Page 140 of Tyrant (The Villetti Chronicles)

Gil nodded and stepped towards our mother’s grave. He squatted down and stared at the coffin.

“Sii in pace,Mamá. You were always good to us. I’ll miss you.”

He threw the white rose into her grave and straightened. I watched him swallow back his emotions. This wasn’t easy on any of us, but I knew Gil was struggling more than Enzo. Our little brother wore his heart on his sleeve, but Gil kept everything locked up. I hoped he’d find a way to let it out or it would eat him up inside the way shit had done to me.

“I’ll make sure Enzo isn’t doing anything stupid like trashing the car. We should talk soon. It’s time we dealt with the future.”

I nodded, and he walked off, leaving me with Ari and Arlo, who took a step closer and looked at me. I gave him a shrug, my arm around Ari tightening.

“Do you think he’s going to accept your plans?” Arlo asked, looking over his shoulder at Gil’s retreating back.

Things between me and Gil were a little strained because of the uncertainty we faced. He knew I didn’t want to run the mafia. He’d been groomed to take over the role from my father, but I wasn’t sure if it was what he actually wanted to do. It was a conversation for another time when we weren’t mourning our mother.

“Maybe, maybe not. We’ll see.”

“We should get to the wake.”

“Give me a minute to say goodbye and we’ll be right over.”

Arlo nodded before stepping up to my mother’s grave.

“I’m sure you’re at peace now, Noemi, and happy your son has finally met his match.”

He tossed his white rose into her grave, smirked at me, and walked off. I shook my head and rolled my eyes.

“I didn’t realise you let him get away with speaking about you like that,” Ari said, looking up at me with a grin and a twinkle in her chestnut eyes.

“He’s my best friend. If he can’t give me shit, then who can.”

She snorted.

“You let me do it.”

I raised an eyebrow.

“Do I?”

She stroked a hand over my stomach.

“Well, you punish me over it, but you know I like it when you do.”

“So the truth comes out. My little fairy admits she wants to be punished. I never thought I’d see the day.”

I got a light slap on the chest for my statement, but she was still smiling.

“Hush.”

Leaning down, I pressed a kiss to the top of her head.

“Come, let us say goodbye and go deal with the family. It might be a wake, but they’re a riot when they’re together.”

“Really?”

“Mmm, really.”

Ari didn’t have a big family. She didn’t understand how loud it could get around mine. It was lucky we didn’t have too many occasions to get together with our extended family. Gil, Enzo and I hadn’t gone to Gennaro’s funeral a few weeks ago. We refused to mourn the man who did this to our mother. I’d been surprised at Gil not wanting to be there but didn’t question him on it. Out of all of us, he seemed most loyal to our father, but looks could be deceiving. It was a lesson I’d learnt a long time ago.

Ari and I stepped forward.

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