He didn’t like being questioned or having demands put upon him. It was the price of leadership, and he would not give up his seat of power, but the uncertainty was stressful.
“Why are you all sitting around?” he demanded.
The other members jumped to their feet and scattered.
Power felt good. No, power feltwunderbar.He couldn’t wait to become a god!
* * *
Sunday dinner at the Fierros’ was always a big deal. But this was Luca’s graduation day! So many people would be gathered around the huge dining room table that two leaves had to be inserted to accommodate everyone. Their entertaining space had become so cramped, Antonio had finally taken down the wall between the living and dining rooms.
Mrs. Fierro was in the kitchen—correction:twoof the Mrs. Fierros. Misty was helping Gabriella cook. Kristine had to beg off because her mother was in labor. Being present at the birth of her little brother or sister was all she’d been talking about for months.
“I hear Dante is bringing someone today,” Misty said.
Gabriella smiled broadly. “Yes. He has a new girlfriend. He said to set another place for a young woman named Mallory. Apparently, he’s known her since high school.”
“Mallory? Not Mallory Summers.”
“Yes, I think that was her name. Why? Do you know her?”
“Yeah. I think everyone we went to school with knew Mallory, or at least knewofher. She was homecoming queenandprom queen one year. And she was nice. Not stuck up like a lot of the popular girls.”
“I can’t wait to meet her,” Gabriella said.
The sound of the front door opening and greetings from the living room reached Gabriella’s human ears. A paranormal would have heard them coming up the steps.
Gabriella wiped her hands on a kitchen towel. “Can you take over for me here, Misty dear? I need to say hello and meet Dante’s young lady.”
“Of course. I’ll stir the sauce. Don’t worry.”
Gabriella strode to the living room and was struck by the beautiful blonde standing beside her son Dante, gazing at him adoringly. Nothing could have made Gabriella happier than to have that look be her first impression of Dante’s girl.
Dante ignored all the men in the living room and strolled over to his mother, holding the girl’s hand. “Ma, I’d like you to meet Mallory Summers. Mallory, this is my mother, Gabriella.” He dropped her hand but stayed close.
Mallory shook her hand. “It’s nice to meet you, Gabriella.”
The girl’s blue gaze met her own without blinking, and Gabriella was relieved that the young woman seemed sincere. She could read people well and spot a phony a mile away.
“I’m delighted to meet you too, dear! Usually, I have to tell people to call me Gabriella after they call me Mrs. Fierro a couple of times. I’m glad you felt comfortable using my first name. We’re very informal around here.”
“Yes. Dante said you were.”
Misty called out from the kitchen, “Gabriella, is the oven supposed to smoke like this?”
Everyone in the room snapped to attention. With so many firefighters in the family, you couldn’t say the wordsmokewithout several ears perking up.
Antonio was first into the kitchen, with Gabriella right behind him. Following her were Miguel, Jayce, and Luca. Misty opened the oven door, and a billowing cloud of smoke poured out.
Gabriella spotted last night’s Pyrex baking dish with blackening Alfredo sauce. “Oh my goodness. How did that dish get in there?”
Luca grimaced. “Um…you know how you asked me to clean up the kitchen last night, Ma?”
Gabriella grabbed her oven mitts and scowled at her youngest son. “Yes. I do remember. And I remember you saying you would.”
“Well, the game was about to start,” he admitted sheepishly. “I just put the leftovers in the fridge and stuck the dish back in the oven so that the kitchen would look clean, but I’d planned to get to it later.”
“And you forgot until I preheated the oven,” Gabriella said as she extracted the burnt baking dish, still smoking. She set it on the counter and opened the back window to air out the room.
