The truth is, Kostya tried his best to talk me out of coming here today. He said I should’ve waited until tomorrow to approach Stella at the casino, where it would be safer, rather than crash her party and face the full weight of the Outfit. Mybrother thinks I have a death wish. And maybe I do. Because loving Stella Romano is like holding a blade to my own throat and daring her to pull me closer. I couldn’t wait another day to feel that pinprick against my skin. I’d gone too many days without its heat brushing up against me already.
“I guess that makes sense.” Kira chews her bottom lip. “Maybe one day I’ll be able to get my whole family under one roof. Right?” She looks over at Lucky first, who immediately softens for her.
“Sure, baby. Maybe one day,” he coos softly, pressing a sweet kiss to her lips.
Poor kid is so in love that he might actually mean it—that somewhere in the distant future, the Petrovs and the Romanos could coexist and sit in the same room as an actual family.
Thing is, Kira’s wish to have both families united mimics my own hopes and dreams.
Hers through Lucky.
Mine through Stella.
Different paths to the same impossible aspiration.
“Let’s just get through this party first, okay?” Lucky adds, brushing the tip of his nose over the length of his girlfriend’s.
Envy hits me hard at seeing Kira—a Petrov—and Lucky—a Romano—being light years ahead of me and Stella. They get to love each other openly, without caring who sees them, while Stella and I still have to hide ours. And in Stella’s case, hide it even from herself.
I swear to God, if Lucky marries my niece before I get a chance to walk Stella down the aisle, I’ll be extremely annoyed.
“Oh! There’s Marcello and Izzie. Let’s go and say hi,” Kira says, pulling a reluctant Lucky away.
“Baby, I don’t think that’s a good idea. Your uncle and my brother don’t exactly get along.”
“Then what a perfect opportunity to start mending some fences, is it not?” I goad, a smug smirk tugging at my lips as I lock eyes with Marcello Romano standing in the corner of the room.
It’s fair to say that our first and only interaction back at my club didn’t exactly go off without a hitch. He’s been avoiding me, along with anything to do with my business dealings with his father, ever since. A fact I intend to remedy. If I really want to be in Stella’s life, I’ll have to get along with her brothers eventually. Why not start now?
“You Romanos throw terrible parties,” I say in lieu of a greeting, before swiping a flute of champagne and downing it in one gulp, frowning slightly at the sweetness of the bubbly liquid.
What is it with these elitist types who always have champagne flowing but never any fucking vodka?
“Ironic. Since I don’t recall my mother putting your name on the guest list,” Marcello replies, not bothering to hide his distaste at my being here.
Here I am trying to offer him an olive branch, and the fucker refuses to see it for what it is.
“I figured it was implied,” I mock, lowering myself to his level, “seeing as everyone here is celebratingmygirl.”
I watch in utter delight as his girlfriend, Isobel, tightens her grip on his arm to keep him from unleashing his hate on me. But when Kira steps between us, reminding me of my real goal, that’s when I stop myself from pushing Marcello’s buttons any further.
“Uncle. Marcello. Please be nice. Let’s not ruin the day for Stella. Besides, we’re all family here.”
“He might be your uncle, Frankie. But he’s no family of mine.” Marcello scoffs.
“Yet,” I add, making my intentions clear.
You will be my brother, Marcello. Maybe not by blood, but definitely by law.
Those words scratch at the back of my throat, but I swallow them down and turn my attention to the woman who still keeps her leash wrapped tightly around him.
“So the rumors are true. You bagged yourself a Fed.”
“Former Fed. I don’t work for the FBI anymore,” Isobel says, her spine going ramrod straight.
“Good timing, too. Since I was planning to kill you next time I saw you.” I wink at her.
“Uncle!” Kira gasps at my honesty.
