“No, I’m trying to avoid that place.”
“Jesus Christ.”
“Yes, Him.”
“Frankie!” I shout, exasperated. Alessio smirks from beside her while Beatrice is clearly in agony as Luca doubles over, wheezing and trying to catch his breath.
“You called me by my nickname.”
Yes, I did. I’m not even sure why, but my lips are twitching as my father and Renato enter the foyer. Both stop dead in their tracks when they see her.
"Is it Halloween already?" Renato asks, looking like he’ll soon be on the floor laughing next to Luca.
My father looks like he’ll join them there… from having another heart attack.
“You’ve had your fun. Take it off,” Alessio says to Francesca, poking her in the side.
“Alright, fine,” she huffs, pulling the nun’s habit off to reveal a sexy red dress underneath.
“Holy fuck,” Renato whispers behind me. I frown at the kid, but I’m thinking the exact same thing. Her curves would bring sinners and saints alike to their knees.
While I’m busy trying to control a rapidly developing situation in my briefs, her mother profusely apologizes to Father for the joke. I don’t hear half of what is said, and I don’t care if my father is looking less than amused. I want to be alone with her. And maybe spank her ass thoroughly for that stunt. These past two weeks I’ve been worried about her after everything that happened. Her playfulness was the last thing I expected.
As we’re guiding our guests into the living room to meet everyone, Francesca surprises me once more, murmuring in my ear. “We need to talk later.Alone. Could you have me brought to your penthouse around midnight if I can get Alessio to agree?”
“What the hell are you up to, Red?” I ask, shaking my head. Married life with Francesca won’t be dull at least.
She grins, the most innocently wicked grin I’ve ever seen. “I have an indecent proposal for you this time, Signore Vicini.”
Married life with Francesca? I’ll be lucky if I survive dinner.
15
Francesca
“Tell me every detail!” Caterina squeals through the video chat over my phone. She despised the revealing dress her mother made her wear to her own betrothal dinner, so she thoroughly enjoyed helping me choose something to bring some levity to mine. I was glad it brought her some amusement after all her worry on my behalf.
“They were shocked by my new vocation. The poor old Don looked like he was going to have a coronary.” Cat’s answering giggles are infectious. To me, anyway.
“Fucking New York, acting like they’re the goddamn Vatican of the Mafia. Self-righteous assholes,” Alessio grumbles from behind me. “He didn’t even give you a fucking ring.”
“He didn’t give you a ring?” Cat repeats, sounding shocked.
“Suits me fine. They called it a family dinner, and it’s not official without the ring. Maybe he’ll back out of it.” I can hope. “I think Carlo would’ve laughed at my joke like his brothers did…eventually.”
He certainly liked the sexy red dress, not that I’ll point that out to Alessio. My cousin will work with Carlo in the coming years for the same reason Carlo will work with him – it’s mutually beneficial. Tolerance is the most we can hope for between alpha males like them.
“What were his sisters like?” Cat asks. “I’ve never met them.”
“They’re still kids, but they seem nice. Giulia, the youngest, you should’ve seen her signing with Carlo. I never knew fingers could fly so fast.”
I hadn’t known the girl was deaf, hadn’t really heard of her at all other than that day when Beppe asked about her. One of the girls from my choir group in high school would sign the lyrics of songs during our services. I always wanted to learn and now I have a… Well, Iwouldhave an excellent reason to learn if I was going to marry Carlo.
Her mother’s expression grew tight every time I addressed Giulia, and I saw how the Don would look away. I wonder if the child’s been made to feel as I have, like something shameful that’s best ignored. I really hope I’m wrong about that.
Seeing her and Carlo interact though had been an unexpectedly sweet moment in the evening. He’s been a Made Man for ten years. He’s killed, tortured, blackmailed and probably done a thousand other horrible things this year alone, but he’s comfortable showing affection to a seven-year-old in front of a potential rival like Alessio.What sort of father would he be?
“His mother’s a bitch,” Alessio chimes in, looming over my shoulder to see his wife on the screen. I smack him with one of the hotel’s sofa cushions, but I’m afraid life among the Vicini family would be like crossing a minefield of expectations and judgment on a daily basis from Carlo’s parents alone.
