Chapter 21 #2
“Yes. It’s nice to meet you, Mari,” I say, holding my hand out, but she stares at it blankly before swatting it away and pulling me in for a hug.
“I know my brother has the emotional intelligence of a houseplant, but I prefer hugs.”
I let out a surprised laugh as she wraps me in a warm and firm hug. I can’t remember the last time I hugged either one of my brothers, so it feels strange and kind of nice. It helps dissipate the nerves lingering in my stomach, making it easier to breathe.
“I can tell we’re going to get along great,” she adds, pulling back and giving me a once-over that’s much warmer than any look her brother’s ever given me.
“The only thing I find questionable is your interest in my brother. I’m his sister, so I’m obligated to like him, but I know he can be kind of a pill. ”
“Would you believe me if I said he forced me to be here?” I ask, feeling Leo’s grip on me tighten.
Mari lets out a full-bellied laugh, tipping her head back. When she finally comes up for air, she swipes a finger under her eye, catching a tear.
“Oh, I like you,” she says, nodding her head. “I think you’re going to be good for my brother.”
“Careful,” Leo murmurs behind me, his voice low enough for only my ears. “You’re on thin ice.”
I glance up at him. “Maybe it’s my turn to push.”
His eyes darken to that shade that seems engineered only for me.
“As much as I love watching Leo squirm, we should probably move this party to the dining room,” Gio says, sounding a little too entertained.
“Shouldn’t we wait for Michael?” Mari asks, a tense energy shadowing her warmth.
“He’s not coming,” Leo replies, letting his arm sink lower down my backside. “He has to work late tonight.”
Mari doesn’t respond. She just nods and hums silently to herself before taking off after Gio. It’s subtle, but I swear her body stiffens as she walks away.
“Michael comes to your family dinners?”
“Yeah,” Leo says, pinching my hip and guiding me down the path his siblings just took. “He popped in one night to drop something off for me, and my mom made him stay for dinner. Now he’s become a staple. He absolutely hates it, which makes it that much more hilarious."
I press my lips together and force my feet forward. Michael was always quiet and kept to himself when we were kids. I got the sense that he liked it that way, but I guess I never cared enough to ask why.
Muffled whispers fill the room when we enter.
They don’t try to hide it as every pair of eyes lifts in unison. I freeze in place.
“So nice of you to grace us with your presence, Son,” a woman says, gliding around the long dining table.
She’s gorgeous, of course, because apparently that’s a prerequisite in this family. Her long brunette hair falls in soft waves with natural streaks of silver peeking through. The long red dress she’s wearing billows as she walks, the fabric dancing in the low, warm lighting.
And then there’s his dad.
He’s a stone-cold fox with a sharp jawline and salt-n-paper hair who could definitely get it if I was into the whole daddy thing.
“Emilia, this is my mother and father”
I step forward, keeping my hands at my sides so I don’t repeat the mistake I made with Mari. “It’s so nice to meet you, Mr. and Mrs. DeLuca.”
His mother’s lips curve, and there’s something about it that feels genuine in the best way.
“You can call me Cecil. Mrs. DeLuca makes me sound like a grandma, and trust me, I’m nowhere near having grandchildren anytime soon,” she says, side-eying Gio, who’s sitting in the corner sipping on his drink without a care in the world.
I laugh, easing some of the tension that’s been gathering in my chest since Leo dropped this fun little surprise in my lap.
“It’s good to know you’ll laugh at my jokes,” Cecil says, gently nudging my forearm. “I think you’ll fit right in with us.”
“Give it five minutes,” Gio mutters into his almost empty glass.
“At least Leo brought home a girl,” Mari steps in, ready to go to bat for her older brother. “You scare off anything with a pulse.”
“I don’t scare them off,” Gio fires back. “I’m just selective.”
“That’s one way to put it,” Leo adds, chiming in.
More laughter fills the room and everything about it is effortless. No one hesitates or holds back. It’s what a real family dynamic should feel like.
At some point during the chaos, Leo’s dad introduces himself, and we find our seats around the table.
I sit next to Leo and almost yelp when he grabs the leg of my chair and pulls me in close enough to rest his hand on my thigh.
I have to bite down on the inside of my cheek to keep from swatting him away.
But after a while the weight of his hand feels good. It feels grounding.
Gio pours a tall glass of wine and carefully slides it across the table. “You drink?”
“Yes,” I say, eagerly accepting the glass.
“Good. You’re going to need it.”
Mari laughs. Leo doesn’t.
The rest of the night feels like a hazy dream. The dinner is full of fun stories and teasing. It’s a whole other side to him that I’m not sure I want to know.
I prefer the hard-to-stomach version he’s perfected outside of this loving family bubble. That side is easier to push away.
He looks so relaxed here, and it has me thinking that I could like this version of him. I could even see myself coming to more of these family dinners.
And that’s when I reach for my water and try to sober up because this isn’t real. I’m only here because Leo is forcing me to be.
“What do you do for work, Mia?” Frank asks, wiping his mouth with a napkin and setting it back down on the table.
“I’m a homicide detective,” I answer, not putting much thought into it. “Leo and I met at a fundraiser for the NYPD.”
Gio chuckles, lowering his gaze. Mari shoots him a dirty look before he lets out a yelp after some indiscreet shuffling under the table. “You’re such a dick.”
“Language,” Cecil snaps, narrowing her gaze before turning back to me with a warm smile. “That’s amazing, Mia. Frank was a public defender early in his career, so he has some experience with that line of work.”
I crinkle my brow, still quietly observing the weird shift that’s happened in the room. Leo senses my confusion, so he squeezes my leg and encourages me to answer his mom.
“Oh, really?” I say, refocusing on Mr. DeLuca. “So, you probably understand the joys of working with the public?” I ask sarcastically, leaning toward a lighter topic.
He smiles, nodding his head slowly. “It wasn’t always easy, but it was meaningful. You learn a lot about people and what they’re capable of when they’re desperate.”
Leo shifts in his chair, but he doesn’t move his hand.
“Very true,” I say, lifting my glass to hide my assessing glare around the table. They all know something I don’t, and I hate that feeling.
“And what about your family?” Cecil asks, desperately trying to change the subject. “Are you close with them?”
I try to ignore the stinging sensation behind my eyes. It’s been there for years, but every once in a while, it becomes harder to ignore. “It’s just me, mostly.”
Sympathy flickers on Cecil’s face, and her eyes even land on Leo for a millisecond. “Well, you’re welcome here anytime.”
Her words penetrate deep, sinking in where they don’t belong. Because after tonight, that statement won’t hold any weight.
When this is over, we’re done.
“I appreciate that,” I say, swallowing my emotions like an expert.
The light conversation from earlier resumes, but Leo doesn’t lean into it like before.
“Who’s ready for dessert?” Cecil asks, rising from the table. “Frank, help me grab some things from the kitchen.”
As soon as their parents leave, Gio turns toward me with a devious look. He leans back in his chair and drapes his arm over the back of Mari’s seat, much to her displeasure.
“I’m impressed, Leo.”
Leo doesn’t move. All he says is, “Don’t.”
“What?” Gio shrugs innocently. “I was going to compliment you. You finally bring a woman home, and she’s smart, funny, and hasn’t run for the hills yet. It makes me think that she doesn’t know what she’s getting herself into.”
Mari bows her head and is quiet for the first time all night.
Leo’s hand tightens on my thigh. So tight that his nails puncture the skin under my dress. I suck in a sharp breath. “We’re not doing this here.”
I glance between them, more questions piling up in my head as Gio ignores his brother and leans forward. “Mia, you seem like you’ve got a good head on your shoulders. If you want to keep it that way, I suggest you walk away.”
I open my mouth to respond—having no clue what to say. The thing is I know exactly what I’m getting myself into, but now I’m under the impression that Gio and maybe even Mari are clued in too.
Now, the idea of using Leo’s family against him doesn’t sound like it will work.
Before I can muster up a half-ass response, my phone vibrates, and when I see the caller I.D. I use it as an out. “I’ve got to take this. It’s work.”
I stare at Leo’s hand waiting for him to remove it, but he keeps it there like he’s debating whether or not to let me go.
“Don’t take too long,” he murmurs, taking his hands off me for the first time all night.
I force a fake smile, avoiding Gio and Mari as I accept the call and step into the hallway. “Please tell me you found something.”