Chapter 13 Tilly
TILLY
“I wonder what the guys are talking about?” Suzy stares across the backyard to where the men are huddled together.
“Whatever it is, it looks intense.” Izzy leans forward and squints in their direction. “Want me to find out?”
“Leave them be,” Race replies. “It’s probably about the bounty Morgan’s after.”
“Bounty?” I ask, raising my eyebrows.
Izzy sighs. “They can’t take a vacation, can they? It’s supposed to be about the family, and there they are.” She waves her hands in their direction. “Cooking up something that’ll no doubt piss us off.”
“Boys will be boys,” Mia says as she toys with the base of her wineglass. “They can’t help but find trouble.”
“Do you mean bounty as in…” My voice trails off because I thought shit like that was made up for television or movies. I didn’t think people, aside from cops, actually chased down criminals and were rewarded with money.
Izzy nods. “Yep. Morgan’s been doing it for years, and now he’s pulled the guys from ALFA into the bounty hunter business. They sure as fuck don’t need the cash. They do it for the pure enjoyment of catching the bad guy.”
“It’s testosterone. Makes them do dumb shit from the time they realize what their dick is really for.” Mia shakes her head as she lifts her wineglass. “They don’t stop doing dumb shit until they take their last breath either.”
“I don’t know how you deal with it,” Delilah says as she picks at a small piece of cheese. “I couldn’t imagine Lucio putting himself in dangerous situations every day.”
Izzy laughs softly. “Doll, he works at a bar on the South Side. He’s in a dangerous situation every day.”
“It’s not so bad here,” Daphne tells Izzy. “The neighborhood’s changed a lot since you guys moved away. Ten years ago, I wouldn’t have felt safe in the bar every night, but now it’s neighborhood hipsters and businessmen mostly filling the place at night.”
“I don’t care if the bar is on the Magnificent Mile, sweetheart, it’s still Chicago, and people are hungry for cash. Your business is no less dangerous than theirs.” Izzy’s eyes move from the men to Daphne.
Daphne shakes her head. “They’re looking for trouble. There’s a big difference.”
“What’s going on?” Max asks as she sits down next to Izzy.
Angel tips her head toward the guys who are still huddled tight and talking low. “They’re cooking up something. Race says Morgan’s on the hunt.”
Max groans and immediately moves her fingers to her temple before she begins to rub the tips in small circles against her skin. “Can’t we ever just have a vacation?”
“That’s a negative,” Izzy states flatly.
“I’ll pull Morgan aside and tell him to drop whatever scheme he’s cooking up,” Race says like it’s going to be easy, but I know nothing with Gallo men ever is.
Izzy bursts out laughing. “Oh, I want to watch that. Can you do it now so we can enjoy the show?”
Race’s eyes narrow and her lip curls. “I can be very convincing, darling.”
“I’m sure you can, babe. I’m sure you have your way with him, but with that look in his eye and the way he has the guys all in on it, there’s no stopping them now.”
“Oh no,” Bianca announces, pushing back from the table. “Vinnie is not participating. No way. No how.”
I cover my mouth, hiding my laughter. I haven’t been part of this family long, but the thing I know about all the Gallo men is there’s no stopping them once they put a plan in motion.
That’s how it’s been with the three of them here in Chicago, but now with the entire tribe together, I’m pretty sure it’s the same.
“You’re going to tell him no?” Delilah asks with a smile pulling on her lips.
Bianca nods as she stands. “Fuck yeah, I am.” Her hand moves to her stomach, and the gesture isn’t lost on me. “He’s not going to do anything stupid. Not now. There’s too much happening for him to get himself hurt.”
“Is there anything you want to tell us?” Daphne asks, clearly noticing the placement of Bianca’s hand.
“He has a football contract, and we’re getting married,” Bianca says, forcing her shoulders back and straightening. “There’s no time for dumb shit.”
“Uh-huh,” Daphne mutters. “Go tell him that. We’ll wait.”
“Fine, I will,” Bianca tells us before she starts to march across the lawn toward the men.
“Anyone else catch that?” Daphne asks, pointing her long skinny index finger at Bianca’s behind. “She’s knocked up, right?”
“She hasn’t touched alcohol, so I’d say there’s a pretty good chance she’s pregnant,” Mia says casually. “Add in the hand over the stomach, and I’d say it’s almost certain.”
“It’s your turn now,” someone says, but I’m too busy watching Bianca to realize they’re talking to me until I feel a pointy elbow in my side. “Are you listening to me?”
I turn to Delilah in confusion. “Pardon?”
“It’s your turn. You and Angelo better get busy making another grandkid for Betty.”
“We have Tate and Brax,” I reply.
“Point?” Delilah shoots back.
“No point. We have two, and besides, I think I’m too old to have a baby.”
“You’re not too old, Tilly,” Mia interrupts, and I slice my eyes to hers because I’m no spring chicken either.
Daphne eyes me for a moment before she speaks. “Angelo’s going to want a little piece of you and him walking this earth long after you’re both gone. So, you better be ready, babe. That man is going to have you barefoot and pregnant in no time flat.”
“Maybe. We’ve barely discussed it, and I don’t think we’re ready.”
“Keep telling yourself that,” Suzy says to me. “I thought we were done having kids and then surprise!”
My hand moves to my throat, a slow burn rising inside my body. “I don’t think…”
I don’t get the words out because Bianca’s voice stops my words and all movement and chatter at our table. She’s grabbing Vinnie by the arm, pulling him away from the huddle, and cursing like I’ve never heard anyone curse before.
“Uh oh. Looks like trouble in paradise,” Delilah says with a chuckle. “I put five bucks on Bianca.”
“What in the fuck is she saying?” Izzy says, but I only shrug because I don’t know a lick of Spanish. “She’s really laying into him.”
“I’ve never seen Vinnie so tongue-tied.” Daphne giggles as we stare at them in shock.
Vinnie runs his hand through his hair, trying to get a word in, but every time he opens his mouth, Bianca puts her hand in front of his face.
She’s talking loudly, her hand moving wildly through the air as she speaks. Vinnie’s eyes widen and his body stiffens when the next string of curse words falls from her lips.
“Babe!” he yells, trying to talk above her, but she isn’t having it.
“Don’t babe me,” she spits, fisting her hands at her sides. “You will not do whatever shit they’re cooking up to do.”
Vinnie’s eyebrows rise. “Excuse me?”
“Oh shit,” Daphne whispers. “This is getting good.”
Bianca reaches between them, pressing her finger into the middle of his chest and closing the space between them. “You heard me.” Her eyes narrow. “I forbid it.”
He glances down at her hand but does nothing to move her finger away. “You tellin’ me what to do now?”
“Damn right, I am.” She jabs him with her finger again. “You’re not going to go off half-cocked, doing stupid shit, and get yourself hurt. Do you hear me, Vinnie Gallo?”
“I hear you loud and clear, baby. But I’m not going off half-cocked and doing stupid shit. You need to calm yourself down before you…”
“Calm down?” Her body jerks as she glares at him. “Did you tell me to calm down?”
I cringe. No woman likes to be told to calm down. It’s like the man’s asking for more trouble and anger by uttering those words, but clearly, Vinnie doesn’t quite understand how far he’s just inserted his foot into his big mouth.
“Uh, yeah, sweetheart. You’re going to get yourself all riled up, and it’s not good for the…”
Her finger’s back in his chest, stopping him from spilling the beans about the bundle of joy that’s inside her belly. “Riled up? Please tell me you didn’t just say those words to me.”
His hand moves to her hip. “I’m a grown-ass man, baby. Nothing bad is going to happen. Calm those sweet tits of yours, and give me your lips.”
“He did not just say that shit,” Max says as we all sit there in shock, waiting for the real fireworks to start.
“Sweet tits?” Bianca asks, not giving him her lips.
“Yeah.” His hungry eyes drop to her cleavage. “They’re my tits, and they’re sweet as fuck.”
Bianca scrunches up her face. “Don’t you dare try to sweet talk me after you told me to calm down.”
“What’s wrong with what I said?” he asks.
“You said calm down.”
“Jesus fuck,” he mutters and glances toward the sky. “Can we talk about this inside?”
“They’re totally going to fuck,” Daphne says.
“Banging like bunnies in five minutes,” Delilah agrees.
“Nope. She’s too pissed,” I tell them.
“Baby,” Izzy says, cutting her eyes to me. “She’s going to anger-bang him and use that pussy to get him to do what she wants.”
“Bianca’s too sweet for that,” I tell Izzy. “She wouldn’t use sex as a weapon.”
Izzy laughs loudly. “We all use it as a weapon or withhold it as punishment. If you aren’t, you’re doing something wrong.”
I cross my arms over my chest. “We just don’t argue.”
“You will, and when you do, remember…” A smile plays on her lips. “Just fuck him into submission.”
I get what she’s saying, but it’s not how I’m built. I’ve never been one for confrontation. I typically sulk a while, let my anger fester, and eventually move on. Never once have I anger-banged anyone.
“Is that what James does to you?” Max says to Izzy with one perfectly plucked eyebrow raised.
“Oh, fuck off, Max,” Izzy snarls.
“There they go,” Mia says, and we all turn, watching them walk inside as Bianca once again pulls Vinnie by the arm. “I give it ten minutes.”
“Five,” Daphne says.
“Who’s going to win?” I ask.
“They both will.” Izzy smiles. “But Vinnie will not be going with the guys. That much, I know.”
“Neither will Angelo,” I say quickly.
“Then you better get ready to use what God gave you to make that man do what you want,” Izzy tells me. “’Cause if you don’t, he’s going.”
I fidget with the napkin sitting near my glass, preferring not to talk about what God gave me. “I’m sure I can just explain how I feel, and he’ll be fine with not going.”
All eyes at the table turn to me like I’ve just uttered the most insane words ever spoken.
Mia places her hand on mine with a light squeeze. “Oh, honey. Gallo men need a little more coaxing than most. You’ll learn.”
I have no doubt I’ll learn, but I also know my husband. He’ll listen. That’s what marriage is about, isn’t it?