Page 114 of Born into Mayhem
Salvatore walks in before I can say anything and gives me a boisterous but gentle hug. He’s the exact opposite of his wife in so many ways, but they make it work. He cups my cheeks with his stiff fingers and kisses my forehead.
“So tiny but so fearless,” he says with a smile. “Dario’s chosen well.” Giving me a wink, he adds, “I know you won’t let him get away with shit. That’s good for him. It’s what he needs.”
“I won’t,” I say, returning his smile.
They visit with me for a few more minutes until Dario opens the door and walks in. He’s paler than usual, and his movements are slower, but when his eyes meet mine, he smiles, revealing those tiny lines that I love so much. He closes the distance, and I swear something is off. His body is stiff, so unlike his usual graceful movements, and his jaw is set in a hard line.
“What’s wrong?” I ask when he leans down to kiss me.
“Nothing’s wrong,amore mio.”
He kisses me and then nods to his dad and smiles at his mom. She says something to him in Italian that makes him laugh, and then both his parents are giving me a hug goodbye before leaving us alone.
As soon as they’ve shut the door, I look at Dario. “What the hell are you hiding from me?”
Chapter 19
Mia
Iwatch Dario very carefully sit down, and I swear he bites back a wince when he does it. If that wasn’t clue enough, he tilts a tiny bit to the side and gives me an innocent look, like I’m not supposed to notice that he’s nonchalantly trying to balance on one ass cheek.
“What happened?” I ask. “Did my dad hurt you?”
“Of course not,amore.” He changes the subject by pointing at the half-eaten spaghetti in my lap. “Finish your lunch. You need to eat.”
I raise a brow at being told what to do, and he winks at me.
“Eat, little viper,” he tells me again.
I pick up my fork and take a bite.
“That’s my good girl,” he tells me, and I start to debate the pros and cons of throwing a noodle at him.
“Think long and hard about that,streghetta mia,” he warns me. “You’ll be at my mercy soon enough.”
“I will?” I ask, taking another bite.
“Yes, in my bed, resting until I feel you’re ready to get out of it.”
I laugh and then wince when it tugs on my stitches. He notices and raises a brow at me.
“That’s exactly what I’m talking about,” he says, leaning closer and lifting my gown so he can see the bandage. He kisses the skin above the gauze.
“I will never let anything happen to you again,amore.”
I run my fingers through his hair. “You’re not going to lock me in the house, Dario.”
“Would I do something like that?” he asks.
I ignore the innocent look he’s giving me and say, “Yes, you absolutely would.”
“Only if it’s for your own good, stubborn girl.”
“I’m being serious.” I gesture towards my bandaged stomach like it’s a minor scrape. “This changes nothing. I’ve already talked to my dad, and I will be joining my family’s Bratva.”
He studies me, and I swear he’s debating whether or not he can realistically tie me to the bed for the foreseeable future.
“You can’t tie me to the bed,” I say, making sure he knows that’s not an option we’ll be pursuing.
