Total pages in book: 145
Estimated words: 136915 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 685(@200wpm)___ 548(@250wpm)___ 456(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 136915 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 685(@200wpm)___ 548(@250wpm)___ 456(@300wpm)
Dad looked at me. In the dark it was difficult to make out the details of his expression but I knew him well enough to realize he was worried. “I’ll be safe.”
“Safer than under my watch hopefully.”
I put my hand on his scarred one. “It wasn’t your fault. Nobody could have suspected this. I don’t blame you or Amo or even the guards. Sometimes bad things happen.”
“They shouldn’t happen to you. I need you to be safe and happy.”
“I’m happy most of the time. Sometimes the attack haunts me, especially because my body’s still not fully recovered but I’m a Falcone, Dad. I’ll survive this and come out stronger, right?”
Dad chuckled. “Right.” He fell silent. “I really want to cling to my dislike of Amo. But sometimes when I see him looking at you with that sappy adoration I can’t help but tolerate him.”
I stifled a laugh and squeezed Dad’s hand in thanks. We sat like that for a while before I spoke again. “Did Mom tell you about her offer?”
“She did.” His voice was gentle and loving, a very rare thing even around me. I bit my lip. “I’m thinking of taking Mom up on her offer.”
“You should,” Dad said quietly. “Your mother wants to give you this.” He swallowed. “I could only exact brutal revenge. That’s what I can do, but your mother’s gift is far more precious than mine.”
I leaned my head against his shoulder. “The both of you have always done everything you could to make me happy, and I’ll always be grateful for it. No matter where I live in the world, a part of my heart will always stay in Vegas with you and the rest of my family.”
Dad pressed a kiss to my head. “You should go to sleep. Amo picks you up in a couple of hours.”
“Are you angry that I’m meeting Maximus and even Growl and his family?”
“My grudges of the past don’t have to be yours. As long as you don’t expect me to make peace with my half-brother too.”
“Maybe one day you’ll want to.”
Dad didn’t comment. “We can all count ourselves lucky if I manage not to kill Luca for insisting on the bloody sheet tradition. Everything else would be a miracle.”
“I’m fine with the sheets.”
I bit my lip. “You sent sheets of your first night with Mom to the Outfit Capo and her parents, so I think you’ll be brave enough to see my wedding night sheets.”
“If I’d known my future daughter would find out about this and use it against me, I would have reconsidered my decision.”
“You wouldn’t have,” Mom said, stepping out of the bedroom in her white nightgown and messy bed-hair. “You got a kick out of it.”
With a smile, I returned to my own bed, leaving my parents to their arguing. Dad was right. I needed to sleep.
“Remo will cause a scene when we present the sheets,” Dad said.
Mom shrugged. “You didn’t want to see Marci’s sheets either.”
“They wouldn’t have been red anyway,” Marci said, balancing a small bowl with chips on her belly. Before her pregnancy she wouldn’t have touched these fatty carbs with a ten foot pole.
Mom gave me a nervous look. “Your father can give you tips on how to create false bloody sheets. You aren’t the first couple that consummated their bond before their wedding.”
I didn’t want to discuss the details of my parents’ wedding night. “I didn’t consummate anything. I’ll wait until the wedding.”
Dad gave me a surprised look and Marci even put her chips away to give me an incredulous stare.
“Oh my God, Amo, I didn’t peg you a romantic gentleman.”
My lips curled. “I respect Greta.”
Maddox grinned in a dirty way. “I respect your sister too. But she would have kicked my ass if I’d made her wait this long for it.”
Dad sent Maddox a look that would have sent many people running.
“It’s our peace offering for the hurt pride of the Traditionalists.”
“I don’t want to discuss this anymore.” But one thing was sure, I didn’t want to share any piece of my first night with Greta with anyone.
Greta buzzed with excitement when we drove to the Trevisan dog shelter. “You’re more eager than before you met my family.”
Greta looked shocked. “That’s not true. I was too anxious to be excited before I met your family, but animals always like me, so this will be easier. And if Maximus and his family love animals as much as I do, then I’ll get along with them too.”
“I doubt there are many people who don’t like you.”
Greta remained silent, her gaze distant. I could tell that her mood had changed and I wondered what had caused it.
“My mother offered to carry our baby.”
I almost swerved off the road. I hit the brakes and pulled the car to a stop on the shoulder of the road. I turned to Greta, not sure if I’d heard her right. “What?”