“Yeah, baby girl. You’ll find him someday.” I picked up the cake, leaving the door open as I set it on the counter.
Izzy closed it, leaning against the fridge as she stared straight ahead, biting her lip. “I don’t believe the fairy tales you told me as a child, Ma. I don’t think I want someone to come charging into my life and changing who I am. I like myself. A lot. Too much to give myself freely to some man.”
I chuckled, remembering thinking the same thing when I was just a few years younger than her. “The trick is to find someone who doesn’t change you, but makes you better.” I reached in the drawer, rifling through it for the cake server. Cassata cake could be tricky to serve, and I didn’t like when it fell and turned into a pile of mush.
“Better how?”
Setting the knife and server on the counter, I turned to face her. “The person who makes you want to be better. They won’t change who you are, but they’ll bring out the good in you. Your father did that for me. Izzy, listen, I was scared when I met your father. I fell in love with him so fast it made me dizzy. He became my universe. Everything revolved around him, and it terrified me. You have to get beyond the fear to let in the love and allow the true Isabella Gallo to shine through.”
“Are you sure you don’t fucking work for Hallmark, Ma? I mean, Jesus, that was a bunch of lovely drivel, but I don’t think I’m built for that kind of life. I don’t think any of us have that ability like you and Pop. We’re just too strong-willed.” She pushed off the fridge and started to pull the plates out of the cabinet.
I touched her arm, stopping her. “Are you saying I’m weak, Isabella?”
She shook her head, her eyes dropping to the floor. “No, Ma. That’s not what I meant.”
“It sounded an awful lot like pity to me. When you fall in love someday, you’ll have a different opinion.” I touched her chin, bringing her eyes to mine. “It takes a strong woman to love a strong man. Strong women like us don’t do well with a man who is less than us. You’re going to find one who makes you want to run for the hills. It’s in your nature to fight back, but if he’s strong enough, he won’t let you.”
Izzy laughed, tilting her head as she looked at me. “We’ll see, Ma. I haven’t found one who has knocked my socks off. Do men ever grow up?”
Her question made me smile. It was valid and as old as time. “Eventually, baby girl. You’re young, and the men your age are too much like children. Enjoy your youth and theirs. It takes many years before they grow up. Case in point,” I said, tipping my head toward the living room and the loud group of men talking. “Most of them haven’t grown up, but their time is coming.” I dropped my hand, reaching for the knife to cut the cake.
“Maybe I’m just surrounded by them so much that they taint my view of men.” She leaned on the counter next to me, crossing her arms over her chest.
“Your brothers aren’t very different than most men. They’re stronger and more protective than others, but at their core they’re all the same.”
“Yeah,” she whispered, releasing a deep sigh. “Doesn’t matter. I’m having too much fun anyway.”
“How’s it going with Rob?” I asked, wondering why she hadn’t mentioned him lately. Rob, Mike’s trainer, was a cocky son of a bitch, and I didn’t care for him too much. He wasn’t right for Izzy. He didn’t have the highest opinion of women, from what I could tell the few times I met him. He was a macho asshole and not the sexy type either.
“We’re over.”
“Why?” I asked, pretending to be sad.
“He made some dickhead comment, so I kneed him in the balls. It was a dirty way to end it, but swift.” She snickered, wrinkling her nose and covering her mouth.
“That’s my girl,” I said, bumping her with my hip. She was exactly how I wanted her to be. Her brothers taught her the skills to protect herself, although sometimes she used them for other means, but in the end they were always necessary. Izzy was girly when she wanted to be and strong whenever possible. She was the rock of the family, the person who bound us together. “Go tell the boys that dessert is ready, please.”
She cupped her hands in front of her mouth and yelled, “Dessert!”
“Jesus. I could’ve done that, Izzy.” I balanced four plates in my hands, trying not to drop the china that was given to me as a wedding present. “Grab a couple since you’re in the helpful mood.”
She sighed, taking the rest of the cassata cake that was on the counter and following me into the dining room. The boys had beaten us and were already in their seats, waiting to be served.
“Lazy bastards,” Izzy muttered under her breath as I set a dish in front of Sal.
I smiled, making eyes at him. “Here you go, sweetheart.”
As he winked at me, one side of his mouth rose as a grin played on his lips. “Thanks, love,” he whispered, rubbing his chin between his fingers and licking his lips. He was giving me the look I loved, the one that said I was getting lucky as soon as the kids left.
Chapter 3 – Sal
God knows I love my children, but right now, I wanted to wish them well and send them on their way. Right before they arrived, I had Maria pinned against the kitchen counter, kissing her neck as I ran my hand along her inner thigh. Just as I was about to pull out my cock and bury it deep inside her, the doorbell rang.
I swear to shit that kids are born with the ability to cock block. Ever since they were little, they’d walk in at the most inopportune time, putting an end to a very promising evening. Izzy was the worst. Maybe it was her being a female or needier than the others, but it seemed like every time I got Maria naked while still awake, Izzy would knock on the door. There’s nothing that’ll make your boner disappear along with your naked wife than a little girl crying over a nightmare.
I spent more nights sleeping in my bed with aching balls as my little girl slept in my wife’s arms curled against her side. Even with that, Izzy was always my favorite. She’s the one who wrapped her arms around my neck every day, giving me small kisses and calling me “Daddy.” Her being so much like Maria didn’t hurt either. Thomas, Joe, Mike, and Anthony were more like me, but Izzy—Izzy was an exact replica of my wife.
“Daddy, do you want coffee?” Izzy asked as I dug my fork into the cake.
Even to this day, hearing her call me that made my heart melt. Her voice could turn a shit day into something magical. “Sure, baby girl. If you’re getting yourself one.” I smiled as I brought the fork to my mouth.
“What about me?” Mike asked as Izzy headed toward the kitchen.
“Get your own,” she spat over her shoulder as she walked out of the room.
“Asshole,” Mike mumbled, stabbing the cake.
Maria touched my hand, rubbing my wedding ring with her thumb. Her touch, no matter how innocent, made my pants feel a little bit tighter. Turning my wrist, I checked the time, calculating the minutes until the kids left and I could finish what I started earlier.
Locking eyes with Maria, I watched as she put a sliver of cake on her tongue, pulling the fork out slowly. She licked her lips, moaning quietly as a small smile spread across her face. I sucked in a breath, closing my eyes to break the contact.
As Izzy set a coffee cup in front of me, I opened my eyes and sighed. “So, do you kids have plans tonight?” If they did, they’d be gone sooner rather than later.
“Yeah,” Joe said, wiping the whipped frosting from his lips. “We’re all headed to Karma tonight to hang out with some friends.”
“Didn’t you go out last night?” Maria asked, looking down the table.
“Yeah, Ma, but it’s ladies’ night at the club,” Anthony replied, shoveling a strawberry that had escaped from his cake in his mouth.
“It’s my favorite night of the week at Karma,” Mike said, rubbing his hands together and smiling.
Izzy placed a cup in front of Maria, pouring each of us coffee before she set the carafe on the table. “I get to drink for free, so I’m not missing that shit for the world
.”
I coughed, choking on a piece of cake. The thought of Izzy in a club filled with horny men made my stomach turn. “You’re going to watch out for her, aren’t you?” I asked, looking down the length of the table at each of my sons.
“Yes, Pop.” Joe nodded, scraping the plate clean with his fork.
“We always do,” Mike assured me, turning to look at Izzy. “If anyone gives her shit, we’ll deal with them.”
“That’s the problem.” Izzy rolled her eyes, crossing her arms over her chest. “They never let me have any fun. I swear to God if you douchebags do what you did last time, I’m going to lose my shit.” She glared at Mike.
He shrugged, wiping his lips before placing his napkin on the table. “Yeah, I’m scared of that.”
“I’m not a child,” she hissed, uncrossing her arms before gripping the armrests on the chair.
“We know, or we wouldn’t be so watchful,” Joe replied, smiling at Izzy. “Too many assholes out there.”
“That’s for me to decide. You can’t keep treating me like I’m fifteen anymore. I’m a woman, and it’s for me to decide who I talk to or not.”
“Sometimes it’s our job to decide that, Izzy. We know everyone at the club. Some men aren’t worthy of you, babe,” Anthony stated, rubbing his eyes as he yawned.
“What did they do last time?” Maria asked, her thumb still stroking the skin of my hand.
“Mike kept coming over and pretending to be my boyfriend. He chased off every guy who tried to talk to me. It was so embarrassing, Ma.” She placed her face in her hands as she shook her head. “The men ran away from me. Word spread to leave me alone,” she mumbled into her palms.
“Clever,” I replied, proud of my sons for their quick thinking.
“Oh, honey. They just love you.” Maria reached over, grabbing Izzy’s forearm and giving it a quick squeeze.
Izzy dropped her hands, turning to face Maria with a frown. “I wish they’d love me a little less.”
“It’s almost six. Aren’t you guys going to be late?” I asked, hoping they’d be running out the door at any minute.
“Nah, Pop, no one even shows up until after ten.”
“Oh,” I said, my voice betraying my unhappiness. “Good.” I cleared my throat, trying to change my voice. “You won’t be late then.”
“We have plenty of time,” Anthony said, licking the whipped cream off the back of his fork. “I could go for a nap, actually. I’m so damn full.” He rubbed his stomach, yawning as he kicked back.
“You better go home and get a little rest, dear,” Maria said quickly, her foot sliding underneath the bottom of my pants leg. Her soft toes slid across my skin, making the need I felt for her feel worse than it did the moment the doorbell rang.
“I can just sleep on the couch here.”
“No,” Maria and I said in unison, turning to look at each other with a smile.
“Do you want us to go?” Joe asked, eyeing us both with a suspicious look.
“No, sweetheart. We just don’t want to keep you kids from a fun night.” Maria smiled, and I wondered if the kids bought her load of crap.
“I think they want us to go,” Mike chimed in, pushing back from the table with his plate in his hand. “Maybe we should take a hint.”
“What hint?” Anthony asked, scratching his forehead.
“They’ve been giving each other goo-goo eyes for hours now.”
