“No doubt our fathers did questionable things in their lives, but they also did the most honorable thing someone could do. They paid with their lives so we could have ours,” he says softly. “If it came to it, I would take another bullet for the people I love. Especially Sophia. I am nothing if I don’t have her by my side.”
“Sophia is one lucky lady. At least one of my cousins knows a thing or two about love.”
“About that—before you give me a family history lesson, I need you to help me with something. As soon as I’m fully recovered, the first thing I’m going to do is make Sophia my wife. Do you think you can help me get everything in place for the engagement party?”
“Me? I’m honored you would ask me, but wouldn’t Evie or Stella be a better choice? I don’t know if you’ve noticed, but I’m kinda chaotic.”
“Oh they’ll have jobs too. It will just take all three of you to keep her off the scent of my plans. Not sure if you’ve noticed, but nothing gets past my girl.”
“That’s very true.”
“Well, would you look at this…a family reunion and you fuckers didn’t even invite me,” AJ drawls as he joins me by Marco’s bedside. “Might just have to kill ya.”
“AJ!” I gasp. “You’re diabolical.”
“So I’ve been told. Too soon?” he deadpans, grabbing Marco’s hand and squeezing it. “How you holding up, brother?”
“It’s been a whirlwind, that’s for sure. But hey, I got two new cousins out of it and connections to the Mob, so it’s gotta count for something right?”
“Ah, yeah. We come with a shit-ton of baggage,” AJ says. “Not sure how excited I’d be about gaining a whole other family ya didn’t know about. But we’ll get to that. Gonna take a few study sessions to get you prepared for navigating Mob life.”
“Yeah…I think we’ll table that for when I have a bit more energy. Think my ma might have a few strong thoughts about that.”
“I bet she does,” hums AJ, before directing his attention to me. “Chiara. What did you do to make that grumpy fucker even grumpier?”
“You know me. I seem to have that effect,” I say, deflecting.
“Interesting that you both seem to have matching hickeys.”
My hand flies to my neck, and I feel my entire face light up like an emergency beacon. In fact, thank God I’m in the hospital. I may need a defibrillator with the way these two are looking at me expectantly. I have no qualms sharing about my sex life, butwhat I experienced with Raf wasn’t just sex; it was sacred. Well, to me at least.
“Most people are less uptight after a good orgasm,” presses AJ, like I don’t already want the ground to open and swallow me.
“Well, Raf is not most people,” I hiss lowly. “And he would hate that we were discussing him or his orgasms.”
“Am I interrupting an important conversation?” an all-too familiar, sexy voice rumbles from the door.
I swing my bright red face towards it, only to find Raf meandering towards the bed, his expression a mask of indifference. I don’t miss the way his lips tip up with the tiniest of smirk as his eyes fix on the purplish-red mark—his mark—on my skin.
“Not at all,” AJ says with a shit-eating grin. “Just talking about how you’re really marking your territory and leaning into this fake boyfriend gig.”
“AJ, please shut up.” I groan. Instead he takes it one step further.
“Be careful you don’t prove you’re good husband material too. A good lawyer is an asset to a Mob family.”
What. In. The. Actual. Fuck. Is. Happening. Right. Now?
I quickly say goodbye, leaving the family history lesson to AJ for today, and promise to go back and visit again without the annoying rent-a-crowd. Then I go in search of some coffee and maybe a tranquilizer so I can forget this entire embarrassing moment—even if the man in the room with the elephant-trunk dick is adamant it can’t happen again, he sure as hell looked mighty pleased about seeing his mark on my neck.
Chiara:
Hypothetically speaking, what would you do if you’re about to move in with your one-night stand.
Stella:
“Hypothetically speaking.” Did you take a ride on the Raf Express?
Chiara:
