Page 145 of Luca
“You’re teaching the boys how to fight,” she pointed out. She was right about that, but it was different with boys. Besides, when they were devils like mine, I used it to teach them a lesson. There was always a bigger devil than them out there. “I just worry about the distance. Maybe we can stay here more when she starts this school,” Margaret pondered, but she wasn’t fond of staying in the States.
We have been traveling back and forth between two continents, but once Penelope started school back in Sicily, Margaret came less and less. She preferred it that way. Now our sons would be starting school soon, and we’d be visiting this continent even less.
While Penelope was easygoing, our sons were a freaking nightmare. I loved them to death, but they were always in trouble. They had their mother’s eyes and damn if the little devils didn’t use it against me. I was looking forward to having a baby girl again.
“Can I go and play?” My older son, Damiano, asked in Italian, his eyes shining wildly. His younger brother, by a year, Armani and he probably couldn’t figure out what trouble to get into first.
“Speak English,” I told them. “And whatever hell you’re about to start, don’t get caught.”
Margaret smacked my forearm gently at the same time that our sons bolted.
“That was such bad advice,” she muttered. “They’ll get expelled even before they are old enough to start school here.”
I shrugged. “They’re boys”
I glanced at my eldest. Penelope stuck to me, her hand unwilling to let go of mine, her eyes darting here and there. However, she was cautious and nowhere near as excited as her brothers. Even at ten, she was reserved and shy.
She didn’t have my wife’s temperament, but she definitely had Nonno’s.
My heart clenched. We just lost him a year ago and the loss was still too fresh. Especially for Penelope who had become close to him.
My daughter was definitely more DiMauro than anything else, and I couldn’t be prouder of her.
“What do you think, princess?” I asked her.
Penelope’s big eyes came to me, her fingers squeezing my hand. She didn’t even realize she was doing it. I fucking hated seeing her worried or upset. It was hard to even send her to school back in Sicily without worrying about protection and everyone on that island wouldn’t dare touch a single hair on her head.
“It’s so far away from home, Pàpa,” she murmured softly. “From all of you.”
“It is,” I agreed. “But we’ll be a phone call away, and if you need us, we’ll be here within a day. And don’t forget. Your uncles all live close by. If you need help, they’d be here within hours and probably burn down the school for you.”
She smiled softly. “Okay,” she agreed. “If you think it’s the right school, then I’ll do what you think best.”
“I do. It will teach you more than books can.” She nodded, agreeing. Sometimes I wished she’d argue back and tell mefuck no, but she didn’t have that personality. She was mischievous when it came to playtime and winning games. But outside the family, she put up firm walls and hid behind them. I worried it was our life in the underworld that terrified her. We had shielded her, but rumors of the mafiosos and what it entailed still reached her. “Besides, like I told your Mamma, you are years away from coming here.”
Penelope spotted Luciano’s daughter and a smile spread over her face when Francesca waved her over.
“Can I go, Pàpa?” she begged. Like I could ever deny her. Upon my nod, she rushed to her friend, and for a moment, we watched them speak in rushed tones like they hadn’t seen each other in years. They only FaceTimed yesterday, and they saw each other last month.
I returned my attention to my wife who was watching our kids like the mamma bear she was.
“You know we should christen this place,” I remarked casually, while my heart thundered wildly. She always made me feel like a little boy. When she looked at me confused, I elaborated. “You know, have sex in one of the dorm rooms.”
“Luca!”
“What?” I challenged. “You know some wild shit will be going on here. We better get ahead of the game and do it before anyone else.”
She rolled her eyes. “You are nuts. And with so many little ones, the only thing you will be christening is yourself when your sons get into trouble.”
I grinned. “They won’t get caught.”
She narrowed her eyes on me. “But that’s not the point,” she grumbled, rubbing her belly.
I pressed my palm on her stomach and instantly she sighed. “God, Luca. If I could keep your hand right there until the day I give birth, I totally would. I swear, she only stops moving when you touch me.”
I bent my head and nipped her bottom lip. “I can more than just touch you and then our little piccola bambina can sleep for the next hour while you catch up with everyone.”
She choked out a laugh. I was fucking serious. My wife was beautiful, but when pregnant, she was ravishing. It made me want to fuck her six ways to Sunday.
