Chapter 30
Thirty
JASPER
T he kitchen is bright and happy as the four of us pause in the threshold of the room, Dominic’s hand on the small of my back, his fingers hooking into the waistband of my slacks under my jacket. It always strikes me just how beautiful the room is, like his parents took a picture from the Italian countryside and recreated it to the smallest detail. Warm stone surrounds the large stove set against the far wall, and the warm gray cabinets contrast against the dark butcher block counter of the island. The large sliding doors that lead to the patio and pool are closed, but the large table is set for at least ten people. I do a quick count in my head.
Who’s the extra place setting for?
“ Domenico , there you are. You had me thinking you weren’t going to show up.”
Bianca looks up for a second from where she’s chopping tomatoes, her hands never faltering. Alessia, Dominic’s sister, stands next to her, working through her own pile of tomatoes and dropping them into a large bowl set between them. She gives me a quick smile.
Lorenzo and Victor glance up from where they’re leaning against the back door and messing around on their phones, their heads close together as they discuss something.
Lorenzo smirks. “It’s his own event, Mamma . Not even Dom is that bad.”
She huffs and rolls her eyes, her slicing speeding up.
“I’m excited to meet her,” a voice I don’t immediately recognize says, echoing down the hallway. “It’ll be nice to not be the newest person here.”
A woman about Alessia’s age steps into the large room, a tray of bread in her hands. Her blonde hair is pulled back, small braids running along the sides, and her eyes are done up in heavy black mascara that makes the brown color pop. Her dress is a simple a-line and the deep purple compliments her fair skin. She glances at Lorenzo across the room before focusing on Bianca at the island. She seems vaguely familiar, though I can’t really place it.
“Isn’t Jasper the newest?” Rylan asks, coming up beside me. He has Violet tucked into his side, subtly keeping her as far from Dominic as he can manage without giving away how tense our dynamic is at the moment.
“Oh, right,” she says, biting her lip as she looks at me. “Sorry, it’s just… I meant newest to designate.”
I shrug and shake my head. “No offense meant.”
Rylan chuckles, kissing my cheek.
Alessia rolls her eyes and points her knife at Rylan.
“Give her a break. Her brain has been a mess since December.”
The blonde woman blushes and ducks her head. “Alessia, that’s private.”
Dominic’s sister levels a look on the woman that’s identical to one Bianca gives when she thinks one of her children is being unreasonable. The woman isn’t apologetic the way Dominic often is, though. Her cheeks are still a deep scarlet, but her eyes are flinty.
“There’s nothing wrong with them knowing about your heat,” Alessia says, returning to her chopping. “It’s like them knowing about your period. It happens. We manage. We move on.”
“But these are your brothers , Ale.”
Victor laughs but covers it with a cough when Alessia turns on him, her glare as impressive as the blade in her hand.
“Don’t you even start, Victor,” she says. “You have no idea what it’s like.”
Victor raises an eyebrow. “Of course, sorellina ,” he says, completely deadpan. Only a quick smirk gives away his humor. “I know nothing of being at the mercy of instincts.”
Alessia scoffs. “No, you don’t. Not like this. You can smell any old scent and it gets you off. But us? One day we’re completely normal and the next we’re obsessed with peppermint like our life depends on it. Cavolo, è un disastro .”
Violet steps up to the island, the pan of brownies she made last night in her hands. “You enjoy peppermint? I’ve always been partial to citrus.”
The other woman looks up, interest clear on her face. She runs a finger along the rim of the pan in front of her. Alessia grimaces. “Citrus? Definitely not. Dominic’s is grapefruit. I can’t stand the association.”
Rylan chuckles and crosses the room, tucking his hands into his pockets as he flanks Violet, a few inches separating them. “Yeah, that’s fair. Not sure I’d want to think about my brother while trying to fuck someone.”
Bianca looks up, an eyebrow raised, her own knife pointing at Rylan. “ Linguaggio, monello .”
“ Mi dispiace, ” Rylan murmurs, though it doesn’t sound genuine. A corner of her mouth tips up as she blows out an exasperated huff.
“Doesn’t understand Italian until it’s convenient,” she mutters. “ Un tale monello .”
Rylan chuckles.
“Peppermint’s not bad,” Violet says. She twists toward Rylan, leaning into him. “Though, really, anything is better than floral. Maybe it’s because mine is floral? But I can’t stand it. It reminds me of my mother’s bathroom.”
Alessia and the other woman laugh. The blonde woman nods and holds out a hand toward Violet.
“Yes! That’s exactly it! It smells like my grandmother’s home. I couldn’t figure out why it made my skin crawl. The Council makes it sound like we’ll like any scent ever presented, but there’s this Alpha at work who smells like roses, and it makes me want to gag every time he comes near me.”
Suddenly I recognize the woman who’s clearly friends with Dominic’s little sister. Her hair is longer than it was last year when I saw her while on a date with Dominic, and there’s a confidence in the way she holds herself that wasn’t there before.
I lean into Dominic, tucking my lips against his ear so his family can’t see what I’m whispering.
“I didn’t realize Sarah was going to be here,” I say.
He shrugs and turns into me, his voice even quieter than mine. “Lorenzo.”
Surprise jolts through me. “Really?” I ask.
Dominic nods even as he frowns. “ Un segreto, Tesoro .”
“What’s a secret, Domenico ?” Bianca asks, looking past Violet toward Dominic. “What are you chatting about over there in the corner like some cartoon villain? At least be helpful and get the wine from the cellar. Tu e i tuoi fratelli .”
Victor sighs, but Lorenzo is silent as he slips his phone into his pocket and joins Dominic and me.
“Your pick,” Bianca says to Violet. “Since it is you we celebrate. Tell the men what you would like to drink.”
Violet tucks her hair behind her ear and looks over her shoulder, focusing on me rather than Dominic.
“Mimosas?” It comes out as a question.
Sarah moans, low in her throat, her head tipping back. “Oh, yes, please. Those sound amazing.”
Bianca nods and motions her sons toward the hallway that leads to the large butler’s pantry and wine cellar. Once they’re out of ear shot, Alessia sighs.
“You brought brownies?” Sarah asks, and Violet nods, grabbing the pan again. “Let’s put them back here.”
She takes the pan and sets it on the back counter near the stove, moving around Alessia with ease.
“Now that the boys are gone and won’t growl over all of us,” Bianca says, dumping the tomatoes into the bowl and wiping her hands on a small towel on the island, “let us introduce everyone. Violet, this is my daughter Alessia and her best friend Sarah.”
The girls offer small greetings, Sarah and Violet dropping into an easy-seeming conversation about waitressing of all things. I cross the room, palming Violet’s hip, still enjoying the absolute fuck out of being able to touch her again. She leans back against me, though her head is tilted just enough that she can scent Rylan.
Just as Bianca points to two large, covered pans on the stove, another man walks in from deeper in the house, his black suit impeccably cut, his brown eyes shrewd.
“Hello, Dante,” I say quietly. He nods once in silent greeting. It’s the warmest Dominic’s father has ever managed to be with me.
“ Mi dispiace, amore ,” he murmurs, crossing the room and kissing the top of Bianca’s head.
She bats him away. “You can apologize later. The food is getting cold, and we have not even gotten a chance to celebrate Violet.” She looks up, pointing her knife at me and then Rylan. “Boys, grab those pans, per favore . Alessia will finish this and we’ll head outside. You,” she points at Dante, “go extract your sons before they get drunk in the wine cellar because of some stupid bet they made.”
Sarah and Violet walk onto the patio, laughing, as Rylan and I do as instructed.
The rest of the family settles in after a few minutes, Dominic on my right and Rylan on my left, Violet tucked in next to him. Some of my nerves ease away at seeing her blend in so seamlessly with Alessia and Sarah. I reach across Rylan and grab her elbow. She glances up at me, her eyebrows furrowed, before she relaxes and offers a small smile.
Conversations start between small groups. Lorenzo shoves Dominic, some joke I missed making them both laugh. I’m filled with contentment, especially as Dominic palms my thigh, his hand warm and strong. Bianca holds up her glass of wine, and the table quiets.
“Congratulations, Violet,” she says with a smile, her eyes crinkling at the corners with her happiness. “Welcome to the family.”