“Tell Teddy, he listens to you,” Gabriel said.
“He doesn’t need to hear that, Gabriel.Youdo.”
She had a point, but he wasn’t backing down.
Luciano—the eldest, dressed to impress in a dark blue Santini suit, white shirt, no tie—squeezed Gabriel’s shoulder. “Nice and calm tonight, yes?”
They’re coming at me from all angles.
Gabriel shifted his gaze from his older brother to his grandmother. “I’m a pussycat.”
“You’re a lion,” Teddy said joining them. “An out-of-control big cat who rules the jungle with an iron fist.”
“I run Cosa Nostra,” he said. “What do you expect, fratello? When someone doesn’t do what I want, I take them down. Just like the hungry lion.”
“No fighting,” Elsa warned, shoving her long, bony finger in each of their faces.
A pregnant Simone joined them. She kissed Gabriel’s cheek, then his other. “I loved staying in your villa, the one by the sea. A perfect getaway.”
“How are you feeling?” Gabriel asked her.
“Great. Luciano hovers, but baby and I love the attention.” She caressed her baby bump. “Don’t we bambino?”
Luciano’s expression softened, love streaming from his eyes. His brother deserved this, especially after everything he’d been through. He put his arm around her, kissed her cheek.
“Sono felice per te… per tutti voi,” Gabriel said.I’m happy for you… for all of you.
Wearing a bright pink shirt and black bell-bottoms, Slash joined them, her long blonde hair pulled into a ponytail. After hugging Gabriel hello, she said, “How’s my favorite troublemaker?”
He smiled. “How’s my favorite badass?”
With a wink, she said, “Keeping the fam in line.”
“Where’s the fun in that?” he asked.
She rubbed his back, rested her head on his shoulder. “You doing okay, G?”
“Good as new.”
She broke away. “You’re a beast.” Then, she pushed onto her bare toes. “Hey fam, dinner’s ready.”
As the group made their way toward the center island, Slash pulled him aside. “I’ll catch hell for what I’m about to say.”
He raised his eyebrows.
“I don’t think you should leave,” she whispered.
“And that’s why you’re my favorite over these idiots, with the exception of Elsa.”
“Well, duh. She’s perfect.”
“Please don’t—never mind,” Slash said. “I don’t care if you bring up my opinion, but know that if you push back, you’ll create mayhem.”
“My middle name.”
As he and Slash made their way over, he asked about Caroline and Sydney.
“Girls’ night in,” Slash said. “A friend of Caroline’s—someone from Langley—is back from assignment. Honestly, I think these dinners are a lot for the newbies. We’re kinda crazy.”
