Sighing, I stalk toward him. Alessia throws herself into his arms, patting his face as I head for the coffee.
“I don’t get aBa,” I mutter in irritation as I grab a cup. “Not even aDa.”
But Stefano fucking Asante is her favorite person.
A thought strikes me, and I spin, pointing the spoon at him. “Can you change a diaper?”
He blinks at the demand in my tone. Dark brows knot together. “No.”
I take a breath. A deep one.
Gio pulls containers out of the refrigerator, frowning as he examines the contents. He piles them high on the table as I pull one toward me. He offers me a plate and a knife. “For the fruit.”
Nodding, I start cutting things up before I slide the plate over to Stefano. Alessia settles on his lap with a fistful of strawberry, and I get up to fill her drinking cup with water.
“Well, isn’t this very domesticated.” Luc strolls into the kitchen, and I straighten as Cat follows behind him.
She’s changed into loose, flowing white trousers and a deep red blouse. With her hair scraped back into a high ponytail, she looks – likeherself.
More comfortable, somehow.
She offers me a small smile as she slips into a seat, her eyes immediately traveling to Alessia. I note the way she watches her, the way her eyes soften.
And the way she pulls her gaze away. Instead, she places a phone on the table. “I need everyone’s numbers. Vincent. Tony—.”
“I have them.” We all turn at the low rumble. Domenico surveys the set-up with lowered brows, and I point to an empty seat in silent invitation. He turns back to Cat as he sits. “I know them, I mean.”
I half-watch as he reels off numbers by memory and Cat types them in, nodding in thanks before she sits back. Gio pulls out his own phone, adding her uncle to the short list.
Luc places a fresh coffee beside her as she looks up. “We need to start planning. Today.”
Again, her eyes linger on Alessia, and move away.
“Matteo won’t wait,” she continues, her voice tight. “And I’ve had enough of him leading us around by the damn nose.”
I survey her, my fist clenching on the table. “You need to rest.”
“I need to kill him,” she snaps back at me. “The longer we wait, the stronger he’ll get.He knows we’re coming.The more we put it off, the more fucking time he has to plan something to fuck us all over. I’m done with waiting.”
“So what?” Gio crosses his arms. “Do you have a plan?”
“Preferably one that doesn’t involve you going off and sacrificing yourself for the rest of us.” My caustic words make her flinch. But I mean it, as I meet her glare with one of my own. “If I even think you’re planning some hero shit,tentazione, I’ll tie you down myself.”
Her cheeks flood with color. “Fuck you, Dante.”
“You already did,” I snap, throwing my hand out. “But you won’t even look at the consequences.”
Shit –shit.
The whole table falls silent. The color drains from Cat’s face. And regret tightens my throat, even as Dom jumps up from his seat, his face darkening with fury and his fists clenching. “Thefuckdid you just say?”
“Steady—,”
“FuckingChrist, Dante—,”
I ignore them. All of them, pinning my eyes on her.
“Ti amo,” I breathe. “I’m sorry.Ti amo, Caterina Corvo. I love you. Always. But you promised me that we would face this together.”
