Page 21 of Dance of Ruin

Fuck.

Just like that, I’m right back where I was at the Black Court the other night…my entire thought process consumed bythat fucking girl.

But before I descend too far, the other door to the room bangs open, and the man himself strides out, a bottle of wine from the infamous Barone cellars in the basement in each of his hands.

“There he is!” Vito grins widely, putting the bottles down on a side table and striding over to me. I hug him fiercely, clapping him on the back before I pull away.

“sixty-three, huh?”

“Who'da thought I’d make it this far, huh?” he chuckles.

“I’ve got you down for a hundred and nine, myself,” I shrug. “You’d better get going on a good calisthenics routine if I’m going to get paid.”

Dad roars with laugher and hugs me again before he turns to everyone else. “So, everybody hungry?”

For dad’s cooking? I literally never thought I’d say this when he first took it up as a hobby a year or so ago, butalways.

When he first started—ohhh, it was bad. Actually, bad would have been a sizable improvement. Dad’s first forays into being Emeril Lagasse resulted in food so bad you were legitimately at risk of expiring face-down in yourCacio y Pepe.

Mercifully, Bianca’s husband Kratos—who can cook like amotherfucker—took him under his wing and gave him some serious pointers.

As if on cue, the front door bangs open.

“Sorry we’re late!” Bianca yells as she stampedes into the room like the little ball of energy that she is.

“Princess!” Dad crows, meeting her halfway across the room and flinging his arms around—hands down, no question, and I'm totally cool with it—his favorite kid.

“Happy birthday, Dad,” she grins, squeezing him tightly.

Behind her, Kratos ducks his head slightly to avoid hitting it as he steps into the room, his massive frame filling the doorway. Dad pulls away from our sister to beam at his son-in-law, pulling him into a tight hug and giving him a firm clap on the back.

“Happy birthday, Vito,” Kratos rumbles with a big grin.

Dad steps back, rubbing his hands together gleefully. “Okay, we’re all here. Let’seat.”

* * *

Three full coursesand cake later, I’m fuckingstuffed. But that doesn’t stop me from grinning, laughing, and getting to my feet to clap when Vito incredulously opens the card from Dante and Tempest, saying they're giving him the house he’s been living in for the last few months.

He keeps saying “It’s too fuckin’ much! It’stoo fuckin’much!” over and over again as he hugs them both tightly.

Great,that’sthe act Carmine and I have to follow. At least we didn’t show up with dinner coupons like Bianca probably did.

I glance at my brother and he nods, grinning, his arm snaking around Lyra’s waist as she perches on his lap.

“Hey, Pop,” he clears his throat. “Nico and I got you something, too.”

He pulls the little gift-wrapped box out of his pocket and slides it across the dinner table. Vito looks at it curiously before he picks it up and shakes it, making Tempest crack up.

“Vito, justopen it!”

“All right! All right! Jeez, thepatienceon this one?—”

“None,” Dante sighs with a deep chuckle. “Literally none.”

Tempest playfully hits him before he leans down to kiss her.

That’s when I realize I’m the only loser here without a date. Well, Dad’s flying solo, too, but…c’mon.

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