CHAPTER 9
Even though I miss the triplets, I haven’t seen any of them in days. I sometimes get the feeling of being watched and I know, without looking for him, that it’s Marco. Knowing he’s still watching me leaves me with a warmth in the middle of my chest.
There is a little voice in the back of my mind which keeps telling me that this is all a game for them still. That they’re using me. I’m not sure if the voice is right or not, but I desperately hope it’s not.
It doesn’t make any sense, but real feelings have blossomed for the triplets in my heart.
It wasn’t long ago when I couldn’t really see my future beyond continuing to do my job and keeping up appearances to the outside world. Now when I think about the future, the triplets are in every single vision. I want to be with them and build something with them.
I want the whole family thing and they’re the only ones I can picture there with me. The house we can call a home. The kids who put smiles on our faces. The fights that happen because life isn’t all rainbows and sunshine.
I want it all with them.
I’m just not sure if I’ll get it. They’re different from each other and I’m not sure how to get a read on Mateo. He seems to always hold himself back and away from his brothers. I’m not sure why, but I have my suspicions.
It’s the same way between Dante and my other three brothers.
Our father put a lot of pressure on Dante because he was always going to be the one to take over and sit at the head of the family. Dante had the weight of those expectations on his shoulders, and it allowed our other brothers to have more freedom, even though they knew the expectation of being involved in the family business was still there. Their roles simply weren’t as well defined as Dante’s.
I have no doubt that Mateo had the same kind of pressure on him. Or maybe he did it to himself, it’s hard to tell and maybe it doesn’t matter. I can see he takes the responsibility of being in charge of what he’s trying to build in the name of the Falsini family seriously. It’s written all over him.
Today I’m sitting with Jasmine, Dante’s wife, and going over some ideas I have for her baby shower. Their little one won’t arrive until October, but I’m so excited about becoming an aunt. Dante has always been a good man, but I’ve seen a different side of him since he met Jasmine and it’s only gotten more adorable after he found out she’s pregnant with their first born.
He’s so attentive and I can tell it sometimes bugs Jasmine, even though she secretly loves it. She’s lucky and I try to beat down the jealousy which tries to curl around my heart. I’m glad to have her as my sister-in-law and she balances out my brother.
Jasmine has taken to being the wife of a mafia king with ease. It surprised me at first, but I learned a long time ago to give people the room to show you who they are instead of making assumptions. Jasmine is soft when she needs to be and a badass when called for.
A few months ago, when I heard about what went down with Zeno and Tony’s woman, Posy, and her family, I wish I would have been there. From what I heard, Jasmine put Posy’s stepsister, Samantha, in her place in spectacular fashion.
I love that there are more women coming into the family and finding their place. There was way too much testosterone around here before. Now, with some of the focus off me, I feel like I can breathe a little easier and have a little more freedom.
Still, if Dante knew I sometimes shake my security detail, he would blow a gasket.
“I think a fall theme will be adorable for the baby shower. We’ll plan it for late September, just in case,” I agree with Jasmine and wink at her.
She rubs her barely there bump with a big smile on her face and giggles. “Can you imagine how badly Dante will freak out if our little one comes early?”
I bark out a laugh because I can just imagine him trying to take control of a situation which would be completely outside of his control. “He’d probably try and negotiate with your uterus,” I snark.
“I already negotiated with her uterus to take my seed,” Dante’s deep voice startles me slightly.
When his words register, I scrunch my face up. “Ew. I do not need to hear things like that.” I shake my head as if trying to dislodge the remnants of his words. “Not at all.”
Dante smirks and winks at me before crossing the room and leaning down to kiss Jasmine. Their kiss isn’t a simple, chaste peck either and I look away. I might love the woman who has become like a sister to me, but he’s still my brother and there are still lines which shouldn’t be crossed.
I make a gagging sound and cover my eyes dramatically. “Gross. I can still hear your lips smacking together. I’m scarred for life,” I wail causing them to laugh at my antics.
When I don’t hear them kissing anymore, I peel my eyes open one at a time as dramatically as possible. Dante winks at me before taking a seat in a chair across from the couch where we’ve been sitting this afternoon. I’m only mildly surprised he didn’t pick Jasmine up and put her on his lap.
A pang of jealousy hits me square in the chest. Again. I push it away as I plaster a smile on my face. It’s mostly genuine, but part of me can’t help but wonder when I’ll find what Jasmine has found in my brother.
Leonardo, my second eldest brother, walks into the room and gives me a kiss on my forehead before he does the same to Jasmine. The attention he pays Jasmine earns a growl of warning from Dante, which has Leo smirking. He’s not the brother who likes to live on the edge, but he’s not afraid of crossing the line a little here and there.
He also knows Dante is aware Jasmine is like a sister to everyone but him. Not only do we love her, but she’s earned our respect. That means something in this family. It always has.
Leo arches an eyebrow as he looks at Dante, a challenge in his eyes. “Did you tell them yet?”
I sit up straighter in my seat and Jasmine narrows her eyes as she looks at her husband. Uh oh, that’s not a look I would want to be on the other end of.
I prod my brothers, “Tell us what?”
Dante shoots a glare at Leonardo before sighing and relaxing back in his chair. “I need both of you to be extra vigilant.” My lips part, but before I can say anything he holds his hand up to stop me. “I’ll be increasing your security detail for the foreseeable future. It’s a precaution, but one I am going to take, and you won’t argue with me about it,” his voice is firm which tells me he’s serious.
I slump back, feeling defeated. Jasmine’s eyes flash, but she doesn’t challenge him directly. “Why do you need to increase our security?”
“It’s come to our attention that Martinez is making moves in the city again,” Dante’s voice is even and calm, which isn’t necessarily helpful because of the bomb he just dropped.
A cold chill runs down my back with Dante’s words. Juan Martinez is scum and I’ve met some unsavory people in my life because of the business my family has been involved in since before I was born. He doesn’t care what business he’s involved in as long as it makes him money. He sells drugs and people. It’s disgusting.
Martinez is the man Posy’s father tried to sell her to and our family threatened him. It’s not difficult to conclude that if Martinez is making waves, then it may have an impact on us. He has no morality or boundaries. He uses women and he doesn’t care who he destroys on his quest for more power and money.
“Fuck,” I curse under my breath, understanding why my brothers look so serious and why security will be tightened around the women.
Jasmine’s voice is curious, “What kind of moves?”
“Word on the street is he bought a shipment of weapons from the Falsini triplets,” Leonardo answers casually.
The men don’t always discuss business with the women of the family, but they also know that leaving us in the dark can be dangerous. When we don’t know what the threat is or how severe it is, it becomes more difficult to be safe.
My heart sinks with Leo’s words. The triplets did this?
I knew they wanted to get a foothold in the business the city has to offer, but getting into bed with Martinez? That is just asking for trouble.
What kind of men do business with a man like that? What does it say about their character?
What does it say about me since I’ve spent time with the triplets?
The realization that I don’t know the triplets at all has bile rising in my throat. I keep my face neutral on the outside, but on the inside? I’m shattering into a million pieces.
Jasmine gives an understanding nod toward her husband. “We’ll be careful,” she promises and gives me an expectant look.
I swallow hard and nod slowly. “Of course, we’ll be careful,” I agree.
All I want to do is run out of the house, but I hold myself back and force myself to chat with my brothers and Jasmine for a little while longer. When my other two brothers, Rocco and Giovanni, come into the room, I see an opportunity to slip out.
I give my brothers kisses on the cheek while giving Jasmine a hug. I whisper to her, “I’ll pull together some ideas for invitations and other little things to send your way this week.”
Jasmine smiles brightly and waves away my words. “We have plenty of time, Viola. As long as my family is there, it’s all I need.” She rubs her barely there bump. “This little one will be surrounded by love and know what family is. What else could I want?”
I smile at her and nod. The only family Jasmine had for so long was her father and her best friend. Since coming into Dante’s life, even though it was traumatic considering he saved her from a fire which was set by an arsonist who was terrorizing the city, she’s gained a lot more family. I’m glad to have her.
Even though I have a smile on my face, I make my way out to my car in a daze and head home. I want to immediately go to the triplets, but I can’t. Not yet. I need to go home and establish that I’m in for the night and then slip out.
It’s the only way my movements won’t get back to Dante.
I’m tense as I sit in my home and wait half an hour before I slip out of the back door and walk the few blocks to the car that I’ve called to meet me. My heart is thudding as we travel across the city, my heartbeat getting louder in my head the closer I get to the triplet’s house.
I haven’t been invited over, but I don’t particularly care right now.
Only when I’m sitting in front of their house do I consider how much danger I could be in. They might be in business with Martinez, but my gut is telling me the triplets wouldn’t hurt me. Maybe my gut is just confused because the triplets gave me the best orgasms of my life.
It’s possible.
Still, I’m here now and I’m not going to leave just because I’m afraid. I’m a Guidice after all.
My legs are a little shaky as I make my way to the front door and knock loudly. When Massimo swings the door open, I desperately want to fall into his arms. It’s a hard instinct to fight, especially when his eyes light up as he looks at me.
“Viola,” my name coming from his lips almost has me forgetting why I’m here. “It’s good to see you, il nostro cuore.” Our heart. Fuck, I love his nickname for me. “Were we expecting you?”
I shake my head. “No,” I spit out the word as I start to breeze past him, whether it’s a good idea to go deeper into the house or not. I can’t do this on the porch, that’s for damn sure. “I need to speak to you and your brothers,” the words are clipped.
I can feel Massimo following me closely and when I enter the living room, I meet the cold eyes of Mateo.
I got this. I’m a Guidice. I can do this.
I hope.