Page 95 of The Woman on the Jury

Just when she was taking the stuffed shells out of the oven, though, the door opened.

And in walked fucking Silvano.

“Hey, Ma, you think about… the fuck is he doing here?” he asked, his cold gaze landing on me.

“Boys, can we not?” Ma asked, sighing hard. “I just want one nice meal withbothof my boys for a change. Is that too much to ask?”

“No,” I said, shaking my head.

“No, Ma,” Silvano said, walking over to let her hug him. He was slightly more comfortable with physical contact than I was, but it was clear he wasn’t enjoying it, either.

“Cosimo was just telling me about this lovely woman Halle who is staying with him,” Ma said, making me have to suppress a grumble.

Silvano’s smirk said I was going to be ribbed about this relentlessly in the future.

“Remind me,” I said as we all moved to sit at the table. “When’s the last time you had a woman in your life, Sil?” I said, getting a dark look from him.

But, just as I hoped, Ma jumped on it.

“You know, he’s not wrong, honey. I don’t think you have ever brought a woman to my table.”

“He hasn’t either,” Silvano said, gesturing toward me.

“Well, no, but there’s hope now, it seems,” she said.

I chose not to correct her.

Why, I had no idea.

But the conversation moved quickly from my love life, and the lack of one for Silvano, focusing instead on this shit with Lore and Renzo Lombardi.

“She’s still on that?” I asked, shaking my head. “I thought Gav and the other brothers put an end to that.”

To that, Mom’s brows pinched.

“I think we need to remember that Lore is a grown woman capable of making her own decisions. And I don’t like the idea of the men in this family brow-beating any of the women out of a decision she wants to make.”

“We’re not brow-beating anyone, Ma,” Silvano assured her. “She can do whatever she wants. Even if that means marrying a fucking low-life like Renzo Lombardi.”

Honestly, all said and done, it was probably the most civil meal I’d shared with my brother in my life. And Ma seemed to be over the moon about it as she got out the pie she’d baked for dessert, despite this being lunch.

My phone buzzed in my jacket, and I reached for it only because I gave Miko strict instructions that I was not to be bothered for two hours while I was with my ma.

“This better be good,” I said, keeping my voice low, so Ma didn’t hear.

Silvano looked over, brows pinched, likely knowing that I wouldn’t want to be contacted during lunch. Especially since it was the first one since my house arrest.

“Halle is missing,” Miko said, cutting right to the chase.

“What?”

I didn’t realize I’d all but yelled until my ma rushed back into the room, eyes wide, likely thinking she was going to need to break up a fight with the two of us.

“What thefuckdo you mean she disappeared?”

I was yelling now.

Ma’s hand went to her heart, her eyes round, and Silvano was taking steps forward, ready for action.

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