“Okay,” I say, taking a step closer and nodding, looking up at Daniel. “I – I hear you about my soft spot, all right? I’ll be careful. But Daniel,” I say slowly, shaking my head, making him listen. “You either trust me or you don’t. I told you last night – I’m doing this because I love your dad. I’m
Janeen does whatever she wants, as usual. She doesn’t really need the money anymore – none of us do – but she still takes up shifts at Crabby Dicks, the crappy beach strip club where we had our wedding reception, whenever she wants some extra cash, or needs to dance, or just desires some male attent
Predictably, the courtroom is packed with journalists and other members of the press. Kent has known for a long time that he’s been a person of public interest – that damn Mafia King nickname had done some real damage when it was first applied to him – and whispers start around the room as he walks
Kent sharply nods, and the judge bangs her gavel. And then it’s done. Kent turns away from the judge but before he can turn to Daniel, Ivan catches his eye from across the room, giving him a smirk and a nod that clearly says “I’ll be seeing you soon.” But Kent gives him nothing, and turns to his
When Daniel and Jerome come home with the news of the sentencing, I don’t say much. Honestly, there’s not much to say. I had been fairly certain that it would go smoothly - and I’ve certainly got other things in my mind to worry about. So I just nod to them, and turn back to the paperwork that’s s
He doesn’t have much of a choice does he? Janeen, when she doesn’t take a lunch shift at the club, hangs out with my dad. Together they keep me fed and hold back my hair when I need to barf. They watch me, and I can tell they’re worried, but they don’t interfere. Ivan drops in a couple of times a
“All right,” Jerome whispers, not pushing me on it. But then he takes his hand away and sighs, stepping back and studying me. “What?” I ask, confused. “I just think it’s time for you to loop Daniel in a little more,” he says, giving a shrug. “After all, he has to do all the stuff with the boats.
Ivan’s in a particularly good mood that night when he comes by tonight, but I don’t find out why until just before he leaves. “Oh, by the way,” he says, glancing over at Daniel and Jerome with a friendly smile as he flattens out the empty boxes of the pizza that he brought all the way from the cit
My dad greets him with such genuine joy and excitement that it makes my heart swell with joy. They talk for a few minutes about Dominic’s day before dad gives him a little nudge back towards the gate where Kent and I are waiting. Dominic gives dad a kiss before running ahead again. My dad waves to
“Papa!” Dominic shouts, startling me out of my reverie as he drops my hand and darts down the road. I look up, a huge smile breaking out on my face again as I see Kent on the sidewalk just ahead. His back is to us as he speaks companionably with the butcher, a heavy bag of his purchases already hung
As I walk down the street towards the little Italian kindergarten, the whispers start around me, as they always do. I listen to all of them, a big German Shepherd padding quietly at my heels. “Is that her?” “Yes, that’s the one – I heard she was her husband’s mistress before he married her – tha
Both Kent and I laugh, but Don Bianci – across the baptismal font from us – snaps his eyes up, perhaps not liking the joke as much as we do. But I just ignore it, because dad’s right, frankly – and it’s too happy a day to care. After the final blessing everyone applauds Dominic – he likes that, bl
“Well, it didn’t seem to affect your first very badly,” Ivan says with a shrug, peering around Kent to where Daniel is laughing with an arm around Jerome’s shoulders. “So…maybe keep it up.” I smirk, squeezing Ivan’s hand once more before standing and moving to Kent’s side, tucking myself against h
“Hey, gorgeous,” Ivan says, his mouth turned up in a smirk as I cross the churchyard, beaming at him. “Look who’s talking,” I say, laughing and reaching for him when I come close enough. Ivan wraps me in a hug, dropping a kiss to my cheek as I hold Dominic a bit to the side so he doesn’t get squis
He laughs, smiling at me genuinely. “Do I make you nervous?” he asks, blunt. I laugh, unable to help it. “Has no one bothered to tell you, in all these years, that you’re a little terrifying, Don Bianci?” He grins and shakes his head at me. “Well, considering what you accomplished, young lady, I
Two months later, we’re all gathered together again. And it is only with frustration that I see Gio and Janeen standing so close together that their arms nearly brush, even though they’re still not together. I roll my eyes, dismissing the problem for a moment as I move my eyes down to Dominic and
It's an incredible night. Kent didn’t lie, not at all, about the food either. I’m shocked by the mountains of dishes that continue to follow each other, one after another, long into the night. After a few hours of it I just mournfully watch the waiters go by because I couldn’t eat another bite if I