“Thank you.” That’s going to be the most I get out of him for now, I imagine, but I allow myself to relax.
“Brother, are you going to stop glaring at my fiancée, or are you going to hug me?” Sofia demands.
Alonzo instantly lifts her into a hug, smiling at her. “If he hurts you, I’m still going to kill him and bury the body with Hades’s help,” he warns, shooting Dante a look full of warning. Dante holds his stare, unyielding.
“And like I told the others, I’ll let you finish whatever’s left of him when I’m done. Now, I’m hungry. All those orgasms on the way over here certainly made me work up an appetite.”
I snort out a laugh, as does one of Dante’s men, while the other looks exasperated. Alonzo’s face contorts in disgust, and he sets Sofia on her feet quickly, practically shoving her back into Dante’s arms. Dante gives her an exasperated look of his own, but I don’t miss the way his lips twitch, or that he holds her close.
The man is smitten with her, and I’m glad that they figured out whatever was holding them back.
I step back to Alonzo, taking his hand as we all head for the dining room. “Are you alright,orsetta?” Alonzo murmurs before we enter.
“I’m good. Relieved. Happy.” And I really am. I’m sure there are going to be questions, maybe even points where that won’t be the case in the future, but for now I’m going to take this.
“Good.” He leans down to press a kiss to my mouth. “I love you, Aurora.”
“I love you too, Alonzo. Now, let’s go eat. I’m starving.” Hades gives an excited whine at our side and I grin down at him. “Yeah, I’ll make sure you get some too, baby. You’ve earned it.” Then I grin wickedly at Alonzo. “And we want to make sure that you’re up to full strength for when your new daddy pisses me off and needs a reminder.”
I laugh when Alonzo lets out a low growl and spanks me on the ass before I head into the dining room.
46
RORI
“I really don’t knowhow to take that Tatiana, no wait,Lane, isn’t as bad as we thought,” Sienna mutters, sipping on her wine and shaking her head. All us ladies are sitting in Nico and Gia’s pool room, getting our feet wet and relaxing.
It’s been an emotional day, but after everything, it feels right. The men have gone to discuss next steps and logistics for what comes after most of us leave, but that’s not something I want to think about yet. It still boggles my mind that I’m going to be leaving for Sicily in the morning.
Alonzo is excited to show me his home, already planning and talking about what we can do in the future. He has a small home on the Caruso estate, so we’ll have privacy, but still close to the others, so I’ll see them almost daily.
We’ll see if he feels that way when he realizes just how often Sienna will be over, but he’ll just have to accept it.
“I don’t think you need to do anything with that, but knowing the back story I think helps.” I lean back on my hands, closing my eyes. “I’ve been rolling it around in my mind, and eventhough I’m pissed that she was behind it all, the outcome of it, I can see why it was worth it.”
“I just can’t believe that your ex-husband is alive.” Amara cocks her head at me. “And I’m still surprised that Alonzo didn’t try to kill him. If an ex-boyfriend came back into the picture, I don’t know if I could stop Lazaro. You saw the way he was acting when he saw me in Alonzo’s shirt that time.”
“Alonzo understands that he’s more of a brother to me. He always was.” Though I don’t miss the jealousy in his eyes when I mention him. I’ll have to make sure that he understands that I’m not comparing him. I make a mental note to talk to him about that later.
“What I want to know is more about these Romanovs,” Sofia says, arching a brow at me. The low light in the room does nothing to dim the shine and sparkle of her ring. Dante did a damn good job picking that out. “They sound like an interesting bunch.”
“And insane.” Sienna scoffs. “Who the hell likes being drugged? It’s the weirdest foreplay I’ve ever heard of.”
“They don’t have sex while drugged,” I point out. “At least that’s what I took from that. Based on our history, consent is a big thing for me, and I know Mishka feels the same. And considering what Lane’s been doing…”
“Yeah, okay, then they’re just weird,” Sienna agrees. “And you’re sure that she’s not going to come back? I kind of want to talk to her without all the other shit in the way. I mean, she is our cousin and Amara’s sister.”
“I think she’s going to have to get things settled with Ilya first, and with all the other shit she’s set in motion.” I glance at Amara, noting her sad expression. “I think she really deep down wants a relationship with you, Amara. Maybe in time that can happen, but if she came within ten feet of you now, Lazaro is liable to shoot first and ask questions later.”
“I know you’re right.” She gives a forlorn sigh. “I just wish things had turned out differently. It feels like I lost her all over again.” Then her eyes widen, like she’s just realized how that must sound. “Not that I’m not happy to have you guys,” she rushes out. “I just, well, she’s my sister, and you’re cousins and…shit, never mind, the wine is going to my head.” She takes a healthy gulp, face flushed in embarrassment.
We all laugh and grin. “It’s different when it’s a sister and not a cousin,” Sienna agrees, assuring her. “Don’t worry, we get it, Amara. But at this point I think of you more as a sister than a cousin anyway.”
Amara grins, relieved. Gia nods her agreement.
“Does that mean I get to be the annoying sister?” I joke.
Sienna snorts while the others grin. “You’re already the annoying one. I don’t know how Alonzo puts up with you.” I shove her lightly, making her laugh.
