“Well, maybe I can. I bet you had all the bridesmaids wrapped around your finger.”
I grinned. Nope. Just the bride herself. “Stop being a brat, Nic. I wasn’t there for fun and pleasure. I was there to work. It was business.” The business just happened to be very pleasurable.
She must have read the mischievous smile for confirmation that I did have fun because she laughed and shook her head. “Some day, some girl is going to take you down hard, Lorenzo Vitale, and I can’t wait to see it happen.”
‘It already happened.’ I said to myself. ‘Your sister did the job long ago. We just made it all official.’ Of course, that wasn’t something I could say to her. It would risk exposing our plans that weren’t ready to be revealed. One day, she and Giana would know they were officially my little sisters, but for now, I would continue on with my love ‘em and leave ‘em persona they expected from me.
Bianca had disappeared up the stairs while I talked to Nic and Giana. I noticed Gino come out of the kitchen, and my eyeswent up the stairs because Bianca had been in there alone with him. I knew she didn’t trust the man. Her instincts were spot on with that one, but I didn’t like that he was in there alone with her, even for a minute.
“Gino,” I nodded and said his name with just a hint of irritation. There wasn’t any love lost between Luca Morelli’s right-hand man and me any more than there was love lost from me toward Luca himself. That admiration died the day he beat me in place of Bianca when she accidentally broke his computer. I didn’t care that he took his anger out on me and not her, but I knew then the man was cold and morally bent. But the day I saw him raise a hand to one of the girls, Nicolletta, and knock her down was the day I truly grew to hate him.
There was not much in my life that I had a code about, but family and protecting women and children from the monsters in this world were at the top of the list. When Bianca became mine, my list shifted a little. Family, women, and children were now below Bianca. She was my world, and if anyone hurt her, there would be hell to pay. I didn’t care if it was a member of the Morelli family empire or her father himself. Anyone who made a move against Bianca made a move against me, and it was the last thing they would ever do.
“Vitale,” he responded with his usual sneer. He’d had it out for me since the day Luca Morelli took me in. Even back when I was a kid, Gino didn’t like me. I’d heard him tell Luca on more than one occasion to get rid of me. For whatever reason, Luca kept me close and denied Gino’s suggestion. “You’ve dropped her off; you can leave now.”
I smirked. “I would, but then I would just have to come back as I’m waiting on Rome. He’s on his way.”
Gino didn’t look pleased with me being here, but I didn’t give a shit. “Where’s the security?” I asked nonchalantly, not letting him know how pissed I was. There should always be at least oneof Rome’s men at the house if the girls were home, and if they were out, one-on-one security detail should be with them.
“Rossi’s grandmother died, and Leone and Costa were doing a job for the boss. Since the girls were at home, I didn’t figure they needed a guard.” He gave me a speculative look.
“They’re like my sisters, and Rome wants them guarded at home or out of it. That’s why he appointed Rossi, Leone, and Costa as their guards. When they are home, only one needs to be on duty, but if they are out, they should have one-on-one protection.” Fury at the rules not being followed rolled through me. Rome was going to have heads for this when he got back and I told him what I came home to. “Do I need to remind you what happened to the Avici family? Their daughter was kidnapped and her body found on the banks of the East River not four months ago.”
“I was here, and so was the boss. They were safe,” Gino insisted.
I couldn’t come right out and let him know that I didn’t consider him or their father safe, but I let it go. For now. “Romeo assigned the detail for a reason, Gino. He didn’t want to bother you or his father with the girls.”
“He’s not head of this family yet, Vitale.” Gino’s mask was cracking, and his anger was showing through.
“Not yet,” I conceded, maintaining my cool. “But he’s personally taken on the responsibility of his sister’s safety. Luckily, I had Bianca covered, but that left Giana and Nicoletta vulnerable if at least one of the other three guards weren’t here.” He didn’t need to know that Bianca had gotten away from me and had been in the care of Digger, the Russian fixer.
“I was here. You piece of shit. Morelli was here.”
“And how long have you been in his office? How often did you check on the girls?” I sneered, knowing he hadn’t, not once.
“They aren’t children.”
He had a point there. Giana and Nicoletta weren’t kids anymore. Giana was about to start law school, and Nicoletta was in college for nursing. “No, they aren’t children, but this world we live in comes at a cost, Gino. If they were anyone else, I wouldn’t bat an eye at them being at home alone, but they are the daughters of a mob boss. That comes with a price on their heads and a target on their backs. They are soft targets and vulnerable to attack from both inside and outside this organization.”
Gino and I were squaring off against each other. Giana and Nicoletta had gone upstairs with Bianca as soon as Gino entered the room. The girls were all wary of the man, and that said more to me than anything else could have. I couldn’t wait to put this guy down, and I would. Soon.
***
“Where are they?” Romeo asked as soon as he came in the front door. I’d stayed in my station right by the stairwell in case the girls came down. From my position, I could see the front door, the garage door, and monitor the motion sensors for the back door on my phone.
“Upstairs. The better question is, where are Costa and Leone? One of them should have been here since the girls were here,” I grumbled softly, finally letting go of some of the anger I was feeling. “We need to talk, brother,” I growled low in my throat. If ever there was a time to hit the gym, this was it.
“He still in his meeting?” Romeo asked quietly, and I nodded in response.
“Gino came out for a little bit. He and I had words, but he disappeared back inside the office and hasn’t come back out. Do you realize all three girls are afraid of him?”
“Of Gino?” Romeo asked sharply, and I nodded.
“Yeah. When we met with Bianca at the club, she told us not to trust him. I’m convinced there is more to her warning than what she told us. Then, when he came out of the kitchen shortly after she did, she had already made her way upstairs, but Gia and Nic were still down here. He came out, and we were getting heated. They went upstairs without saying a word, but I could see their faces.
“Gia was nervous when we got here. She and Nic came out of the house as soon as they saw us on the cameras.”
“Did Bianca say anything about Gino when you guys were in Atlantic City?”
