Page 48 of Luciano (Belles & Mobsters 1)

A giggle escaped her right after that statement, and I couldn’t help but smile. That right there… mischief and teasing over the years was what made our life bearable. Sometimes I wished I was a bit more like her - more promiscuous, adventurous, willing to try things out regardless if I thought it was a good idea or not. Yet, I had to admit that our personalities, regardless of differences in our promiscuity levels, meshed well.

My face flushed, ignoring her comment about the noises she thought she heard.

“No. I’ll just crash in Matteo’s room.” She threw me a side glance as we walked back in the direction of the dining room and the kitchen. “What?”

I knew that stupid look. “All I’m saying is that you might as well take advantage of him while we are here.” I shook my head at her stupid suggestion. “You always said he was exceptionally good in that department. And you need to get laid.”

I groaned. “Not by him!”

“Well, he’s still your husband so it kinda should be him.”

“Whose side are you on?” I hissed.

“Yours. Of course, always yours. But you have to admit, it makes it convenient to just get sex under the same roof.”

I eyed her suspiciously. “Speaking from experience?” Blush colored her cheeks. “When did you have time to get laid, for Christ’s sake?”

“I make time for it.” Chuckling softly, she added, “Besides, that man is devouring you with his eyes. If you tell him to go down on you, he’d be on you in a millisecond. Oh wait, he already went down on you and you didn’t even ask.”

I smacked her playfully.

“He is not devouring me with his eyes. He’s killing me with his eyes.” Ella got it all wrong. “I swear, you are a freak.”

She laughed harder, nearing the kitchen. “No, you are. I heard those sounds in the hallway. I think there is a fire you are hiding behind your anger.”

“You are an ass,” I murmured under my breath. I felt heat flame my cheeks.

“But you still love me.”

“Ugh.” She was right, I did love her. Like my own sister. “At this rate, our life will be very short. Maybe you are right and I should take advantage of his presence but ensure I have the upper hand.”

We both entered the kitchen to find all men seated around the table while Maria served them food. All eyes raised up to us. Matteo was already in the high chair, making a mess of himself with spaghetti while he devoured it. Pizza and spaghetti along with gelato and that little guy was in heaven.

“Ah, perfect. I have a plate for you two.” Maria beamed. She loved a full kitchen.

I glanced around. Where in the hell did she expect us to squeeze in?

“God, not spaghetti,” Ella mumbled under her breath. “I thought we left Italy.”

A choked laugh escaped me, and I shoved my shoulder gently against hers. “Stop it.”

“Ella, you sit next to Massimo,” Maria instructed and my best friend promptly turned an intense shade of red. Next time she suggested I sleep with Luciano, I’d suggest she sleep with Massimo. It was probably who she was referring to, anyhow. She always had a crush on him.

“And you, Grace, sit next to Luciano.”

“No, thank you,” I replied quickly. “I’ll sit next to Matteo.”

Matteo was seated in between Nonno and Luca.

“Gees, you need me to move?” Luca teased.

“Either that, or I’ll have to sit on your lap.” Not that I ever would. The words barely left my mouth when Luciano stood up abruptly, his chair falling behind him with a loud thud making Matteo and myself jump. He stared at me and Luca furiously; ready to murder one of us. Or maybe both of us.

Matteo’s crying immediately followed. He wasn’t used to sudden noises and being scared.

“What the hell, Luciano?” I hissed at him, taking Matteo out of his seat. “Hey there. It’s okay. It was just a chair that fell down. See.”

I could feel his heartbeat thundering hard under his chest. Nonno stood up too, soothing him in Italian. I couldn’t understand a word he said, but it seemed to work.

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