Chapter 17
BELLA CONNER
“I’m not sure what made you think this was a good idea, so I’d like to lodge a formal complaint.”
I snuggled closer to Matteo, still breathless from the two mind-blowing orgasms I’d just experienced, and kissed his chest before I said, “It’s bad luck for us to see each other before the wedding.”
“You know I hate sleeping alone now.”
“You could have a sleepover with the guys!”
Matteo frowned before he said, “Not gonna happen, babe. I’ll just stay here in the hotel - by myself, lonely, sad, and full of heartache.”
“You’re so full of shit. You’re gonna end up going with Stamp to the clubhouse, drinking too many beers, and probably not even missing me at all.”
“And you’re going to do what? Have a slumber party and pillow fight in your underwear?”
“Why do guys think that’s a thing? I have never once had a pillow fight during a sleepover, and we never just hang out in our underwear.”
“Don’t ruin the fantasy for us, Bella.”
“I can’t believe I’m about to say this, and I really can’t believe I feel it with my whole body, but I’m homesick.”
“Makes sense.”
“But Rojo has always been my home.”
“You can have two. One with me in New York, and another that’s a comfortable place you can visit whenever you want.”
“I know. It’s not like I can’t fly down whenever I have a few days off. That’s what I’ve been doing since we got together.”
“And any of those crazy women knows that they’re welcome at our place any time they get the urge to visit.”
“You said that with a straight face.”
“Because I mean it.”
“Even though they occasionally show up and wreak havoc on our lives?”
“I’d expect nothing less. My guess is that their men feel the same way when you appear in town and upend their lives too.”
“I think my parents are okay.”
“They’d rather have you here, I’m sure, but they seem to have adjusted to your living in New York.”
“When we have kids, I want them to spend as much time here as possible.”
“As crazy as your friends' kids are, that scares the hell out of me, but I understand it too. There’s a freedom here that our kids won’t have in New York.”
“I almost regret giving the photographer access to life here, you know?”
“Why?”
“I don’t want them to ruin everything.”
“The press can’t penetrate the protective bubble over Rojo, babe.
They’ll ooh and ahh over the pictures, people will write stories, and some might even come here to get a scoop.
But knowing your friends and family, they’re gonna leave empty-handed, probably with some bruises and broken bones if they even try. ”
I laughed before I asked, “Can you imagine what would happen if some reporter started creeping around The Castle?”
“I’d make sure to send his family a large bouquet to display at his funeral.”
“I’ve had so much fun the last few weeks,” I admitted. “I know it’s been hard on all of you to take care of everything from here. I want you to know how much I appreciate it.”
“The guys know how much you do, and they’ve had a lot of fun here with us.
It will be a wild vacation the kids will talk about for years to come.
Hell, Ziggy is still recovering from being shot by the sweet little princess and then taken for the ride of his life at the track. I’m not sure he’ll ever be the same.”
“Rico’s boys have had fun too.”
“Too much fun. They’re already after him to find a track, buy them some dirt bikes, and start a paintball league.”
“I’m glad that Cento, Tonio, and their families made it in today. The wedding wouldn’t be the same without all of the Four Families represented.”
“It had to be last minute because they were taking care of everything at home we couldn’t handle from here,” Matteo reminded me. “Once we get back, they’re going to take their families on a vacation so they have some time to recover from missing us so much while we were gone.”
“Carlo and your mom have had fun too. Did you know they’re planning to bring the kids down next summer? I already told them they can stay at my house when they visit.”
“Dad mentioned something about that and asked if we’d like to come too.
I told him we’d have to see what was going on, but it was likely we’d be able to make the time to visit, at least for a few days.
Luca and Tabby said they would probably go down to Tenillo around the same time, but they’d come back for a day or two before they go home. ”
“I’m glad Mom and Marla have become friends.”
“It’s crazy that they’ve lived such different lives but still have so much in common.”
“It must be a mom thing,” I suggested.
“Speaking of mom things, what’s the status of your elevation to that position?”
“I’m still considering it.”
Matteo pulled me over his body so that I was draped on top of him and smiled before he said, “Good. I think we’ve got enough time to practice before you have to go.”
“You act like you’re gonna miss me or something, big guy.”
“Twang, every minute I’m away from you is a minute too long.”
◆◆◆
I pulled up in front of Lark’s house and parked my bike behind Rain’s, happy to see that most of the other women had brought their own motorcycles.
I wasn’t sure if we’d end up riding tonight, especially since Lark and Cydney were both pregnant and wouldn’t be able to join us, but I thought it would be a good idea to bring my motorcycle just in case.
One of the things I missed most about living in Rojo was the freedom to go where I wanted using whatever mode of transportation I chose. Now that I was with Matteo, that could never happen again, even when I was here to visit.
That fact was reiterated when the rented SUV shut off and Alazei got out of the driver's side while Tabby hopped down from the passenger seat.
Soon, Bex, Stan, and Brett were out and walking to the back of the SUV.
Each of them pulled out a bag, and I smiled when I realized that they had decided to stay overnight after all.
I heard another door slam out on the street and glanced over to find two more SUVs parked there, meaning that Cento and a few other guards were making plans to position themselves around the property while their charges were inside.
“Y’all decided to stay the night?” I asked as I pulled my backpack out of my saddlebag.
“Why not?” Bex asked. “I can’t remember the last time I had a sleepover.”
“I’ve never been to a slumber party,” Tabby admitted.
Brett rolled her eyes as she said, “Zach asked me to film the pillow fight we’re going to have in our underwear.”
I laughed before I told her, “Matteo mentioned that too. I wonder what started that lie?”
“It’s a male fantasy perpetuated by the media. Movies, television, and porn are the only places that happen,” Bex scoffed. “I have never hung out in my underwear discussing my crush with anyone other than my diary.”
“Same,” I assured her.
“So, what are we going to do?” Tabby asked.
Alazei laughed before she said, “My guess is drink a lot of wine, talk a lot of shit, and plot some nefarious things.”
“Possibly,” I agreed with a grin.
My guard hefted her backpack up higher on her shoulder and said, “I’m down. Let’s do this.”
I led the women into Lark’s, walking straight inside without bothering to knock. I was happy to see that the women in my wedding party were already there and waiting for me, along with a few of our other close friends.
“It’s about damn time you showed up!” Lark chided as she pulled the cork out of a wine bottle and started pouring glasses for us. “Squid and I are bartending tonight, and I fully intend to have all of you drink the backstock of wine I’ve got that Bax insists is trash.”
“Well, thanks for letting us know we’re worthy of your garbage,” I retorted as I tossed my backpack onto the couch and waited for the others to put their bags down before I walked over and sat down between Rain and Cydney at the bar. “Everybody knows Bex, Brett, and Tabby, right?”
Stan, who was standing on the other side of the bar beside Lark, stuck her hand out toward Bex, who happened to be her stepmother, and said, “I don’t believe we’ve met.”
“I’ve heard so many good things about you!” Bex said, playing along as she shook Constance’s hand.
“Smartasses,” I muttered as I picked up the glass of wine Lark slid my way.
I took a sip and smiled when Rain lifted her bottle of water and said, “Let’s get this party started, ladies! To Bella! She bagged a mafioso and is about to have her own Italian stallion!”
“To Bella!”
◆◆◆
MATTEO RUSSO
“Who is watching the kids?” I asked Zach when I opened the door and stepped out into the hall.
“Mom’s got the twins, and Coco is with Ember and your parents.”
“Where’s Luca?”
“He’s already downstairs,” Zach explained as the elevator doors opened. Salvatore walked into the car and then nodded at us, so we joined him before Rocco and Jersey stepped into the elevator to ride down with us. “How are you feeling?”
“Like I need a vacation.”
Zach and the other guys started laughing, but I didn’t even smile.
I was ready for everything to calm down.
The only thing holding me together is knowing that the end is in sight.
With the wedding tomorrow and the reception afterward, I know we’ll be back home soon, where I can take a breath without umpteen people around waiting for me to get ready for the next event, dinner, or party.
I wasn’t complaining that so many people loved Bella - I loved her more than life itself, so I knew she was deserving of all the attention she was getting. However, I just wanted some peace and quiet and a full night’s rest, which I wasn’t going to get tonight because I couldn’t sleep without her.
“I have to admit I’ve had more fun than I thought we would. When you guys were talking about us coming down to stay for almost two weeks, I thought I’d be bored in the hotel the majority of the time. That has definitely not been the case.”
“And we haven’t even had to do as many activities as Matteo has,” Salvatore added.