Page 122 of Married With Malice

“Hello, Monte,” I say.

He waves. “Anni.”

We didn’t start out on the best terms. Frankly, I thought Monte and his brother Nico were a pair of blithering jackasses destined to blend in with the rest of the mafia muscle.

But they’re Luca’s good friends and they are important to him. Since we returned from Colorado I’ve made more of an effort to get to know them. We’ve even gone to dinner a few times.

Monte, the eldest, is rough around the edges but also funny and irreverent. Nico is two years younger. More quiet and serious than his brother.

“I’m in the room too in case anyone decides to notice,” says Sabrina.

Monte snorts. “You’re tough to miss. What look are you going for, eccentric bag lady at Disneyland?”

Under her pink cardigan, Sabrina wears a tight black and white top that says GEEK and a flared skirt covered with Pac-Man graphics. A headband with grey cat ears sticking up holds her hair out of her face.

“You should talk,” Sabrina snaps. “Which borough did you go dumpster diving in to find that moldy leather jacket?”

“How are you doing, Sabrina?” Luca asks to break the tension.

“Fantastic. I love Valentine’s Day. I get to be terminally single in a world full of euphoric couples.”

She hops off her chair and manages to knock her purse to the floor, spilling the contents. Makeup, candy bars and feminine hygiene products scatter everywhere.

Monte rolls his eyes and hunkers down to help her pick it all up.

Luca hands me the roses. “These will need some water. Sorry I didn’t have time to make you paper ones.”

“They’re beautiful.” I sniff the flowers and smile. “You spoil me.”

He grins. “My new favorite hobby.”

I set the flowers down on the counter and hook my arms around his shoulders. No matter how often I’m close to him it never stops being a thrill. He locks his hands around my waist and rocks me back and forth.

“Did you pack?” he says. “I won’t be late. We’ll leave for the city as soon as I get home.”

“I didn’t pack yet. I had lessons at the rink scheduled all morning, then I picked up Sabrina. We could start our Valentine’s Day celebration right now if you blow off your meeting.”

His brows pinch. “I wish I could, honey.”

The ‘meeting’ is the semi-annual gathering of Amato associates at Richie’s favorite restaurant.

Luca’s been walking a tightrope ever since we returned. On the surface, he does everything right to ease his uncle’s suspicions. And then together we brainstorm ways to escape from this mafia web.

We can’t leave the country. That would put everyone else at risk. And they’d track us down anyway.

There’s no easy answer but we’ll find it.

“You do what you’ve got to do,” I tell him. “I’ll be here waiting and we’ll have an incredible night.”

“What’s this?” Monte asks from the floor, where he’s been collecting Sabrina’s purse debris. He holds up a mini pad in a pink wrapper.

Sabrina snatches the pad. “It’s an elaborately wrapped tissue, you caveman.”

“Sabrina,” I say, “can you do me a favor and find a vase for these flowers? There might be one in the hall closet.”

She stands and smooths out her skirt. “Sure, but if you want me to leave the room so your husband can touch your tits then just say so.”

“I want you to leave the room so my husband can touch my tits.”

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