“But—she’syourwife!”
“She is.”
“And Livio said—”
Now we were getting somewhere.
“—any man that eventouches Signor Fausti’s wife—” he attempted to do Livio’s voice “—would lose his heart!”
“Were the men talking about Scarlett?”
He shrugged. “Sometimes they say how beautiful she is. ’Cause she is. Isn’t she?”
“Yeah,” I said, mentally making a note to have a talk with Violet, Mick, and Mitch about keeping the kids away from Rocco’s men. Especially Livio. I’d spar with him soon. It was time for him to grow up or get the fuck out.
“She can dance too, right?” Peter whistled low.
I grinned and he smiled.
“Yeah, she can do that too,” I said. “Livio didn’t mean you, Peter. He meant bad men.”
He blinked, this time seeing life through rosy-colored glasses again. He had the chance to live to ten.
“There’s more than one way to lose your heart, man,” I continued on. “You lose it when you fall in love too.”
He touched his heart. “I know,” he said, voice dreamy.
“So we cool?” I held my hand out to him.
He looked down at it, a frown on his face. “Can I lay next to her during the movie?”
My eyebrows rose. “Don’t push it. You’ve already kissed my wife. That’s not something I allow often.”Never, unless you’re younger than ten.“She might leave me for you. Then I’d losemyheart.”
He took my hand. We shook like men.
“Okay,” he said, spirits somewhat lower but eyes still bright. She had that effect. “At least Livio and Paul can’t call me a chicken no more.”
I messed his hair before he left, shoulders squared, ready to face the music in the movie room. Then I laughed to myself, shaking my head. Out-slicked by a fucking kid. A roar of applause echoed—the smooth operator must’ve entered the room.
Cool hands came around my waist, face to my back.
“You’ve decided to come back to me,” I said, rubbing her arms. “After that kiss. I’m a lucky bastard.”
She laughed. “It was nice, I’m not going to lie, with the romantic music playing in the background. But I told him there was another girl meant for him. I couldn’t take what wasn’t mine.”
“As long as you know where you belong.”
She sighed. I felt the warmth of her breath through my shirt. “That was—what you told him. I’m so proud of you, Brando.”
“You were listening.” I squeezed her arms. “Did you think I was going to pummel the kid?”
She laughed again, but it was over quick. “I came in right after you started, but I waited outside of the door. Andno,I didn’t think you’d pummel him. But you’re always telling me how terrible of a father you’d be. I was curious… You wouldn’t be, Fausti.”
“Explain.”
“You’re lying to the both of us when you say you wouldn’t be a good father. You would be. Matteo would have been—” she sniffed hard, trying to cap her emotions “—so lucky to have you.”
“Scarlett.” I hesitated after saying her name, but her comforting presence compelled me to speak. “In Fiji, when I made the wish—do you know what I wished for?”
