Page 168 of Cruelest Contract
“Right now?”
“Yes. He’s behind me, standing in the doorway and lurking in unnerving silence for some reason.”
“That boy should really come with instructions,” she mutters and then blows me a kiss over the phone. “See you soon. Love you bunches.”
After I end the call with Alice, I wait for my visitor to announce himself.
“When you’re done pretending to be creepy, Gaetano, feel free to state your business.”
“Mel wants to know if the dipshits are staying for dinner,” he says from the doorway. “I told her I’d ask you.”
I whirl around to face my husband’s brother. “What dipshits?”
“The ones hanging out in the yard.”
“That’s not a helpful explanation.”
As usual, he’s enjoying being a nuisance. “One of ‘em is limping around. Kind of like he got shot.”
I have no clue why he chose such a roundabout way of informing me that my brothers are here. However, I won’t deny a sliver of apprehension as I set my phone down and push away from the desk.
Getty, for all his vexing behavior, doesn’t wait before swiftly crossing the room in three strides to help me out of the chair.
“Thank you,” I say, truly appreciative.
“Can’t have you tipping over,” he replies. “Probably not good for the babies.”
Louisa is watching us from the sofa. The instant I leave my chair, she jumps into it and curls up in the center to soak up my leftover body warmth.
Getty stays glued to my side for my nervous walk to the front door to see my brothers. Julian’s brothers have grown more protective than ever. I won’t be complaining. It’s nice to have family looking out for you.
He waits while I stop at the coat closet and pull out one of Julian’s jackets. It’s just easier to throw on and it covers my perpetually growing belly.
Mel catches us before we go outside. “We’re having spaghetti for dinner,” she says. “There’s more than enough for company and it can be ready in half an hour.”
Her eyes remain red from all the crying she’s done over Cass. A black knit shawl is draped over her bony shoulders. She looks more frail than I’ve ever seen her and my heart lurches.
On impulse, I reach out to give her a hug. “Thank you, Mel.”
“Our sweet girl,” she murmurs and then gives my belly a loving pat.
The ranch is full of activity today. Large trucks arrived this morning to start hauling away the debris from the charred and fallen buildings. Tomorrow a trio of temporary modules are arriving so the cowboys have housing while the new clubhouse is being built. Caleb is staying in the foreman’s cabin with Miguel. The rest of the staff will be returning after New Year’s.
There’s a gathering of men outside. Sonny doesn’t look too pleased to host yet another Grimaldi encounter and he’s flanked by his soldiers as he watches from the other end of the porch.
It’s not easy for me to imagine Angelo and Matthias hanging out together but here they are. A black SUV rental is parkedcrookedly at the top of the driveway and my brothers stand apart while confronted by the Tempesta men.
Fort and Tye have cornered Matthias and Julian speaks to Angelo, who slouches in an uncomfortable pose as he favors his wounded leg.
At the sound of the front door shutting, Julian turns around and immediately closes the distance to the front porch to help me down the icy steps.
Julian keeps his arm around my waist as I approach Angelo. “How are you feeling?” I ask my brother.
“Good as new,” he grumbles with obvious sarcasm and frowns at his bad leg.
“We didn’t want to bother you,” Matthias says. “We just dropped in to say goodbye because neither of us know when we’ll be back in the area.”
Unless they’re taking a scenic tour of Wyoming, the ranch is considerably out of the way to just ‘drop in’. They went to some trouble to come here and see me in person, even knowing the Tempestas’ mood is still bound to be tense.
