Without asking, I handed one to each of the men as well. Big, strong, Italian men tended to get weepy when you least expected it. I was starting to need one myself, thinking about how much I loved George and his children. Our nerves settled through the long speeches by famous alumni and admin of the university. One thing about people who graduated from Berkeley, they loved to talk about it ad nauseam. At least it was cooler than my last graduation.
Finally, they got through the speeches and a couple other majors, and it was time for the twins. Angie was up first, and we cheered loudly as she walked the stage.
“Angelique Josefina Greco, Highest Distinction,” the dean announced, and we caught sight of her head turning instead of continuing to walk.It must be to wait for her brother, I thought. “Giuseppe Giorgio Greco, Highest Distinction.”
Our whoops and cheers rang out, along with others around the stadium. They were Summa cum laude, like me, though Berkeley didn’t use the Latin. Sill, I couldn’t help smiling, remembering how Gregor had yelled out at my own graduation.
The siblings left the stage, walking down the ramp hand in hand. Even though they would be a world apart for the foreseeable future, I knew they would stay close forever.
We waited through the whole thing, drying our tears over the hours-long wait, so we could congratulate the twins after they did their cap toss. Angie had bought them an extra cap and tassel so they could keep a set, which I’d never even considered. Going back to college wasn’t for me. I’d done my graduate degree because I didn’t know what I wanted in life. Now that I was working for Felix and helping George with financials, I had more than enough on my plate.
Santo and Josefina had left to get the house and food ready for guests, but they left bouquets to give to the twins. They were still living in the guest house, but doing a lot less around the manor as their age caught up with them. I’d settled into a domestic servitude role that suited my need to please Daddy, and Josefina had been teaching me her recipes. It was more than I could have ever dreamed of.
We found the kids in the mob with texts, and after a teary George congratulated them in person, we left for the house. They would be coming later with their friends. Stefan and Gregor were already there when we arrived, and I was surprised to meet Gregor’s partner.
“This is Finnley, and they use theirpronouns,” Gregor stated with a fierce protectiveness.
As much as I wanted to giggle at his delivery and ask if he used his pronouns, I held back. Gregor had always been a jokester who I thought was bullying me, but I’d come to see how much he cared for those he loved. And I was one of those people. He’d become like an uncle to the twins, and I was glad to see him.
“Nice to meet you, Finnley.” George and I shook their hand and sent them to the dining room, before I excused myself to the powder room. “I’ll be right back.”
George gave my ass a playful smack, “Better be,amorino mio. We’re about to be swarming with people your age.”
Pecking his cheek, I closed myself in before he could try to follow. Daddy had a thing for watching when I was in chastity.
Once I’d flushed the toilet and washed my hands, I paused after unlocking the door. Reaching into my suit pants, I found the platinum band I’d hidden away. George watched me put it back in the box and into my nightstand after our shower, but I snuck it out when he was picking a tie. I needed it on me like I craved his cage that controlled my orgasms.
Slipping it back on, I turned and held it up to the light. The sentimental old man got it to match my day collar and my eyes. A thick row of sapphires went across the top, almost obscuring the metal ring. The engraving inside was what made me want to keep it close.
MIO, da amare per sempre.
MINE, to love forever.
“I just have to go after the never-ending–” Angie’s voice cut into my wistful thoughts and I froze, hand still hanging in the air over the sink. “Basil, what are you doing?”
“I, um,” I tried to drop my left hand. Maybe she hadn’t noticed? “Going pee, why?”
“No.” She narrowed her eyes the same way her father did when he planned to get what he wanted. “What was that?”
Well,blin. “Nothing.”
Angie grabbed for my hand, and she was surprisingly strong for someone who hadn’t done any sports in college. The space was small, only a half bath, and the dark wallpaper made it feel even smaller. I didn’t want to hurt her, and she eventually got my hand out of my pocket.
“Oh my God! That’s an engagement ring,” Angie squealed and dropped my hand, jumping in place and blocking me from the exit. “We have to tell Pino. Wait, why didn’t you guys tell us?”
“Well,” I bit my lip and sighed. “It just happened last night. George wanted us to wait until after your big day.”
“Nope. No.Het,” she repeated in Russian. It was her language of choice in college after Mandarin, and, at the time, I’d thought it was sweet. “This just became a Graduation-Going Away-Engagement Party.”
“We’re going to need a bigger banner,” I muttered. Following it up under my breath as she turned to leave the room, “And my ass is going to be so sore tomorrow.”
Felix was in the entryway beside Maksim, handing a thick envelope to Pino. It likely contained a lot of hundred-dollar bills. “Don’t spend it all in one place, Djuzepe. Or do.Pozdravleniya,” He congratulated Pino in Russian. “Ah, and I have one for you as well, Anzhelika.”
“Spasibo.” Angie giggled at his insistence on using Russian pronunciations of their name. The two had grown closer than anyone expected, and I think it had to do with their similar personalities. “But we all need to gather in one place. Basil and Papa have news.”
She rushed us into the wood–paneled dining room, where I’d decorated with Cal colors and Josefina had laid out a buffet. I stepped up to George and let him embrace me.
“Sorry, Daddy, the cat is out of the bag,” I told him quietly, holding up my hand to show him the ring. He gave me the same narrow-eyed look as his daughter only minutes before. I was for sure getting spanked. And probably a few days of orgasm denial.
