“There’s never been a question about him. The guy moves through life like he’s got nothing to lose. It makes him the perfect enforcer," Cristian says. "They make a formidable pair."
"Are you afraid of him, Luca?" I ask. "Of Alessandro?"
Luca laughs, but it's not entirely convincing. "Afraid? No. But would I want to be on the wrong side of him?" He shakes his head. "Not anymore." He takes a sip of wine. “But, he’s mentioned more thanonce that he’d like Cristian back, and well… over my dead body.” He says it jokingly, but it still sends a shiver through me. I know it’s the world I live in, but I don’t want more death.
"I've found my place here,” Cristian says, smiling at me over Matteo.
“So they’re on their own,” I say. I lift my glass. “To Alessandro and Adriano. May they stay ten steps ahead of Ivan Vasiliev."
“Hear, hear,” the rest of the table agrees.
"Speaking of them," I say after I sip my wine, "wouldn't it be nice if he and Adriano could find what we have? This…" I gesture around the table, at our family filled with love.
Luca nearly chokes on his wine. "Alessandro? In love?" He laughs, shaking his head. "I'm not convinced our oldest brother even has a heart. The Dante empire runs through his veins, not blood."
"Luca," Katerina chides, but I can see her fighting a smile.
"I used to wonder the same thing," I admit. “Alessandro was groomed from birth to be Don. I sometimes think Father trained the humanity right out of him."
Matteo lets out a soft snore, and Cristian leans over, kissing him on the head. When he straightens he says, "Your brother is calculating. But the way he orchestrated everything to get you out safely, to give us this chance…" Cristian shrugs. "There's something human in there."
"What about Adriano?" Katerina asks, refilling water glasses around the table. "Didn't you mention he was once in love, Luca?"
A shadow passes over my brother's face as he nods slowly. I feel a familiar ache in my chest at the mention of Adriano’s heartbreak.
"He was," I confirm. "Her name was Eva. He was completely gone for her, but she died. Adriano was never the same after. It was like all the gentleness left him overnight.”
“It’s why he’s so good at what he does,” Luca adds.
"Do you think he'll ever move past it?" Katerina asks.
I shake my head. "I don't think he wants to. Or maybe he can’t. I know I wouldn’t if something happened to Cristian.”
The table falls silent for a moment.
"To Adriano," Luca finally says, raising his glass. "May he find his way back someday."
"To Adriano," we echo, though I can't help wondering if my brother is already too far gone to find his way to anything resembling happiness.
After dinner, Cristian carries a sleeping Matteo to the car while I hug Katerina goodbye, promising to meet for lunch later in the week.
We drive to our little house, secured to the nines, partly by the security consulting work Cristian does as his legitimate hustle as well as for Luca.
"He's completely out," Cristian says quietly as we make our way inside. I smile at my man and my son.
How did I get so lucky?
I follow them upstairs, leaning against the nursery doorframe as Cristian gently lays our son in his crib.
He tucks the blanket around Matteo's tiny form.
My heart swells watching them.
My fierce protector and our innocent child.
"What?" Cristian asks, noticing my gaze as he backs away from the crib.
"Nothing." I smile, taking his hand and leading him to our bedroom. "Just thinking about how different everything is now. How I never imagined I could have this."
