Page 22 of Worship Me (Men of Inked 7)
“About ten miles away they’re building a new community of free-standing condominiums, and they have one ready to move in right away.”
“That’s great news,” I told them, lifting the cup to my lips.
“We’re going to keep both places so we can travel back and forth.”
That was the best news of the day. I knew they couldn’t survive without our family, and this would give them the best of both worlds. Our kids would get to know them and spend quality time with them, and they’d be free to come and go as they pleased.
“We’re excited,” my father said.
“I can’t wait to tell the boys.”
I yawned. The adrenaline from the trip had started to wear off, and not even my mother’s coffee could keep me awake.
“Go rest, Jimmy. We’ll watch the babies.”
“The Gallos would like it if you came to dinner today.”
“We’d love to.” My father licked his lips and rubbed his stomach. “I love her cooking.”
My mother gave him the evil eye because she didn’t like to be outdone. “I’ll whip up something to bring.”
“They’d like that,” I said before walking out of the kitchen and heading up the staircase, making sure to bring a few of the bags upstairs with me.
Izzy was sprawled out on top of the comforter with her mouth hanging open. I couldn’t tell if she was sleeping or passed out from the amount of alcohol still coursing through her veins.
I locked the bedroom door and stripped every piece of clothing from my body before curling up next to her. I pulled her almost on top of me, listening to her soft snores as she slept.
I could hear the faint voices of the boys playing in the backyard and the clanking of pots from the kitchen as my mother made something to bring to the Gallos’. There was a peacefulness to the noise that lulled me to sleep.
“I have a bone to pick with you.”
I wasn’t even three feet into the foyer at Izzy’s parents, and her mother was already poking me in the chest.
“How dare you put her at risk?”
There was nothing I could say. She was right for yelling at me, and it wasn’t anything I hadn’t already chastised myself for since last night.
“I’m sorry,” I said. “It won’t happen again.”
She let out a loud huff, blowing a strand of hair away from her face that had fallen free from her bun. “It better not.”
“I promise.” I wrapped my arms around her and kissed her cheek lightly. “I love your daughter. I don’t want anything to happen to her.”
“If something does, I’m going to hurt you worse than you ever imagined.”
I didn’t doubt her words. One thing I knew about the Gallos, their word was gospel. None of them made idle threats. I’m sure if something happened to Izzy, they’d all slowly torture me until I died. That shit, I had no doubt.
“Ah, Rose.” Ma Gallo turned toward my mother as soon as I let her go. “It’s so nice of you to join us.”
“Thank you, Maria.” My ma held out a pan of flan. “I brought dessert.”
Flan wasn’t my thing. The slimy texture of it never sat right with me, but people went gaga over the shit. My mother’s was probably the best I’d ever tasted, and I swallowed it down while smiling just for her. But only because I loved her and didn’t want to end up with a hand to the back of the head.
“Come in. Come in.” Ma Gallo plucked the pan from my mother’s hands. “This is my favorite dessert.”
My mother’s face brightened as she smiled at the compliment. “Thank you, Maria. I made it just for you.”
It didn’t matter that they were both lying to each other. It was nice to see two of my favorite women in the same room together and happy. Although I married into this family, I was honored to call them both my mother.
“I’m going to go sit outside,” Izzy said at my side with a small smile. “I need the warmth to help settle my stomach.”
She needed a whole lot more than that, but whatever made her happy. “I’ll check on you before dinner.”
The boys ran past us, heading to the pool and stripping their clothes off before they made it through the open sliding glass door along the back of the house. They were in the water, cannonballing in for effect, before Izzy was able to take a step.
“You sure you want to go out there?” I asked her, laughing at the kids who looked more like a small army.
“I need sunshine, and the kids won’t bother me.”
I kissed her on the lips, dragging my thumb across her skin. “Love ya, doll.”
“You too, Jimmy. Now leave me in peace for a while.”
I laughed as she sashayed onto the lanai and practically collapsed in the lounge chair. She hadn’t even fully stretched out when the kids surrounded her like a swarm of bees.
Izzy
At the end of dinner, my mother stood up from the table and tapped her wineglass with her spoon. “I have an announcement,” she said, glancing around the table and waiting for everyone to be quiet.
The kids didn’t stop outside, talking and running around the table, but she had the full attention of the adults in the dining room.
“The doctor called yesterday—yes, on a Saturday.” She pursed her lips because I knew most of us were giving her a skeptical look. “Anyway, he wanted to give me the results of the biopsy.”
I sat up a little straighter, and butterflies filled my stomach. Doctors didn’t call on Saturdays unless there was something really important they had to tell a patient. Right? I mean, it must be bad news if he took time out of his weekend to ring my ma. I looked around the table, and I knew my brothers well enough to know they were thinking the same damn thing. I held my breath, waiting for the other shoe to drop.
James’s hand closed around mine. “Breathe, Izzy.”
I squeezed his hand because no matter how hard I tried, I couldn’t. I was too panic-stricken to think, let alone breathe. My body had seized, and fear set in deep in my bones.
“Anyhoo,” my ma said in an upbeat voice. “He said I’m all clear.”
Jesus. She could’ve gotten to it a little quicker than she did. I nearly passed out from an anxiety attack. She should’ve just said it at dinner and not made a production out of the entire thing.
I clutched my chest and sucked in a huge breath. “Thanks for almost giving me a heart attack, Ma.”
Ma’s face turned a beautiful shade of red, and she laughed. “Sorry. I didn’t know how else to say it.”
“You had me panicked,” Joe admitted, rubbing his forehead before digging his fingertips into the corners of his eyes.
&
nbsp; “Everyone just needs to be happy.” She smiled.
I think she enjoyed busting our balls, but that was just plain mean. Cancer news wasn’t something that should be drawn out.
“I love you, Ma,” I told her, and everyone followed suit.
“She’s my girl. She can’t leave me yet,” Pop said, wrapping an arm around my mother’s waist.
Dessert was served with a little more enthusiasm than usual. Everyone had been feeling the weight of the impending test results for a solid week, and now that we knew she was clear, it was like a weight had been lifted off our shoulders.
“Who wants to join me outside to eat?” Max asked, staring straight at me.
“I guess I do,” I said, grabbing my plate from the table.
“Me too.” Suzy started toward the lanai and was joined by Mia.
I knew exactly what this was about. Mike told Mia, and she made the phone calls, telling everyone that I had lied. I knew the word was out about Kat before I’d even stepped foot in the house. When I woke up in Jacksonville this morning, there were thirty-seven texts in our group message.
I ignored every single one of them because there wasn’t a point in arguing via text. I knew I’d get my ass chewed out today anyway; why prolong the agony? They needed to get over their shit and quick. We’d already hired Kat, and her first day of work was tomorrow. There was no way in hell I’d let them derail anything.
“So,” Max said, smacking her lips together and tapping her foot against the pavers. “Do you have something to tell us?”
I sat down, brushing the hair from my eyes before staring straight at her. “I don’t know what you mean.”
“About Kat. You know,” Suzy said, being her cute, innocent, and sometimes clueless self.
“She starts tomorrow.”
“And does she lick pussy or not?” Max got right to the point.
I leaned back in the chair and clutched the armrests. “I didn’t ask.”
“Mike said she doesn’t,” Mia barked out.
