Page 81 of Wicked Knight 2

With my gaze fixed on the cityscape, I stepped onto the terrace to find a moment of peace. Caterina, Rex’s wife, was the hostess type. Since Rex and she got married two years ago, she’d made a point to gather everyone for Christmas brunch. Last year, I attended because I had skin in the game. I had a bet with Rex that Santino would never show up to a Christmas shindig with friends, family, and children.

To my surprise, he’d made it. And I had to pay up. I leaned my hand on the smooth surface of the terrace wall and craned my head to peek into Rex and Caterina’s penthouse apartment. Santino was deep in conversation with his pregnant wife. I had no doubt she was the reason for his change of heart. Enzo and Aurora stood next to the huge Christmas tree near the grand staircase, literally just gazing into each other’s eyes. Of all of us, those two deserved this much love and happiness.

“Red is definitely your color.” Luca wrapped his arms around me and kissed my neck. “You look beautiful.”

“You look okay.” I hugged his arms, lifting my face to squint at the bright sun.

For so many years, we had to live our love in hiding. Even though Luca had returned to me months ago, I still couldn’t get used to being here with him—to be living our love in the light. No more sneaking into my bedroom in the middle of the night, no more running, only us.

“Your mother wants to talk to me.” He held me tighter. “Should I be concerned?”

“Yes.” I turned around to face him. “Actually, you should run.”

“I’m never leaving your side again.” He chuckled. “You’re stuck with me.”

“I love being stuck with you, Don Luca Gallo.” I kissed his lips.

With a sigh, he buried his fingers in my hair and deepened the kiss. He’d been so worth the wait. “I’m sure it’s business related. No rest for the wicked, I suppose.”

“She can be intense. But I do believe her heart is in the right place.” I pressed my forehead to his cheek.

Aunt Vittoria…Mom, Mother? Jesus, I still hadn’t decided what she was to me or what I should call her. She had done a terrible thing to Luca’s family. But in a very twisted way, her actions were the reason Luca and I were finally married. My heart had forgiven her the same night she threw all her resources into getting Luca back for me. But for Luca’s sake, I felt as though she needed a longer period of contrition. She couldn’t go around murdering entire families. Even if she’d done it to make sure Rex and I were safe.

“It’s okay for you to forgive her. I already have.” He cupped my cheek. “I thought she was like Papa.” He shook his head. “Dimitri. But she isn’t. Everything she did, she did it for you.”

“Luca.” I threw my arms around his neck. “Thank you.”

“I should go see what she wants.” He kissed my forehead, then stepped away.

“Good luck.” I beamed at his retreating form. The man was impossibly beautiful in a dark suit. I wanted to go home and spend the rest of the day with him, in bed, possibly naked.

“I still can’t believe you and Mr. Gallo are married now.” Aurora handed me a glass of champagne and sipped from hers.

Luca hadn’t been Mr. Gallo to me for years. But I could see why Aurora still thought of our high school years as a recent thing. She’d been gone for eleven years. The time Enzo and I spent in college helping Luca find his ex-fiancée’s killer, we’d thought Aurora was dead. Ironically, Ivan Belov and his crew were the ones who got her out of her hiding place in Spain and brought her to Jersey where Enzo found her again.

Funny how destiny always found a way.

“I’m so happy for you.” She hugged me.

“I’m happy for you too.” I pointed at her son, Leo. “I can’t believe you and Enzo have a ten-year-old kid. Yikes. How is that going?”

“Leo loves Enzo.” She took a deep breath. “Enzo is a great dad. They both just jumped right in. There was no awkwardness between them. Just father and son.” Her eyes watered.

“I’m glad.” I drank from my glass. “Who are the guys talking to Leo? I don’t know them.”

“Oh.” Tears spilled onto her cheek, and she quickly wiped them off. “They’re my twin brothers. Signoria Vittoria helped them escape when Angelo ordered their execution. She hid them like she did with me. They even went to college. Now they’re back. My whole family is back, thanks to your mom.”

The word was like an electric shock to my system. Of course everyone knew Aunt Vittoria was my mother, and that Rex and I were half-siblings. Oh, jeez I had so many questions about that.

“Yeah, that seems to be a recurring theme with Mom.” I smiled at the diamond ring on my finger. “She does have an odd way of helping people, doesn’t she?”

Aurora chuckled. “Our world is nothing if not unconventional. I’d say her methods are par for the course.”

“I guess you’re right.” I laughed.

“Stop monopolizing my wife’s time.” Enzo stepped onto the terrace and placed a possessive arm around Aurora. When she glanced up at him with stars in her eyes, he leaned in and whispered, “Hi.”

“Hi.”

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