Chapter 17
Chapter Seventeen
Leon
Part of me expects Linus to reach out to me personally after Katya leaves, to hear his dark voice threatening me over the phone or grilling me about my intentions with his stepdaughter. But the phone call never comes.
He communicates with my father about our match, and accepts the contract from me via email without any further need to speak with me himself.
I know that our families have a long-standing history of cooperation, with no bad blood ever brewing between us, but I know if I had a daughter, I would need to speak to the man who thinks he can marry her before giving my blessing. And maybe that’s just it.
Katya isn’t his daughter, not by blood, and not in practice.
He’s a parental figure for her, yes. After losing her biological father young, Linus came into her life and fell madly in love with her mother.
But the disconnect is there, and I don’t know if Katya would appreciate him acting on behalf of her father who isn’t here to size me up himself.
Or hell, maybe Linus wouldn’t even mind overstepping if he felt like he needed to.
He might simply just trust my father enough to feel safe handing his stepdaughter over to us.
It isn’t like she won’t be able to see her family again as it is.
This won’t be a marriage that changes her allegiance, really.
There’s no war going on and she’s not a peace treaty match.
She’s a woman who’s marrying into a new mafia, but not being stolen away from her past life.
Her mother and sister will be free to visit here whenever she likes, and if it’s feasible, I can take her back down to see them in return too.
It’s odd thinking about having a wife who actually wants to see her family.
Bastian and Leo will have another set of grandparents, if this all goes well.
They’ve never really had a grandmother, and I think they would like that.
They love their papa so much, and love being spoiled by the people in their lives.
I didn’t even consider what being remarried would mean for the boys’ extended family at first, only what it meant for them to have two parents at home.
Having a grandma and grandpa…having a little cousin in Katya’s sister Gaia, it should be good for them.
The Morettis have always been a large family, and we’ve never shied away from adding to our numbers.
The morning after I’ve sent my provisional contract over to the Gabris family, I’m getting breakfast ready for the boys.
Rayna is helping them pick out their clothes for the day while Apollo feeds Vaughn a bottle and I finish plating up eggs and toast. I’m rinsing off a bowl of fresh berries for the side when my phone buzzes in my pocket with an incoming message.
I look around to make sure my sons aren’t running into the kitchen yet and pull it out.
To my surprise, it’s a new contact that pops up. One that’s just been entered into my device less than twenty-four hours ago, and hasn’t even been given a picture yet.
Katya
My little sister is demanding that I tell you she wants to be a flower girl. I’ve told her about a thousand times that we haven’t started wedding planning yet, but she wants to make her wishes known.
Katya
Also, good morning :)
I chuckle at her delayed greeting, shaking my head as I imagine a little girl forcing her to text me.
A little pang hits me in the chest when I think about how that could have been me and Jade, if I got to see her grow up.
Missing out on so much of my sister’s life is not something I think I’ll ever fully get over, but I try not to dwell on it too often.
There’s nothing I can do to change the fact that she was kept from us, as sad as it is.
Drafting a quick response, I text her in return.
Leon
You’re welcome to have whoever you want as a flower girl. We can talk wedding details later on today if you’d like though? If everything is okay with the contract?
Thinking that I can hear little feet coming down the stairs, I add in another message.
Leon
If I don’t respond for a bit, it’s because the boys are about to eat breakfast.
“Daddy!” Leo yells, rushing into the room so fast that his little sneakers smack against the tile floor.
My son stops dead in his tracks right in front of me and grins wide.
“Look at my shirt!” He lifts the blue fabric up and away from his body to push it closer to me as if to display it more clearly. “Aunt Rain-uh buy for me.”
“I can see that,” I tell him with a chuckle. The little sky-blue T-shirt is covered in cartoon kittens, and Leo is absolutely thrilled with the design. He points at four or five different cats, naming them as their colors before Bastian and Rayna can even catch up with him.
“I see the shirt came in a pack of two,” I say, finding Bastian in a matching outfit.
Jeans, socks, sneakers, and all. My boys may have different biological parents, and have different hair colors, but they look just like brothers, especially when they’re matching. “Do you like your shirt too, Bastian?”
“Yes,” he agrees with a yawn to follow. He’s clinging to Rayna’s side, holding her hand and letting his head lay on the side of her thigh.
He’s always been such a sweet, tired boy in the mornings.
He needs much more time to find his energy than Leo does.
It makes the morning more balanced, at least.
“Cats are the best, aren’t they?” Rayna grins happily. She shoots me a wink and I glower, knowing what she’s doing. She wants me to get the boys a pet, as if I don’t have enough going on around here.
“I like puppies too,” Bastian answers softly.
“Yes,” Leo agrees with a nod. “Puppies and chickens and llamas, and dinos, and—”
“Ooookayyy,” I interrupt so that he’ll breathe. He does just that, catching his breath as Rayna quietly giggles at his enthusiasm. “Who’s hungry?”
Of course, they both are.
Despite being sleepy, Bastian eats all of his food while Leo munches on more berries than anything else, ending up with blueberry-stained fingers. When they’re done, they both want to go with Rayna to put Vaughn down for his nap, and they promise to be extra quiet so that she’ll say yes.
Apollo shoves me out of my own kitchen, claiming it’s his day to clean up, even though every day since he’s arrived has been his day. But I can’t argue with my brother, not just because he’s older than me, and more stubborn, but because I have text messages to answer.
Katya
She’s very excited now, LOL.
Katya
Ummm, and yeah, I think everything with the contract is fine. Linus is talking to your father today, but I don’t think we have any changes.
Katya
Is there anything you’d want for the wedding?
Katya
Sorry for texting three times back to back. Well, four now. I do that sometimes, reply whenever you’re free though. I’m glad the boys get to spend breakfast time with you :)
My lips quirk and I chuckle to myself. I’ve met her in person, and have seen her personality firsthand.
So why am I looking at her texts and thinking that she’s…
cute? The smiley faces and the quick replies, probably.
I wasn’t lying when I told her that she was attractive, of course.
If I was going to pick a woman out of a crowd to call beautiful, she’s someone I would gravitate towards.
Her hair is bright blonde, but long and healthy and maybe even her natural color.
Her smile is radiant with her soft pink lips and white teeth.
And her eyes are little pools of the sky that pull you in.
Her features are all nice to look at, and her skin looks soft to the touch.
So yes, she’s lovely, but I didn’t pick her out because of her looks.
And yet, while I text her my reply, all I can do is look at her blank photo and wish her face was in it.
Leon
Matteo texts the same way but a million times more chaotically.
Trust me, you’re fine. I’m glad to hear the contract terms are acceptable.
I don’t have any wants for the wedding other than Leo and Bastian being included if they want to be.
They can be ring bearers or stand by me as my best men if they’re up for it.
Leon
There’s a possibility they’d rather be in the audience with my family though. Bastian is shy around new people, and even though Leo is outgoing, he likes to be with Bastian to make him feel more comfortable.
Katya must have her phone handy because it doesn’t take her long to reply, despite me taking almost a half hour to get back to her.
Katya
That’s great, I would love to have them be a part of the day in any way. I was thinking of keeping my family’s side small anyway, so hopefully there aren’t too many new people around to make little Bastian nervous. He’s so sweet and I’d like him to be as comfortable as possible.
Even though the words are written, I can feel the sincerity in them.
Katya
How soon do you think this will be happening? I know we aren’t in a huge rush or anything, but I remember you said you wanted to have help with the kids as soon as possible.
My eyes scan the message twice and I don’t give myself much time to think about it. I want her here soon. No, I need her here soon.
Leon
Honestly? As soon as you think you can handle. Rayna and Apollo are a lot of help, but they have their own lives to get back to (even if they’d deny it). And I want the boys to have their home to themselves again eventually.
Until we add to it, a voice in the back of my head chimes.
The thought stirs something in me, and I remember that Katya wants children. Of course, I hadn’t forgotten such an important fact, but with everything going on, it hasn’t been at the forefront of my mind.
I love being a dad, and the idea of a new baby, of giving Bastian and Leo another sibling, makes me feel warm inside.
A girl this time, perhaps. Well, not if my father’s genes have anything to do with it.
But Katya’s mother has only had girls, so perhaps there’s some possibility for the two of us to have a daughter as well.
I’d be just as pleased with another son, of course.
But I think my boys would absolutely lose their little minds if they had a sister to dote on.
The image of a little blonde toddler, wearing a blue sundress and pigtails, running after her big brothers plays in the back of my mind and my heart nearly stops.
Katya
I don’t mind getting started as soon as feasible. I think I would get anxious with anticipation the longer we draw out the wait.
Katya
Not like cold feet or anything…just impatient and anticipatory if that makes any sense?
I should probably warn you that impatience at silly things is one of my worst flaws.
I’m patient with children and most people, of course.
But as soon as I have to wait for news or a package being delivered? I’m moody.
I can’t help but snort at her warning.
Leon
If impatience is your worst flaw, we’re going to be perfectly fine, Katya.
I can be moody as well, we’ll just have to learn to interact with each other’s moods as we go.
But I’m glad to hear that you’re eager to get married soon.
We can hammer out the details and plan a date tonight if you’re free?
We could call so that it’s easier to talk.
Katya
Okay, I’m on board for that :)
Katya
What time do the boys go to bed?
I smile, grateful that she understands why I asked for tonight rather than right now.
Sure, I could drop everything and leave Bastian and Leo under Rayna and Apollo’s care, but I try to spend as much time with them as I possibly can.
Especially now while my Underboss duties have been lessened slightly.
My brother Elio has been around, making sure everything runs smoothly, and with Apollo in my territory, no one has dared act up enough to force me to get involved.
When Cleo was alive, I needed to work a lot more.
Until she was actively dying and couldn’t take care of the boys, I would work as much as I could from home while she was sick.
But calling Elio in for a while has helped.
He didn’t know exactly why I needed help with my position, but he didn’t need to ask questions to agree to help me.
If I had asked Cassio, he would know something was up with me, and he would definitely ask questions.
I still haven’t had a sit-down conversation with Cassio since Cleo died, and that’s mostly on me.
My brother lost a wife and a baby years ago, and he was devastated for every single day since, until he agreed to marry Ana Knight—our little sister’s best friend—to keep her safe after her family was attacked.
He fell in love all over again, maybe even harder this time, but that doesn’t mean he wasn’t crushed with grief before her.
He was a wreck, and I was his rock. But I can’t ask him to be mine in return now that my wife is gone too.
Because Cassio was in love, and I was in emotional purgatory with Cleo.
Our losses are nothing alike, and I wouldn’t even know how to start talking to him about it.
Logically, I know he would understand that our situations are different.
And still, I can’t make my brain work past it.
For now, having Apollo and Rayna close by is enough.
And besides, there’s always our father. Dad would listen to any of us talk about whatever we need, whenever we need.
He doesn’t judge us, and he certainly understands the complications of men going through grief.
If I need to talk to anyone, it’ll probably be him.
Or maybe, it’ll be her.
Leon
Does 8:00 p.m. work for you?