1. Dario #3
We both turn at the sound of Natalya’s voice.
Dominic’s wife walks in, and the two of them share a smile that has me looking away.
He’s more than twice her age, but it’s never bothered either one of them.
He looks at her like she’s his reason for breathing, and she easily returns it.
There’s also a good bit of I can’t wait to get you naked again in that stare, and as happy as I am for the two of them, sometimes it feels like salt in the wound, and I’m just not in the mood tonight.
Dominic wraps his free arm around her when she’s close enough and kisses her before saying, “Dario swears he’ll never have kids.”
Natalya grins before walking over to give me a hug. “Sure you will, Dario,” she tells me. “You just haven’t met the right girl yet.”
Before I can tell her she’s wrong, I hear my niece yell “Uncle Dario” as she bolts into the kitchen and wraps her little arms around my leg.
Smiling, I reach down and scoop her up. Isabella’s arms and legs latch onto me while she laughs and then starts talking.
She’s adorably animated as she tells me all about her day and how she’d just helped her mom give her little brother a bath.
“You’re such a good big sister,” I say. She just turned four, and even though I’ve never been the kind of guy who goes nuts over babies, there’s no denying she’s cute as hell.
Her blue eyes light up when she tells me that her Uncle Max and Aunt Talia sent her a new video of Wallace.
She loves their border collie, and ever since she met him, she’s been begging her dad for a puppy.
“How are Mia’s lessons coming along?” Natalya asks.
At the mention of Mia, everything I’ve been trying to avoid comes rushing back in. I ignore it as best I can and kiss Isabella’s head before setting her down so she can run off and play.
“Your sister’s lessons always keep me on my toes,” I tell her.
Natalya laughs. “That’s a very nice way of putting it.”
I grab my plate from the microwave and get a fork.
Natalya hands me some homemade bread and I say, “Mia’s very good at fighting.
” It’s the truth. I started training her when she turned seventeen, but she came to me already knowing a lot.
Her dad was an underground fighter for most of his life, and he taught both his daughters how to defend themselves.
Natalya knows the basics, but Mia wasn’t content to just know enough to get by.
She wanted to excel at it, and then she wanted to learn knife fighting and how to kill a man in every way she could think of.
That’s the part I’ve been helping her with.
“She is,” Natalya agrees. “Always has been. My little sister puts me to shame.”
Dominic smacks her ass and kisses the top of her head. “Never, principessa . You’re the bravest woman I’ve ever met. You just don’t share Mia’s love of trying to cut things up.”
Natalya laughs and says, “I definitely don’t, or her love of piercings. That girl can take some pain.”
“She can,” I agree, knowing firsthand how stubborn she can be.
I stopped taking it easy on her months ago, and no matter how many times I’ve knocked her down, she never stays put.
Her tiny ass is always jumping up and ready for more.
I have to force her to take breaks and make sure she doesn’t hurt herself.
When Enzo starts getting fussy, Natalya smiles and reaches for him as Dominic puts him in her arms.
“You okay, principessa ? Do you need me to help carry him up?” he asks her.
“I’m okay,” she tells him. “He’s just hungry. I’m going to feed him and put him down. Maybe he’ll sleep more than last night.”
Dominic smiles at her, giving her ass one more squeeze as he tells her, “I’ll put Isabella to bed after I talk to Dario. Holler if you need me.”
“I will.” She looks over at me. “Night, Dario.”
“Night, Nat,” I tell her back, giving her a quick hug and then brushing my finger along Enzo’s tiny cheek before she walks off with him.
Dominic grabs us a couple of cannoli while I finish my supper, and when we’ve both moved on to dessert, he asks, “How was the club?”
“The usual. Game went well. Harry won the pot, and Roger lost his ass off again. He’s running out of money, and I’m guessing he’ll be asking for a loan soon.”
“I’m not loaning him money just so he can lose it,” Dominic says. “ If he doesn’t have the money, then he can’t play. I’m not a fucking bank, and I’m sure as hell not giving a gambling addict a loan.”
“He’d end up owing you a lot of money,” I say.
Dominic finishes off the last bite of his dessert and puts his plate in the sink. “Roger has nothing I want, and I’m not about to go and threaten his sixty-five-year-old wife when it comes time for her husband to pay back a debt he’ll never be able to afford.”
I laugh and add my dishes to the sink. “A mafia don with a heart.”
He scowls at me. “No, a mafia don with a good head for business. I’m not making trouble if I don’t have to, and Roger is worthless to me if he doesn’t have his own money to gamble with.”
When he offers me an espresso, I take it, waiting for him to tell me whatever’s on his mind. I know my cousin well enough to know there’s something eating at him. I can be patient, so I sip my drink and lean my ass against his counter while I wait.
Finally, he says, “Your dad called me earlier. We’re having some trouble in Italy. Nothing major yet, but it might turn into something.”
“What happened?”
“One of our men was killed last night. It looks like it might’ve been the Fontana family.”
“You think they’re trying to take over?” I ask.
“I don’t know. The families have always respected the pact we have with them, but Paulo Fontana died six months ago, and his son, Leonardo, took over. It’s possible he doesn’t want to stick to the agreement I made with his father.”
“He was always quick to anger when we were younger,” I say.
Dominic thinks for a second and then says, “I may need you to go to Italy. I’m not sure yet. I want to give it some time, but I have all our men on high alert over there. If Leonardo is behind this, I’ll make that little fucker wish he was never born.”
I grin at seeing the ruthless don come out. It’s easy to forget how brutal he can be when he’s surrounded by his wife and kids, but Dominic is the don for a reason, and he didn’t get to where he is today by playing nice .
“Sounds good,” I tell him. “Just let me know what you decide.”
I’m about to leave when Natalya comes rushing back in. Dominic takes one look at her flushed face and is at her side in seconds.
“What’s wrong, principessa ?” he quickly asks while running a hand over her to make sure she’s okay.
“I’m fine,” she says. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to scare you.” She holds up her phone. “Luka just texted. Lara went into labor.”
“Jesus,” Dominic groans, standing back up to his full height while putting his hand on his heart. “Baby, lead with that next time.”
She grins and pats his chest. “Afraid that old ticker’s going to give out?”
I laugh before I can stop it, ignoring the glare my cousin gives me.
Dominic looks back down at his wife. “I can’t believe you’re teasing me, principessa . I guess you’re due for a reminder of just how virile I still am.”
“We need to go to the hospital,” she reminds him.
My cousin laughs. “There’s no way in hell I’m taking you up there right now. She could be in labor all night. I’m not letting you sleep in a waiting room. As soon as the baby is born, I’ll drive you up there.”
When he grabs her ass, I start heading for the door. “I’ll let myself out,” I say. “Tell Luka I said congratulations.”
Dominic says he will, and then I hear Natalya tell him, “Don’t forget you promised our daughter you’d put her to bed.”
Right before I’m out of hearing distance, I catch Dominic’s, “And as soon as I’m done, I’m coming for your sweet ass, principessa .”
Leaving my cousin to his night of fun, I make my way to my motorcycle, refusing to admit how much I’d like to be grabbing onto Natalya’s younger sister right now for a night of fun.
Unable to resist, I check my phone before I pull my helmet on, and when I see a text from her, I’m happier about it than I should be.
MIA:
I didn’t let my guard down. I know you’re fucking with me. I need to skip this week’s lessons .
I frown at the last comment and start typing.
ME:
Why?
MIA:
Because I need to.
ME:
We have an arrangement, Mia. I take time out of my schedule to teach you. The least you can do is show up and not waste my time.
I swear I can feel her rage coming through the phone when I see the dots start moving across my screen. Mia never misses her lessons. This isn’t like her, and I don’t like changes in behavior. There’s always a reason for it. People don’t usually deviate, not by choice anyway.
MIA:
For fuck’s sake, Dario. My period is really heavy this month, and I have bad cramps. Happy now?
ME:
Not really, no. Let me know when you can train again.
She doesn’t respond, and I’m left wondering what the fuck is going on.
I’ve been training her for a year and a half, and she’s never once missed a session, not for the flu, not for cramps, not for anything.
Hell, she’s usually begging me for more sessions.
We train three times a week now because she insisted on it.
At first I was training her with Sasha, but Sasha doesn’t need my help anymore, so now it’s just one-on-one with Mia.
That probably wasn’t the best idea. Hindsight can be a real bitch.
When it’s obvious I won’t be getting another message, I put my phone away and start my bike, determined to not spend the next week obsessing over my pint-sized student with the fiery temper and mouth that could put any mobster to shame.