Page 90 of The Killer Cupcake
"Those grey hairs are battle scars, baby. Everyone of them earned in our war," he said, nipping at her big toe with his teeth. She shrieked with laughter, splashing water everywhere as she fought to reclaim her foot.
"Now tell me the beautiful part," she whispered. "The part where we win. Where does our story end?"
"At the beginning," he said mysteriously.
Her brow furrowed. "What?"
"Picture it—a ship leaving New York harbor, cutting through the Atlantic to Spain. We sail through the Strait of Gibraltar, that ancient gateway where two seas kiss. Then... home."
"Home?" she breathed like a woman releasing her last sigh after an orgasm. Her eyes closed, and she listened to him speak.
"Tangier. Morocco. Africa,” he said in that husky, deep Italian voice of his.
Each word was a promise from her magnificent Carmelo, and she could see it. She felt herself transported back in time to the attic, where they huddled in the cold against his body warmth and waited for the ovens to warm them. She listened to his voice.
"Just like we dreamed when we were young,” he said.
“You already arranged it?” she asked.
"Every detail. Paid in gold."
Her eyes opened. His eyes searched hers.
“Sandy comes too, of course,” she said and moved through the water like silk, pressing her lips to his. "A Ricci and a Freeman, allies at last. Who would have believed it?"
His fingers traced her cheekbone with reverence. "Partners, baby. The way we were meant to be. No more lies, no more secrets between us."
"Good. Because I'm running this operation now,” she giggled. “I would kiss the ring, but I have something better in mind.
Before he could ask, she submerged under the water and put his dick in his mouth. Carmelo laughed and reclined into marital bliss.
CHAPTER 35
CALVARY CEMENTARY - QUEENS NEW YORK 1978
Present.The cemetery stretched endlessly beyond the tinted windows. Junior broke the silence first: "This is insane. Who gets married in a fucking graveyard?"
Sandy watched Daphne's reflection in the glass as Matteo's driver steered them deeper into Calvary's sprawling grounds. The city skyline loomed in the distance, a jarring contrast to the sea of headstones.
"She killed herself," Daphne said. "His mother. The Church wouldn't give her sacred ground, so she's out here, in the forgotten section. That's where he wants to pledge himself to Mama—in front of the woman who couldn't watch him get married or meet his children. Us.”
The strangeness of it all settled over them. Even Christopher looked up from his comic and stared at the graves.
“Daddy is going to make it special for Mama. That’s what he said,” Daphne smiled.
“Already calling him Daddy," Junior observed, his tone softer than usual.
Daphne's jaw tightened. "He's earned it."
“Whatever,” Junior mumbled.
Daphne shot him the middle finger.
"Sandy." Junior's eyes found hers. "Why the security? I heard him barking orders about you specifically."
She wanted to tell them everything—about the diaries, about Carmelo being her father, about the danger closing in. Instead, she shrugged. "Probably just being careful."
"Those diaries revealing anything interesting?" Daphne probed.
