Page 26 of Savage Book Boyfriend

Genesis was next to me, her hand resting comfortably on mine, while Mia sat between Martina and Yolanda, giggling at something they said. It was strange, feeling like part of something bigger, like I was stepping into a role I didn’t know how to play yet. But it was happening.

Beni passed me a drink, his sharp eyes studying me like he was still trying to figure out what to make of me. "You’re fitting in pretty well," he said with a smirk.

I shrugged, taking a sip. "Guess I don’t have much of a choice, do I?"

He laughed, but there was something serious behind his expression. "You’re family now. Blood or not, that means something to us."

I nodded, but the words sat heavy on my chest. Family meant loyalty, and loyalty meant...well, being part of this world, a world I’d kept my distance from. Genesis and Mia had changed everything, and now I had to figure out how to live in both worlds without losing myself in either.

After dinner, I found myself outside with Tammaro and Massimo. Tammaro lit a joint, exhaling slowly. "You sure about all this?"

I glanced at him, wondering how to answer. "Seems like it."

Massimo shrugged. "We’re all in it, one way or another. Just make sure you know where you stand. This life...it’ll take more from you than you think."

I looked back at the house where Genesis and Mia were laughing with the rest of the family. "I know where I stand. With them."

Tammaro smirked but said nothing, just puffed on his joint and watched as the night deepened. Massimo leaned on the wall and watched the moon, not saying a thing. Neither of us needed to. We still had a long way to go to earn each other’s trust. However, we’d be right here working at it everyday. Nobody seemed to have any hard feelings and that was more than enough for me.

I looked over at Tammaro and he seemed content in his way of things. Yolanda and him had a daughter and she was pregnant. I wondered about their story, but I was more interested in Massimo and the pain that always seemed to haunt his eyes. Who was he? Out of all of my siblings, he seemed the most standoffish. He was the one I wanted to know the most.

With Chant gone, things should’ve felt safer, but the world didn’t work like that. I could feel the tension in the air, the way the DeLuca family was always on edge, waiting for the next threat. We’d taken out Chant, but that didn’t mean there wouldn’t be others.

Beni and I were in the kitchen, going over some security plans for the house. "Chant had guys," Beni said, scrolling through his phone. "He wasn’t working alone."

"I figured as much," I muttered, leaning against the counter. "What are we looking at?"

Beni shrugged. "Small-time. But desperate men do stupid things."

"Desperate men are the most dangerous." I clenched my jaw, thinking about Genesis and Mia, how much I needed to protect them.

"We’ll handle it," Beni said, giving me a hard look. "You’ve got enough on your plate."

I appreciated the offer, but this wasn’t something I could delegate. "This is my fight too."

He raised an eyebrow. "You sure you’re ready for that?"

I met his gaze, unflinching. "I’m not losing them. Not after everything."

Beni nodded, understanding passing between us without words. The war wasn’t over yet, but I wasn’t backing down. Not for anything.

GENESIS

The shadow Chant casted lingered. I felt it in the small things—the way I checked over my shoulder when I left the house, the way I held Mia a little tighter at night. His violence had left a mark, a bruise that wouldn’t easily fade.

But Dante was there, always steady, always fierce. I’d never seen a man fight for me the way he did. It wasn’t just physical—it was emotional, too. He was there in the small moments, making sure I was okay, even when I tried to pretend everything was fine.

One evening, as I sat on the couch, lost in thought, I heard the front door open. Dante stepped in, and immediately I felt the shift in the air. He didn’t say anything at first, just came over and sat beside me, pulling me into his arms.

"You’re thinking about him," he said softly, not a question, just a statement.

I nodded, burying my face in his chest. "It’s stupid, I know. He’s dead, and we’re safe."

"It’s not stupid." His hand moved gently through my hair. "He did a lot of damage. You don’t just forget that overnight."

I sighed, letting the tension melt away in his embrace. "I hate that he still has this hold on me."

"He doesn’t," Dante said firmly, pulling back to look me in the eyes. "You’re stronger than he ever was. And I’m here. Always."

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