
“If you wanted me to edge you, all you had to do was ask,chiquita.”
