Page 11 of Giovanna

“I guess, I will have to wait and see,” she sighs dramatically. The poor girl is so worried her little forehead is all wrinkled.

“Don’t stress about it,” I ruffle her hair and she smiles shyly.

Not for the first time, I wonder if she might be a bit gay too. She isn’t your classic tomboy-budding-lesbian. She is very girly actually. But, the way she watches me when I have women around is beyond curious. It is a little hungry.

Elio calls her mycucciolottabecause she follows me around like a little puppy.

“I think you should choose one girlfriend,” she takes a bite of her pizza and stares at me intently with her big brown doe eyes.

I suppress a laugh. “Why’s that?”

She considers her answer carefully, tapping an index finger on her pursed lips before saying, “Well, one might be sad when she sees you kiss the other one. It’s just not very nice.”

Honestly, the shit these two kids come out with each day. “Hmmm, I see what you mean. I’ll think about it.”

I don’t attempt to explain to her that they don’t want to be my girlfriend. Disney hasn’t prepared them for the world of non-monogamous relationships and casual sex.

I kind of hope Francesca retains her innocent idea of monogamous love. The world needs more romantics.

Chapter Six

Giovanna

Naturally, while I’ve spent the day trying to track where Sydney’s bikie gangs are getting their sudden influx of weapons, my darling brother, the new Don of Sydney, has been swanning around getting pissed at his engagement party.

After sneaking upstairs for a shower and to change into a suit, I am now reluctantly slipping into the celebration late. I wonder if Massimo’s little sidekick is as pissed off as Elio about their pending union. She was such a funny little kid, I can’t imagine what she is like as a grown woman.

“Gio!” Massimo waves me over.

Matty stands next to him talking to a woman who has her back to me. She wears a dress so tight it could be shrink-wrapped and has the most incredible ass I have ever seen. Her long hair falls in messy waves that nearly reach her perfect peachy bum and her limbs are slim and delicate. I find myself eager to see the face that belongs to the goddess-like body.

“I’ve missed you,mio caro,” I focus my attention on my baby brother, giving him a big hug. “Never leave me like that again!”

Massimo laughs and lifts me off my feet in a bear hug. “I missed you too.”

When he puts me back down and I’ve straightened out my shirt and blazer, I look up to find the shrink-wrapped woman’s eyes on me. They’re big and brown and staring wide at me in shock. Her plump angelic mouth has dropped open into an O shape and she is frozen.

Distracted momentarily by how impossibly soft her pillowy lips look coated in deep red lipstick, I’m about to ask her if she’s okay when she suddenly whispers, “Giovanna.”

“Yes?”

My confusion must be apparent because Massimo clears his throat and says, “It’s Francesca, G.”

Now my mouth has fallen open. “You grew up!” I exclaim and she laughs.

It is the most fucking beautiful sound I’ve ever heard. This can’t be the gawky, scrawny kid I knew. She always had those expressive eyes, but she had a mouthful of braces and hadn’t grown into her limbs the last time I saw her. Her hair was always a plain brown too, but now it flows perfectly from dark roots to blonde ends and the blonde around her face is stunning in contrast with her olive skin and dark features.

“Yeah, I guess I did. You mostly look the same though.” The sweetness is still there. I see it in her eyes and in the kindness in her voice. She hasn’t lost it, despite everything.

“A few more wrinkles and a bit softer around the edges, but mostly the same.”

She runs her eyes over me as if scanning for the softness I speak of and I swear I see heat in her gaze.

Don’t flatter yourself, G.

“So you’re marrying our brother?” I don’t want to ask, but I do, and then I immediately regret it when she cringes as if the reminder is painful.

“So they tell me. I’d rather marry any one of you three though so feel free to rescue me,” she says darkly looking from me to Massimo and Matty.

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