“I’m fine.” I pull the collar of my coat up, shielding my neck.
“We can play at the indoor court, Daddy.” Elio is sporting a hot chocolate mustache, and I didn’t think the kid could be any cuter, but he is. “I don’t want Sloane to freeze.”
“I won’t freeze.” Removing a wipe from my purse, I gently clean his mouth. “Besides, running around will heat me up. Hope you’re ready to go up against the champ,” I tease.
“Nuh-uh.” Elio shakes his head repeatedly. “No one beats my daddy. He’s The Big Apple basketball champ.”
Cristian coughs. “Pretty sure that crown belongs to Brunson or one of the other Knicks guys, but I’ll take the praise where I can get it.” He smiles adoringly at his son.
Elio thrusts his empty cup at me before crawling into his daddy’s lap. “I want to see the Knicks play again.”
“I’ll check out tickets.” Cristian snuggles his son and looks at me. “Have you ever been to The Garden to catch a game?”
I nod. “I caught a few games with my team when I was in high school. Those were fun times.”
“I’ll get you a ticket if you’d like to join us? A few of my buddies usually come too.”
“I’d like that. Thanks.”
“Can we go shoot hoops now?” Elio hops up, holding his dad’s hand and trying to drag him to his feet.
“I wish I had a tenth of his energy,” I joke as I stand.
“You and me both,” Cristian says over a grin, leaning down and scooping his son up and onto his shoulder. “Let’s go put Sloane through her paces.”
9
CRISTIAN
“Go, Sloane, go!” Elio shouts, jumping up and down as Sloane maneuvers around Umberto, heading toward the net. Her moves are sharp but elegant, and she dances around my teammate with effortless skill. Her aim is true, and Elio shrieks in excitement when the ball drops through the net, and Clint declares Team Rudolph the winners.
Elio races toward Sloane, and she kneels, opening her arms wide for him. Elio flings himself at her, almost causing her to lose her balance. “That was awesome! I’m so happy you’re my nanny. Will you always be on my team?”
“Always, buddy.” She raises her palm for a high five. “Teammates forever.”
He slaps his tiny hand against hers. “Yay!” His fingers curl around Sloane’s as she stands.
“I don’t think you have anything to worry about, boss,” Umberto remarks as he materializes at my side, holding the ball tucked under one arm. “She’s a natural with him, and he already loves her.”
“I’m relieved. It’s more than I hoped for.”
“Don’t be sad, Daddy,” Elio says, approaching with his hand firmly enclosed in Sloane’s. “You can’t always be the champ.”
I muss up his hair. “I’m winning every day I have you in my life, bud. I can handle losing this time.” I smirk at Sloane. “Next time, we won’t go so easy on you.”
“Yeah, right.” She snorts. “Bring it, dude. We’ll rise to the challenge every time. Right, Rudolph?”
“Yes! Let’s go again now!”
Laughter tumbles from my chest. Elio is always full of energy and so enthusiastic about life, and it’s infectious.
Mom says Cruz and I were both live wires when we were kids, so I guess it runs in his genes. I hope that’s all he’s inherited from his bio dad. That he’s more like his mother. Bettina made bad choices in life, but she was a good person. Isa said she never forgave herself for hurting Joshua the way she did, and she fully believes my brother groomed Bettina from a young age and bewitched her.
I don’t have much difficulty believing it. Cruz deliberately caused pain and suffering to others with no regrets or remorse. People were pawns to him. Tools to use to achieve his agenda, and he didn’t care who he hurt. In fact, from what Valentina has told me, he got off on hurting others, especially women. I shudder as I consider how many women could be out there with kids fathered by my brother as part of his nefarious breeding plan to infiltrateLa Cosa Nostra. I used to think there was some goodness in Cruz, but by the end, he was evil to his core. I don’t think my parents will ever recover from the legacy he left behind. In particular, my father has taken it hard.
“Daddy?” Elio tugs on my pant leg. “Can we play another game? Puh-lease.”
I cup his handsome little face. “It’s getting dark, son, and I don’t know about you, but I’m hungry for some pizza.”
