Chapter 44
Chapter Forty-Four
Leon
“You know, it was very cute of you to use Leo as a way of asking me out on this date,” my wife tells me with a hum, twirling her straw around her half-empty drink. “He was so excited to have Rayna come over that I couldn’t possibly turn you down and disappoint him.”
“Oh, is that why you said yes, then?” I click my tongue, knowing she’s attempting to tease me.
“Well, I couldn’t possibly say no to that cute little face.” Katya grins. “But I probably would have said yes either way. I’ve been having fun dating my husband.”
“I’ve been having fun dating my wife,” I return, smiling back at her.
Being with Katya is like everything I’ve ever wanted for myself.
We have a genuine connection that flows between us easily.
There’s no strained moments of awkwardness where either of us is trying too hard.
She likes it when I reach for her during the day, and she always wants to talk to me when we’re alone.
My gestures of courtship aren’t received with distaste or discomfort.
She loves the flowers I give her weekly, and she always wears the jewelry I’ve gifted her thus far—her favorites being blood red roses and the ruby pendant necklace I bought her for our second date.
We just fit, and every day it seems to become more and more evident.
“Not to mention, if you hadn’t sent him up to ask me, he might not have called me Mommy yet.” Katya puts a hand on her heart as the memory of that moment dances behind her eyes.
She gushed about Leo’s decision to call her his mom for hours after the boys went to bed, and went into detail about her conversation with Bastian after the fact.
I heard Leo call her Mommy the first and more obvious second time, and each of them was precious.
Bastian hasn’t taken up using the name for her yet, but I haven’t heard him call her Katya either.
I think he’s waiting for the right moment to actually say it, but judging by his questions when he spoke to her, he wants to.
“I forgot to ask you if you knew he was going to do that,” she adds quickly, blushing and looking down at her finished dinner plate. We all but inhaled our food when it arrived, and only started chatting more as we were finishing up. “Did he say anything to you?”
“I didn’t put him up to it, if that’s what you’re wondering.
” I hold up my hands, displaying my innocence.
“But I had a feeling he might be ready to. He asked me if he could call you Mommy, and I just told him yes. I didn’t want to over-explain it or confuse him with too many details.
I just made sure he knew it wouldn’t be a problem. ”
“That was sweet of you.” Katya’s foot taps mine underneath the table. “And this restaurant…just wow. I know I said so already, but you take me to the most amazing places, bohatstvo.”
Her nickname feels like a sweet kiss to my ears every time it leaves her lips.
Looking up at the stars above us and then back down to her, I reach for her hand across the table.
“It’s selfish of me, really. I’ve given myself two of the best views in the state.
The stars, and my beautiful wife glowing underneath them. ”
Katya shivers a little, hearing the compliment. No matter how often I call her beautiful, she’s affected by it every single time. Whether it’s her cheeks tinting pink, a coy smile playing on her lips, or chills pebbling up her arms.
Stella is a Moretti-owned Italian restaurant aptly named for the private rooftop stargazing dinner experience.
While most rooftop bars and restaurants are open air, this one is covered in a large clear dome, bringing the beauty of the night sky inside.
This way candles can be lit without wind blowing them out, temperature can be controlled easily, and birds and bugs aren’t a concern.
And though this place is one of my family’s many businesses, I’ve only been here once before with my father.
It wasn’t a romantic dinner set up like this one, of course, but a work dinner meant to wow a client.
It’s nice to see it through a new lens, getting to enjoy the decadent food with the view you can’t get anywhere else. Not like this, anyway.
“I can’t believe we’re all alone up here. If your family didn’t own it, I’d imagine it would cost an ungodly amount of money to rent it out for the night.”
She’s not wrong. The rooftop seating has space for ten tables to fit comfortably, and typically it’s reserved months in advance.
But a few nights are always scheduled off just in case my family or our men want to use it for their own needs.
We try to be good to our soldiers, especially the ones with years of faithful service.
Being a made man can mean long hours, and risky actions.
The least we can do is pay them well and allow them to take their wives out on expensive dates for free.
Their wives deal with just as much, if not more than them.
Some of them have jobs of their own, of course.
Some are tutors for other families in our territory.
Some are virtual workers, or nurses, doctors, lawyers, and bankers.
Most, though, sacrifice having a career to take care of their household.
Raising mafia kids is no joke. Sure, when they’re little it’s about the same as it would be to raise a regular kid, but when they’re getting older? It’s a huge undertaking.
They’re training while they’re learning basic school things, they’re eating a ton of food, growing fast, and almost always getting into trouble.
Having a supportive wife who helps you handle things in your house while you’re running around doing risky shit for a living, it’s something you can’t really replace.
“Oh, it would be a big number,” I agree, chuckling. “But I’d pay it if I had to. I like spending money on you.”
“You’re sweet.” Her eyes twinkle. “But you know you don’t have to, right? Part of our absurdly favorable marriage contract was giving me access to all your money. A clause that Ares balked at by the way. He called you crazy when he read it.”
“Ares read our contract?” I ask with a surprised lift of my eyebrows.
“He snooped.” Katya rolls her eyes. “He always snoops. I only had Linus read through it personally, and he wasn’t as floored as his son, but he was pleased with how generous you were in your offer.”
Nodding in understanding, I say, “I know a thing or two about snooping siblings. But I don’t consider it generous, really.
You’re my wife and you’re raising our children with me.
Of course you should have access to whatever you need.
Money isn’t something I care to think about too much.
As a family, our wealth is never going to run out at this rate, and I think we have more than enough on our own that dipping into the family fund won’t be necessary. ”
All of Dante Moretti’s kids have access to a group of accounts meant for any of us to use at any time.
We used them as teenagers before accumulating our own riches, but since then it’s become more and more uncommon.
All of us have substantial money to our names.
Some from businesses we own, some from investments, and others from The Outfit.
We’re paid a salary just like our soldiers are, just larger ones, of course.
“You think?” she echoes with an amused look. “Leon, you gave me access to billions of dollars the day I moved in.”
“Surprised, were you?”
“Um, yes!” Katya laughs, tipping her head back and letting the sound flow. “You were so casual about it and I swear I had a mini freak-out and had to call my mom. I’m not the kind of girl who won’t spend money that’s given to her, but I’ve also never seen eleven digits in a bank account.”
“You’re cute,” I declare, shaking my head. “I’m glad you spent some of it quickly, though. Apollo threw such a fit when he had to get Rayna to spend money on herself. He just started giving her stuff instead, because apparently she doesn’t like being told what to do.”
Katya didn’t spend millions or anything, but she decorated her room without worrying about the bill as I insisted she did.
She also bought herself new clothes when she wanted them, and girly products from some bougie makeup and perfume store that she enjoys a lot.
She’s probably spent a good few hundred thousand dollars before we even became intimate partners. Maybe even before we kissed.
“My mom taught me how to shop,” my wife informs me with a smile.
“Just be glad you gave me a black card and a new bank account and not Gaia. She would have bought herself an island, or a whole store. Probably more.” Laughing to herself, she looks fond as she speaks about her little sister. “She spends Linus’ money like a pro.”
I bet she does.
“I’m sorry we haven’t made time for them to visit yet, or for us to visit them. I’m sure you miss them.”
“I do,” she admits right away. “But I’m not sorry we haven’t planned a visit yet.
I think it’s been good for us to take time away as a family.
We’ve grown so much in what feels like so little time.
I mean, I care for you all so much. I loved those little boys as soon as I met them, honestly.
But it’s different to truly experience that as a part of their lives, rather than someone who just admires how sweet and loving they are as little humans. ”
“It’s been good for us,” I agree. “It feels like you moved in months ago, and it hasn’t even been two yet. You just…you make a big impact with little time, Katya.”
“Me?” Her head shakes. “You’ve done more than me, honestly. This was all your doing, Leon. I wouldn’t have even met any of you if you didn’t go out of your way to find someone—”
“You,” I cut in. “I went out of my way to find you. You were exactly what I was looking for, baby.”
Her breath catches and her eyes shift from sweet and gentle to something more intense.
Something hungry.