Total pages in book: 161
Estimated words: 151410 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 757(@200wpm)___ 606(@250wpm)___ 505(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 151410 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 757(@200wpm)___ 606(@250wpm)___ 505(@300wpm)
My mouth parted in surprise upon seeing Dad’s face when I entered the kitchen. He sat at the kitchen table and was sipping his coffee with a swollen lower lip. A bruise bloomed on his temple and his stiff movements suggested he had more injuries.
Mom’s annoyed expression told me she wasn’t impressed.
“Do you need me to check your injuries?” I asked, ready to hand Battista over to Mom.
“I’m fine,” Dad said.
“Sure.” I grabbed a pot of coffee for me and sank down beside Mom. “Let me guess, you met Nevio. Is he alright?”
Dad shook his head with a scowl. “Glad you’re concerned about his health.”
“I’m concerned about yours too, but I can see you’re not seriously injured.”
Dad’s mood lifted obviously. “So you think I kicked his ass?”
I doubted Dad could beat Nevio in a fight, but I kept my thoughts to myself.
Mom huffed and set down her cup with force. “Alessio and Massimo had to separate them.”
“You don’t need to punish Nevio on my behalf, Dad. I can handle him, okay?”
I took a few pancakes from the stack in the middle and put one on Battista’s plate with some fresh berries and yogurt.
“Can I kick his ass too?” Davide asked from the doorway where I hadn’t noticed him before. He had begun styling his blond hair with gel, which always made him late for everything.
“He’ll wipe the floor with you,” I muttered.
“She’s right. You still need to improve your fighting skills if you want to be a match for Nevio,” Dad said.
Mom sighed. “Can we not talk about violence at the breakfast table?”
Dad and Fabiano exchanged a look. They’d probably go to the gym for fight training later. Dad probably should have taken the day off, considering his injuries, but it would have been futile to tell him that.
I didn’t have to work today, so I wanted to enjoy the warm weather at the pool. After breakfast, I changed into a bikini, then covered myself with a pink beach dress before I dressed Battista in his cute shark swim trunks and headed out.
Battista’s hand in mine, I went over to the pool—he loved our almost daily swims—but I froze when I saw Nevio, Alessio, and Massimo in the water. I let out a small sigh. If I turned on my heel now and returned inside like I wanted to do to avoid Nevio, Battista would throw a fit. He was currently discovering his emotions and had tantrums over the smallest things, like a banana cut the wrong way or picking the wrong color for his spoon. Canceling our swim would equal a screaming rage.
Squaring my shoulders, I kept on walking to the pool. I wouldn’t allow Nevio’s return to mess up my life. It had taken considerable effort to build up a routine and figure out my life when he left me with his child.
His back was to me, presenting the twisted Joker smile that still gave me the creeps. His tally list hadn’t grown, which surprised me. From what I’d read in the news about the mob wars in Italy and what I’d overheard Dad and the Falcones discuss, the death toll had been great. I didn’t believe for one second that Nevio hadn’t been responsible for quite a few of those kills himself. Maybe he’d waited to be back home so Nino could ink him. Eventually, the space on his back would run out, though.
Massimo nudged his chin in my direction and said something to Nevio, who turned halfway.
His expression was hard to read, almost anxious. It wasn’t a look you saw often on his face. Alessio clapped Nevio’s shoulder, and they both left. I almost called for them to return. Had I looked like I wanted alone time with Nevio?
It was too late. They were already on their way to the mansion. I gave Nevio a tight smile and focused on putting water wings on Battista. I stayed in my beach dress for the time being, not wanting to expose myself in front of Nevio. He’d seen it all. Hell, he’d been inside me with his fingers, tongue, cock, and even knife. Still, he felt like a stranger after our time apart. I had changed, and from the little glimpses of him that I’d gotten, he had too. I wasn’t sure yet if it was for the better.
I set Battista down, and he stormed toward the shallow part of the pool to play with his toys. Nevio headed over to me. “I can go into the pool with Battista if you want to sunbathe for a bit.”
My attention was on the tattoo on his chest, and he allowed me to get a good look as he waited in front of me silently. It took me a while to figure out what I was seeing, and even then, I still had trouble believing it. The northern lights. Aurora borealis.