Chapter 41
chapter forty-one
LEO
“What should we call you?” Marina asks, a big grin on her face. “Master Romano?”
“Ooh,” Isla pipes in. “Dojo Romano.”
I shake my head at them in response. “You’re both idiots.”
“We’re excited!” Isla says. “This is going to be fun.” We stand in the middle of Luna’s gym as people begin to filter in.
Today is our first self-defense class, and I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t a little nervous.
Luna and I sat down this morning and planned out the flow of the class, and today we are going to be focusing on the real basics.
Getting people used to working in pairs, and teaching a few basic self-defense techniques—things that we will build on in weeks to come.
And all of my friends showed up to support me and join the class.
“Yeah, you think that now,” Caio says, approaching us, “but you just wait ’til I have you in a position you can’t get out of. I don’t know how much fun you’ll be having then.”
She turns around, her hands landing firmly on her hips. “Excuse you. Are you insinuating that I couldn’t self-defense my way out of it?”
“It’s harder than you think,” I add. She whirls in my direction, and I hold my hands up innocently when she pins her death stare on me.
“Underestimate us all you like,” Marina says. “We’ll see who’s hurting more tomorrow.”
“She’s so intimidating, isn’t she?” Miles says, wrapping his arms around her from behind, and she melts into him.
“Oh yeah,” I nod. “Scariest here.” Marina scoffs, and I float away from them, heading for where Rafael and May sit on a small bench at the edge of the mats.
“Hey,” I say in a whisper, crouching down and hoping not to disturb Cami, where she sleeps in a stroller beside them. “You guys didn’t need to come.”
May frowns. “Yes, we did. Don’t think now that we’ve got a baby, we’re not going to try our best to still show up for all of you.” I tip my head with a small smile. “She just gets to come too.”
“Well, I appreciate it,” I say.
Rafael reaches out, his hand landing on my shoulder. “It’s good to see you doing this,” he says. “We’re proud of you.”
I try not to let the emotion swelling behind my eyes show, because while no one knows what exactly happened in Sorrento and why I left Romano Security, they know something happened. “Thank you,” I get out before I hear Luna calling my name.
“You ready to get this show on the road?” she asks, and I look out to see about fifteen people in the room, all waiting for me.
I blow out a breath and nod. “Let’s do it.”
* * *
“I think the throat punch wins every time,” Marina says as she pushes open the door to The Sugared Plum—her ma’s bakery.
“I didn’t teach you a fucking throat punch,” I say, following in after her.
“I know. But it’s got to be one of the most effective moves, right?” she says, finding a big table for all of us.
“I mean, it can be if you do it right,” I say.
Isla stays quiet as she sits down, not indulging in the conversation after exactly what Caio joked might happen did indeed happen, and she couldn’t get out of his grasp even while using the techniques I taught her. But that’s okay. He’s stronger than her, and it takes practice.
“You were amazing, Leo,” May says, sitting down beside me. “Good to see you doing something you enjoy.”
I did enjoy it. It was fun teaching people and watching them succeed, watching their faces light up when they figured it out. “Thank you.”
“Oooh!” I turn around to see Vanessa heading our way.
“Ciao, Ma,” Marina says, but Vanessa ignores her daughter in favor of peering into the stroller that sits between May and Rafael. “Fragolina mia!” she coos as she reaches a hand down and adjusts the little blanket over Cami.
I can’t help but smile as I watch her rub a hand in circles on May’s back as she talks to her and Rafael. Vanessa has taken us all in over the years—I don’t know how she hasn’t gotten sick of us by now—and I know she’ll treat Cami like her own granddaughter.
She presses a kiss to Raf’s head, smoothing over his hair before saying she’ll fix us all something to eat, and just the idea of food has my stomach grumbling. I barely had breakfast this morning. Without Marisol here to impress, I just had one piece of toast.
I haven’t heard much from her since she’s been gone, and I wonder how she’s feeling being back.
I can’t help but feel like she was starting to get comfortable here, like it was starting to feel like home for her again.
But I’m sure it’s exciting, sitting with a bunch of models and industry professionals and talking about upcoming work.
I couldn’t blame her for wanting to be back in that world.
I just…I think she was enjoying this world, too.
Vanessa comes back a few minutes later with a plate of freshly baked cinnamon scrolls. I curse as the smell hits my nostrils.
“Thanks, Vanessa,” Caio says, and we all echo the sentiment. She waves us away as she heads back to the kitchen.
We all groan as we dig into the sweet buns. They’re fucking incredible. No one can compare to Vanessa’s baking—Marina comes close, though.
Just as I swallow the last of mine, Cami starts crying. May jumps to attention, but Rafael puts a hand on her shoulder, pushing her back into her seat as he stands up. “I got it.” He turns the stroller in the direction of the door, but then he turns to me. “Want to come for a walk?”
“Yeah,” I say, brushing my hands off on a napkin and following him out onto Main.
He’s quiet for a while, both of us watching Cami as we walk, the sun hitting our backs.
“I know I haven’t said much about this whole you and Marisol thing,” he says.
I don’t respond. “May’s pregnancy was hard on us—her more than me, of course, but I struggled with not being able to do much to help.
Things have been busy at Olive&Vine, and I know I’ve been distant with everyone. ”
“It’s okay, Raf.”
He nods. “Things aren’t exactly easier now, of course, but it’s different with Cami here. In such a short amount of time, I’ve realized so many things, learnt so many things about myself already.”
“Becoming a father will do that,” I say. “At least that’s what they say.”
He makes an affirmative grunt in response. “So while I didn’t give you nearly enough shit for the fact that you’re dating my sister,” he says with a pointed sideways glance. “I also didn’t give you enough credit.”
I stutter. That’s not what I was expecting him to say. “Credit for what?”
He sighs, like it’s too much effort to explain himself, but I know he doesn’t really talk deep with anyone but May. “I saw the way you looked at Marisol that day in the hospital. Like your entire world revolved around her.”
“You know I’ve always looked at your sister like that,” I say.
“True,” he says. “But she looked at you the same way, like you saved her.” I don’t dare to respond. I wouldn’t know how to. “You’re a big part of why she’s been around lately, if not the only reason. I would be an asshole if I didn’t thank you.”
“You are an asshole,” I say with a wide grin as I bump his shoulder with mine. “But you’re welcome.”
“And for god’s sake,” he adds. “Don’t fuck this up.”
I smile to myself as I look down. “I don’t plan on it.”