Page 102 of Luca
And that was the best sight ever.
My eyes darted to my own wife and newborn and my chest grew full. Margaret was a devoted mother. She read our baby girl book after book, although little Penelope slept through most of it. Watching them, and being with them, was the best gift I could have ever gotten.
I didn’t deserve them and my fleeting conscience warned there were still ghosts in my past that could destroy it all. But I firmly shut it down, refusing to let anyone or anything take this away from me.
My nieces ran by me, screaming after Matteo who looked like he was ready to find a corner and hide. Penelope stirred in Margaret’s arms but she never woke up.
“She’s so tiny,” Áine whispered softly. She begged to hold her, eager to spoil her first niece. Well, actually her second cousin but whatever.
“But she’s strong,” I told her. “Like her Mamma.”
Margaret chuckled. “I don’t know about that. I think she’s more like her Pàpa.”
“Okay, you two,” Áine teased. “She’s badass like both of you.”
Margaret and I shared an amused look, then grinned. “Yeah, we’re pretty badass.”
Fuck, this had to be what heaven felt like. Once we were back in Sicily, it’d be even better. Nonno chatted with Luciano’s old man, the two reminiscing about the good old days. Satisfied that Margaret was taken care of, I headed to grab a beer. It had been a long few weeks.
The attacks on Nonno’s shipments continued and expanded to some of my dealings. It made no fucking sense and not even Nico was able to trace the shit.
“So Luca King no more, huh?” Luciano came from behind me. I flicked him a look. “Somehow, I’m not surprised you’re taking over Sicily. It’s always been in your blood.”
I shrugged. Truthfully, I always thought it’d go to Cassio, but he made it clear to Nonno he’d rather run his empire here.
“Does your wife agree?” Nico questioned.
“Yes,” I answered. “In fact, she can’t wait to go back to Sicily.”
Cassio shook his head. “I still don’t get that. I love it there too, but for us, that island means something entirely different. But she is Irish, and she fell in love with that country.”
Sasha showed up out of nowhere. “Don’t the Irish usually prefer green grass and potatoes?”
“Don’t Russians usually prefer to have their asses kicked?” I retorted dryly.
Sasha shrugged, grabbing a bottle of vodka and refilling his glass. “Nah. That’s not my thing, buddy.”
I rolled my eyes, opting not to answer.
“Then why do you always search for trouble?” Alexei answered in my stead. Sasha just grinned, flipping him off. His brother chose not to acknowledge him.
“So when are you announcing it to the world?” Vasili asked, his son on his shoulders. “That your last name changed,” he clarified.
“I’m going to hold off until we’re in Sicily,” I answered. “Someone is targeting my shipments and Nonno’s. I’d rather keep it under wraps now.”
“Do you need any help?” Vasili offered, but I shook my head.
“Thank you, but no. Not yet anyhow.”
Matteo rushed to his father, speaking in rushed Italian. Luciano kneeled down, ruffling his son’s hair.
“Son, you just gotta put those girls in their place,” he told him. “Show them who’s the boss.”
“I don’t want to marry Hannah,” he grumbled in English.
A few of us choked. Vasili chuckled and Nico ran a hand across his amused expression.
“There’ll be hell on the horizon,” Nico remarked jokingly.
