Chapter 9
Chapter Nine
Rayna
The doorbell rings before my hair has fully dried from my shower.
I’m sipping a milky coffee at the kitchen counter, wearing the comfiest bit of provided clothing I could find when Yordan hears the ring.
A frilly, and loose pair of sleep shorts with a matching white tank top isn’t something I would typically wear while expecting company.
But it’s only eight in the morning, and I honestly expected more time to be able to wake up before the day was set to begin.
I groan into my ceramic mug, watching as my little brother sprints up from the couch, rushing to get the door.
I should have known that when I came downstairs to find him sitting in a pair of jeans and a T-shirt, he’d be leaving soon.
Normally, the kid sleeps in until at least ten, and lounges around in sweatpants for as long as he can.
He’s unnaturally excited for today, and it makes me feel all kinds of guilty. Yordan is acting like a day being showed around town by Apollo and Elio is fucking Disneyland, and I can’t help but feel like he’s been so bored and lost for far too long to garner such a reaction.
“Hey, come in,” I hear him greet, voice chipper and not at all tired.
He probably slept like a baby, feeling safe and anticipating the next morning. He’s far too bright eyed and bushy-tailed to have had a rough night of sleep. But while he was snoozing like a kid on Christmas Eve, I was tossing and turning with trepidation all night.
No matter how comfortable my new bed, blankets, and pillows were, my brain refused to shut off for hours. The events of the past two days kept replaying on a loop, haunting me.
I don’t know what to feel, so I feel everything all at once. Emotions jumble around, confusing and aggravating me over and over again. I want to scream, cry, smile, and explode.
And it’s all because of him.
Dressed impeccably in tailored black, jacketless suit, Apollo strides into the apartment like he owns it—and he does, own it. Wearing an emotionless expression, his lips set into a flat line and his striking blue eyes appear devoid of any feeling.
“You didn’t order anything,” he says, addressing me with that dry tone that makes my heckles rise.
It’s too goddamn early for this.
I glare up at him, wishing I didn’t even glance at him from my seat at the counter. I should have ignored his presence entirely. “Why are you speaking to me?”
“Rayna!” Yordan gasps. “That was rude.”
Elio laughs, having trailed behind Apollo into the kitchen. He appears much more lively than his brother, sporting a smile and sparkling eyes. He’s warm where Apollo is frigid.
“He deserved it,” Elio tells Yordan, clapping him softly on the shoulder. “That was a terrible way to greet a lady so early in the morning. Say it with me, brother. Hello, Rayna. How are you?”
“Yordan ordered clothing and necessities as he was asked,” Apollo says, choosing to ignore everyone but me. “Though, he hardly spent enough. You didn’t buy a single thing.”
“Dude, I spent five hundred dollars,” Yordan whispers, looking at Elio. “How much was I supposed to—”
“Do that ten more times, and he might drop the subject,” Elio advises, cutting him off. I watch my brother’s jaw unhinge. “Don’t worry, I’ll introduce you to Armani today, he’ll teach you how to shop.”
“Rayna,” Apollo says, pulling my attention from them.
“I didn’t have time,” I snap.
He folds his arms in disapproval. “Yordan had time.”
“Yordan didn’t make dinner,” I counter.
“We had milinki and steak,” my brother says, sighing fondly. “Fucking ten out of ten.”
“Milinki?” Elio echos.
“Kinda like pierogi, the way we do it. Pan fried dumplings filled with soft potato and cheese. Rayna’s are the best.”
I try not to smile, hearing Yordan’s genuine praise.
Feeding him after such a rough couple of days, it was the hit of normalcy that I really needed, and having him enjoy it so much only made me feel even better about myself.
Milinki is normally baked, and more bread-like.
But what isn’t better fried in a pan with some butter?
“You need clothes,” Apollo continues, his voice low and dark. “Order them before we return, or I’ll make Yordan do it for you.”
“Gross,” my brother whines. “I don’t want to pick out my sister’s underthings.”
Elio cackles. “Underthings? Shit, maybe we should swing by the strip club to get you acquainted with all the proper terms.”
“Don’t even think about it,” I demand, seeing Yordan’s eyes light up with mischief. I know Elio is joking, but I don’t need him to get any ideas.
“Just say you’ll order your clothes,” Yordan counters. “I don’t want to be here all day. You said Apollo could burn all his money for all you care, so just spend it. You’re so stubborn.”
“Don’t talk back to your sister,” Apollo scolds, shocking the shit out of me. “Apologize.”
“Don’t tell him what to do,” I sputter. “And you, you little shit, you’re supposed to be on my side.”
“I didn’t mean—”
“I know you didn’t,” I cut him off. “Now go, all of you. You’re giving me a headache. No strip clubs, and watch your manners while you’re out. Yes?”
“Yes,” Yordan echoes. Lowering his voice, he leans toward Elio. “Did they just team up on me while still arguing with each other?”
Chuckling, Elio starts walking him toward the door. “Most definitely.”
Giving me one last hard look, Apollo commands, “Buy. Clothes.”
Fuck. Off.
“Good. Bye.”
Following them out, I shut the heavy door and lock it tightly behind them. Coffee is not enough to take the edge off of this awful morning. I need a shot of tequila and a fucking Xanax.
Apollo
“This one?” Yordan asks, watching with wide eyes as I round the blacked out Maserati SUV. “This isn’t the same car as last time.”
“This one,” I confirm, nodding toward the back passenger door. “Get in, we have places to be.”
He doesn’t need to be told twice, a smile lighting up on his face as he strides forward, reaching for the door. Once all three of us are settled, I find him through the mirror, his eyes soaking up every inch of the vehicle’s interior. Black leather seats, bulletproof windows and siding, the works.
“How many cars do you have?” Yordan asks, sounding mystified.
Shifting into gear, I answer, “Four.”
“Apollo isn’t a big car guy,” Elio says, expanding upon my short reply. “Armani, Matteo, and I tend to collect more. The family together has too many to keep track of, honestly.”
Yordan chuckles. “Sounds like a good problem to have.”
“Definitely,” Elio agrees, grinning. “Aside from Apollo pissing off your sister bright and early this morning, how are you settling in?”
“Are you kidding? I settled in the moment Apollo opened the door. It’s the best place we’ve ever lived in. Rayna will warm up soon. I can tell she likes it here, she’s just slow to accept change.”
“You shouldn’t call her stubborn to her face, or talk back to her in front of guests,” I scold, not forgetting his moment of sass from earlier. “She’s your sister, she only wants to protect you.”
“I know that,” Yordan says, cheeks slightly pink. “But she treats me like I’m a child, and if I continue to let her, she’ll never stop.”
“I couldn’t imagine having an older sister,” Elio says sympathetically. “Just the idea of Jade trying to boss me around, even as a teenager, seems impossible.”
I know what he’s doing, trying to get my perspective to shift.
I don’t appreciate it. I’m not reprimanding Yordan because I couldn’t possibly understand his position or because I think he’s a little brat.
I’m doing it because there’s a time and place to argue with your siblings.
Bickering and bantering lightheartedly in front of mixed company, that’s normal.
But Yordan needs to recognize that it’s easy to cross a line when you’re frustrated, and showing your vulnerability in front of strangers is a quick way to find yourself becoming a victim to them.
“Watch what you say in front of others,” I advise, shifting my tone into one of warning.
“Anyone can see that Rayna tends to overstep. She helped raise you, that kind of responsibility isn’t shed easily.
Continue to stand up for yourself, but don’t let anyone ever assume you wouldn’t burn the world to the ground for her.
She’s your sister, and now that you’re a man, you must do everything in your power to keep her safe. ”
“That makes sense,” Yordan says, letting out a breath. “I wouldn’t normally say anything in front of people we don’t know. I guess you guys don’t feel like strangers is all.”
Elio smiles, looking back at him. “Solid point, man. We’re all friends here now, aren’t we?”
I feel both of their gazes on me and grunt, making no further sound of agreement. Elio and Yordan seem to share some kind of silent joy before my brother turns back around, watching traffic through the windshield.
Yordan drums his hands on his knees. “So, where are we going first?”
“Home,” I say, shifting around an impossibly slow Kia and speeding past. “Our father wants to meet you.”
He insists on it, really. I hate when he insists on things.
“The Capo wants to meet me?” Yordan chokes out. “Why? Oh god, why didn’t you tell me? I would have put on a suit.”
Elio chuckles at the worrying teen. “You don’t currently have a suit.”
“I would have figured it out,” Yordan insists. “He’s going to think I didn’t put any effort into meeting him. Don’t you want him to like me? Am I being set up for failure?”
“He won’t care about your clothing,” I tell him dryly. “Did you eat breakfast?”
“No, I didn’t eat breakfast,” Yordan croaks. “Which sucks because that means when I throw up it’s going to be exclusively bile and acid.”
“You won’t throw up,” I huff. “You’ll be fine. We’re going to have coffee and breakfast while he gets to know you.”
He scoffs, shaking his head. “Like I’ll be able to eat while Dante Moretti questions me. He’s going to hate me.”
“No, he won’t.” Giving a tired sigh, I add, “Just don’t look at your phone when he’s speaking to you, and shake his hand when you’re introduced. He isn’t torturing you for information, he’s expecting small talk and a proper meeting, that’s all.”
Elio hums, nodding in agreement. “Dad is easy. You’ll be fine.”
“You only think that because he’s your Dad.” Yordan looks like he might faint. “Why does he want to meet me? I’m literally nobody.”
“Apollo took you in, you’re far from nobody to him,” Elio explains patiently. “He wants to meet Rayna too, but he agreed to wait until she doesn’t want to set his heir on fire. Which means we’ll probably have dinner as a family with her in, what, ten years?”
Yordan gives a startled laugh. “She doesn’t hate him that much.”
I’m not so sure about that.
The last few minutes of the drive consist of Elio assuring Yordan that he’ll be fine. He tells him that after we finish breakfast, we’ll go around to a few different places. Stores, restaurants, training centers…just casual Moretti businesses so he can get a feel for our operations.
He won’t learn enough to induct him into the family or anything, but enough for him to understand how The Outfit works.
When we pull up to the mansion’s main entrance, Yordan freezes.
“Jesus Christ, you all live here?”
“Most of us,” Elio answers. “A couple of us were even born here.”
“Fuck, what’s it like being some of God’s favorites?”
I hold in a laugh. This kid…
Not many people can break my resolve with humor, but he’s so blunt and has zero filter. I wonder if I could even teach him to reign that in—or if I’d even want to. It feels wrong to encourage stifling his personality, but it’s a useful skill to be able to switch into someone cold and ruthless.
As soon as we open the front door, the chaos hits. Loud, babbling baby noises mixed with laughter, a running vacuum, and faint music all blend together in one spectacular bundle of sound.
“Welcome to the mayhem,” Elio jokes, clapping Yordan on the back and encouraging him to step over the threshold.
“Hi! Bye!” Jade rushes out, zooming past us in the entryway toward the living room. She’s carrying a baby bottle in one hand and a chocolate muffin in the other.
She was aware we’d have a guest stopping by today, but didn’t let that affect her typical routine.
Her hair is tumbling out of a messy bun at the top of her head, and her T-shirt is almost large enough to cover her short sleep shorts.
Mornings with the twins can be hectic, but she handles it with energetic ease.
Having so many helping hands around the house makes it a lot easier, I imagine.
“Who’s here?” I hear Matteo call out from the room Jade just darted into. “Is that my muffin?”
“Apollo and friends,” Jade replies, sounding like she’s batting him away. “And fuck off, this one’s mine.”
“Rude.”
“Overwhelmed yet?” Elio asks, stepping further into the empty entryway. Yordan is looking around with a dazed expression, noting the chandelier, the grand staircase, and the marble floors.
“This place doesn’t feel real,” he mutters in disbelief.
“It’s as real as it gets.” Elio chuckles.
“Come,” I cut in, nodding toward the hall. “The kitchen is this way.”