Page 30 of Savage Vow (Mafia Marriages 3)

He plays with the fork, pushing his food around on the plate. “Eric pushed me on the playground.”

“What?” I gape at Ivy. “And you weren’t going to tell me he’s being bullied?”

“It’s not that big of a deal. Boys play rough. Do you remember all the times the boys chased us, and they pulled our pigtails?”

I can’t believe how easily she’s dismissing what happened. “What did Mrs. Brown say?” I ask.

“His teacher? Oh, she said that Eric needs to use his words instead of his fists but that she would keep an eye on the boys, and if it continued, then we could arrange for a meeting with Eric’s parents.”

“If it continues? What’s next? She’s going to victim blame?”

Ivy pops the tab on her soda, opening it before having a sip. “It’s not that big of a deal. Ashton is small for his size, so the kids call him half-pint.”

“I’m calling the school first thing tomorrow.”

“Don’t,” Ashton says, his voice timid. “You’ll only make it worse, Mom.”

I exhale a heavy sigh and mentally count to three. I should count to ten, but I can’t make it that far. My patience is wearing thin.

“It’s already been handled,” Ivy says. “I wish you’d trust me.”

Dragon lady, with her gray and black hair and dark brown eyes, steps into the breakroom. “You have a visitor,” she rasps. Her voice is thick and rough from one too many cigarettes. Not that Jocelyn or I have ever seen her smoke.

Behind her, Francesco reveals himself from around the corner of the hallway.

“There’s two of you? Fuck me,” he mutters, catching sight of Ivy seated across from me.

“Mommy, what does fuck mean?” Ashton asks.

My eyes widen, and I stand, preparing to pull Francesco aside and away from the breakroom. The agreement was that he was supposed to wait in the lobby.

Maybe he didn’t catch which one of us Ashton was speaking to.

“Mommy?” Francesco repeats the words as I yank him by the arm and drag him away from the breakroom and my son. “You have a kid?” His eyes widen.

Crap.

“You are supposed to be waiting in the lobby,” I say and point toward the elevator down the hallway.

Why the hell did the dragon let him stomp through the floor with patients nearby?

“It’s been eight hours. You should be done work.”

I snort at his justification for checking up on me. “I showed up late for my shift, so I ended up covering my shift and the next one. They’re understaffed.”

His eyes flinch. “Whose kid is that?” Francesco points toward the breakroom. “He called you Mommy.”

“My sister and I look alike. The kid can’t tell us apart.” I hope my lie slips by without incident.

Francesco doesn’t look convinced. “Is that so? You honestly believe the kid can’t tell his mother from his aunt apart?”

I bite my tongue and refrain from pointing out that Aurielo hadn’t been able to tell the two of us apart.

“What time do you get off your shift?” Francesco asks, his voice gruff.

“My shift ends at eleven o’clock,” I say. “I’ll need a few minutes to get dressed, and then I’ll meet you downstairs in the lobby.”

His eyes narrow as he glances me over from head to toe. “No funny business with your sister. Aurielo expects you to consummate the relationship, and he’ll know if it’s not you he’s fucking.”

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