Page 115 of Vows of a Mobster
“No, thank you. This was a lot of food,” he replied, handing me the dishes. “And we have a coffee thermostat here so we are set for the night.”
“You two are going to spend the night?” Daphne asked the obvious.
“We have the shift till midnight,” he replied. “Then we’ll change out.”
“That’s good. I’d hate for you two not to get any sleep. It’s been a long day.” And I was sure they had their own families they would like to see.
“Is your little girl okay?” His question had me taking a deep breath.
“Yes, thank you. She is sleeping now.” In the distance, I heard the engine of Marissa’s car as she drove off.
“I have a little girl the same age. It’s scary when they are sick.”
He was right about that. “Yes, it is. What is your little girl’s name?”
“Francesca.” I smiled at the name. They really believed in naming their children true Italian names.
“It’s a beautiful name.” He smiled, and I could see pride on his face, despite the bad lighting. That was all I wished for Emma; a father that would put her first. But no, her father tried to get rid of her.
“Thank you for keeping watch,” I told both of them. “If you need anything, just come in and help yourself to whatever.”
“Thank you.”
I pulled Daphne along as we both walked towards the entrance.
“What’s the matter?” Daphne was good at spotting my moods.
I took a deep breath and then exhaled. “He is so proud of his daughter. And it made me think of-”
“Don’t say it,” she took my hand, cutting me off mid-sentence. Both of us stopped walking. “Don’t ever say the name.”
We stared at each other in the dark, so many memories of that fatal night unspoken.
“So you and Antonio, huh?” It was better to stick to lighter subjects.
“So you and Mateo, huh?” she replied right back.
I rolled my eyes. “It wasn’t like the beginning of it was exactly my choice. Antonio is your choice.”
“I think you would have eventually ended up in Mateo’s bed, of your own choosing.” For all Daphne’s cluelessness, sometimes, she could be perceptive. “The way the two of you danced at Marissa’s party. You moved so effortlessly with him; your body leaning towards him and his towards you. I never saw you around any other man like that. Honestly, I never saw him like that either.”
She was right, I never felt like that with any other man. Did Mateo feel a fraction of what I felt?
“I feel alive around him,” I murmured softly. “Like he is my rock, and everything will be okay. Because he will take care of it.”
She nodded in understanding. “But never tell him about what happened.”
“What about you and Antonio?” I asked instead.
“It was the best sex ever. And I know each time will be better with him. But certain things, like what happened that night, I will never tell him.”
I nodded, although I didn’t exactly understand. My grandma always said nothing good can grow out of deceit. Mateo was the head of Italian mafia, maybe he could protect Emma and me.
Are you willing to take a chance? Risk Emma’s life to test that theory?
And when did I start thinking about the mafia as a protection? My head was too swayed with the dreams of my prince charming and a happy ending.
“Come on, let’s go inside,” Daphne nudged me forward. “I am so ready to get laid again. And this time, it won’t be a quickie.”
