Page 41 of Mafia King's Secret Baby

CATERINA

I can’t decideif it is kindness or torture to be on the plane with Elio and his soldiers.

I’m glad that I’ll be there to find Luna. When we find her. Emphasis on when, because I can’t bring myself to consider any other option. I’m just happy she will be in my arms once more.

After some negotiation, and a lot of yelling, Gia successfully advocated for me to come. She pointed out that she didn’t want her niece to be traumatized by a bunch of dudes with guns finding her, if that is the case, and pointed out that Luna should have her mother there. So she could see someone she trusted.

The words had hit Elio hard. The lines of his face had shifted, becoming brittle and hard, and something unspoken had passed between the two of them, but he agreed.

Strangely, I’m actually fairly grateful for Gia’s intervention. Her presence has been… supportive.

Kind of like I had always imagined it would be to have a big sister.

Having brothers is one thing. They were great, of course. They are great. I wouldn’t trade my brothers for anything in the world, even Marco, who can be a royal pain my ass.

But I always wanted a sister.

“Here,” Gia says about halfway through the flight. “Eat.”

I blink and look down at the plate she’s handed me. There’s a classic airline chicken breast that looks like it’s been artfully roasted, a small amount of mashed potatoes, and a side of green beans. I glance up at Gia, who is digging into steak with similar sides.

She grins and gulps down her bite. “Something wrong? I remembered you don’t eat red meat so I thought the chicken would be best.”

She’s right.

I don’t.

But that’s relatively new. I ate red meat as much as the next Italian-American child growing up. After I got pregnant with Luna, I couldn’t stomach it for some reason, and the aversion never went away.

“How did you know that?” I said cautiously.

She snorts. “You refused every red meat dish sent to you at the house in Naples.”

Naples.

The mansion had been in Florida after all. I’m quite sure it wasn’t Naples in Italy, otherwise this would be a significantly longer flight.

Gia arches an eyebrow at me, and I realize two things.

One, she’s waiting for a response.

Two, I think she dropped that little hint on purpose. She’s letting me know that she pays attention to me, and that she’s willing to offer some olive branches.

I look at her for a minute longer.

Could be that she’s offering an olive branch.

Could also be that she’s making a threat.

Based on the way she’s inelegantly sawing at her steak though, I think it’s an olive branch. She’s not worried if I registered the threat.

She’s waiting for me to take the branch.

“Luna. When I was pregnant with her, I stopped being able to eat meat,” I offer tentatively.

“All meat?”

“Everything that once had eyes and a brain, yep.”

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