I haven’t shared my room with anyone since my brothers were young and we’d all cram into the same bedroom to watch TV and sneak extra ice cream late into the night. Women certainly never stay over. This is new territory for me, and though it was one-hundred-percent my idea, I’m still not sure how I feel about it.
But I need to keep Candi close, so I’ll have to adjust…even though I’ve never appreciated any kind of intrusion into my space. I’ve been so focused on executing the plan to get her under my watchful eye, I didn’t think through the logistics of actually having her here.
“Extra shampoo, soap, and toiletries in the bathroom as well,” I go on. “Women’s products, whatever is luxurious—the best of the best. And more towels.”
“Bro, can you just stop for five seconds and answer me?” a frustrated voice says.
Letting out a sigh, I turn around.
There’s a third wheel following behind the staffer. My youngest brother Marco, and he’s irritating the ever-loving hell out of me. Per usual.
“What was the question, again?” I ask him, pretending I wasn’t paying attention.
I was, of course, but I like pissing him off. He’s the baby of the family. He’s easy to razz.
“When are we going to have a meeting aboutthe mole? What are your plans for her? Or has it all been decided already? You guys always leave me out of the loop.”
Marco is one hell of a race car driver, but he can be pretty obtuse sometimes. He’s been yapping in my ear for the past fifteen minutes, but he hasn’t been paying one iota of attention to what’s going on right in front of his face. If he was, he’d have clearly heard exactly what my plans for Candi are.
But his head is so far up his ass, he still has no idea she’s moving in.
“You just got back from your honeymoon, andthisis what you’re worried about?” I say, drawing this out for my own amusement. “You’re not tired of your new wife already, are you?”
Marco moves ahead of the maid and gets shoulder to shoulder with me. He gives me an anxious look and I hold back a smile. Ruffling his feathers is just too easy.
“Of course not. Karina and I are great.” He shoots a glance at the housekeeper and then drops his voice. “But look, we can’t just sit around waiting to see what the mole does next. We need to make a move. Until then, she’s a liability.”
“I’ve got it handled,” I tell him breezily.
“What does that even mean?” he gripes.
Glancing at the maid, I add, “Get two robes, one satin and one Turkish cotton, like you’d find at a spa.”
She nods. “Yes, Mr. Bellanti.”
“Also, now that I think about it, I’m going to need new linens for the bed.” I look around the room at the strictly black-and-grey palette I’ve had the place decked out in for so long. Masculine and sleek, yes, but also…cave like. “I could stand for something softer. No florals. No pastels. No jewel tones. But maybe…I don’t know…”
“Some neutrals?” the maid suggests. “Taupe and cream? We could switch out the lampshades, throw a rug under the bed, hang new curtains. That’d brighten things up.”
“Perfect.”
I’m hoping the changes will make Candi feel more at home. We’re going to be spending a lot of time in that bed and I want her comfortable there before I strike.
“Armani,” Marco hisses.
Just then, a flash of inspiration strikes as I remember her outfit from our date.
“And see if you can add a touch of green to the room,” I instruct. “Sage.”
The maid smiles. “Of course.”
“Dude. Can’t this shit wait?” Marco interrupts. “Why aren’t we meeting with Dante about this? Action steps, man. We need to take some.”
He shakes his head in annoyance, still oblivious to the meaning of the home makeover going on around him. I’d planned to tell my brothers about our new houseguest at breakfast this morning, but a work call kept me away from the table. They’ll just have to be surprised. Payback for them springing their wives on me.
“Did you forget that my wife was kidnapped, as well as our sister-in-law?” Marco prods. “Just because we’ve negotiated a ceasefire with the Brunos, it doesn’t mean this war is over. Not after what Sergio said to Karina in Italy. This thing is a hell of a lot bigger than our two families. Now is not the time to be passive, bro. I’m shocked I have to be the one telling you this.”
“If we’re done here, I can go…” the maid says uncomfortably.
