Page 50 of Vito

"I don't want to impose, Massimo. This is your family's time."

I'm jealous that her attention is on him.

All I want to do is take her somewhere private and quiet. I don't care if I can't touch her. The only thing I want is her eyes and attention onme.

Holy shit. The alcohol was most definitely a very bad idea.

I clench my fists, then open them, working to keep my face in a neutral, unreadable mask while being so close to Eden.

"Any threat to Gilly's is a threat to the Chamber and my family, and dealing with that is not imposing," Massimo says. "I appreciate your sentiment, though, Ed."

She glances at me. I double-check that I'm not standing too close to her because Massimo is right; Dom, Lixin, Amazu, and Ash are all still here.

If they weren't… My family and our closest people can be trusted…

Fuck, I mentally kick myself. Massimo will flay my balls if he finds out about my obsession with Eden, not to mention my fraying control.

Mamma's voice sounds behind us, "Figli miei, chi è costui?" My sons, who is this?

I fight my smile at my mother's antics. As she often does with new people around her sons, she'll test Eden to gauge her reaction by refusing to speak in English. Creed and Sophie are with her. Massimo and I walk Eden farther into the house to meet them.

"Mamma,questo è Eden," I reply, ignoring Massimo's look when I call her that instead of Ed. Then I say to Eden, "This is mymamma, Gina Santoro." Creed smirks at me; he knows the gameMammais playing. "This is my baby brother Creed, and Triple S, also known as Sophie."

"Triple S?" Eden asks with a smile.

Sophie rolls her eyes. "Sweet Spanish Sophie."

Eden nods, assessing her. "I can certainly see the sweet."

"Mio figlio non scherza mai ma l'ha chiamata."Mammalooks at me, then at Eden.

"My son rarely jokes, but he named her," I translate.

Eden eyes me critically. "Vito pulls a few surprises now and then."

Mammacontinues to talk to her, and I translate. Eden responds without hesitation or reservation about conversing with her this way, and warmth spreads through me.

Massimo's eyes snap between Eden and me as I translate back and forth. I can sense his trepidation, but I don't care.

Then Eden claspsMamma's hand. "I'm so sorry about Tommaso. I didn't know him long; however, he was a man I instantly respected."

She quickly looks down, averting her gaze before she pulls something out from under her shirt.

My breath catches at the same time asMammagasps loudly at seeing the bullet on the strap of leather thatBabboalways kept in his pocket. We had wondered where it went.

"He gifted this to me shortly after I arrived." Eden looks like she's swallowing back her emotion. "He explained what it was and why he gave it to me."

"I can't believe he gave that to you." Massimo is as shocked as Creed and I are.

Mamma's eyes well with tears, and she puts her hand over her heart. "Tommaso ha sempre avuto una buona lettura del carattere."

"Tommaso always had a good read of character," I translate for Eden. At this point, though, I don't thinkMammarealized she spoke in Italian.

Rare emotion feathers across Eden's gorgeous face, and she swallows hard. Reaching into the pocket of her peacoat, she pulls out a cube that looks like intricate pieces of wood fitting together and interlocking to make a perfect cube. The finish is smooth and pristine.

I've seen similar handiwork in Eden's office. A wall section has been replaced with interlocking, smooth, wood pieces. Bothpieces are handcrafted and exhibit talent and care in their making.

Eden swallows hard again, her hazel eyes glistening. "My brother made this. This is the only other piece I could find besides the section he inlaid into the wall of his office. I want to gift it to you in honor of Tommaso." She holds it out toMamma.

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