Bibi crooned at Leonas, pointedly avoiding my eyes.
“Bibi, spill.”
“You just gave birth, Val. You should be the center of attention, not me. I can’t tell you about my dates.”
I shoved her lightly. “Bibiana, you’ve spent years living in misery and had to listen to everyone’s happy stories. Now it’s your turn. Please, I need the distraction.” I really didn’t want to worry about Orazio and my father anymore. Then I realized what she’d said. “Dates, as in more than one? I thought you needed me as a chaperone.”
Bibi looked mortified. “I know… but you had Leonas…”
“And you couldn’t wait to meet Dario as soon as possible.”
“We’ve been only been on two dates,” she admitted with an embarrassed laugh as we walked into the living room.
“And?”
“He’s very charming.” Her cheeks turned even redder and she focused on Leonas once more. It was adorable how embarrassed Bibi was about her dating life. She’d never had a crush or been in love, so this made me deliriously happy for her. “Can I hold him? He’s absolutely adorable!”
I nodded. She took Leonas from me and rocked him gently, looking absolutely smitten. Maybe Bibi was getting baby fever again. We sank down beside each other on the couch. Gabby had already prepared a pot of tea and an assortment of Bibi’s favorite macarons. It felt like I’d been eating constantly since I’d returned home.
“Bibi, you’re holding out on me.”
She bit her lip then met my gaze. “I let him kiss me after our second date. I didn’t want to—”
“He forced—”
“God no,” Bibi said quickly. “I mean I promised myself not to allow closeness because I didn’t want to give him the wrong impression but then I just… I don’t know. He stood so close and smelled so good and it just happened.”
“So you kissed,” I said with a grin. “So what? You’re a grown woman. And you deserve to enjoy yourself a bit.”
Bibi shook her head. “You know what people are going to say if they find out I kissed a man I’m not married to.”
“Nobody’s going to find out and if they do, they better keep their opinion to themselves. Nobody deserves this more than you. So how was it?”
Bibi smiled. “It was just… wow. I’ve never felt anything like it, as if every part of me is melting. I had so much trouble pulling away.”
I linked our fingers, not able to stop grinning despite my worry over Orazio and the war. “Then don’t pull away next time. Who cares?”
Bibi shook her head, looking determined. “No. I can’t be selfish about this. I want Luisa to have the best future possible and I don’t want people to talk behind her back about how her mother had an affair.”
I squeezed her hand. “Dario is a lawyer. I’m sure he’s got his ways to be sneaky about it.”
Bibi giggled but then she became serious. “I want to do this on my terms. I told him I’d like to see him again but that we need to go slow.”
“Do whatever feels right. I’ll support you no matter what.”
I leaned forward and kissed Bibi’s cheeks. “But Bibi, you deserve some man-made orgasms.”
Bibi gasped then burst out laughing and I fell in, feeling lighter than I had in a while.
Dante
Valentina was usually the peacemaker in our family. She didn’t like the lingering conflict between her brother and father, but this time it was my decision to invite Giovanni over for a clarifying conversation. With the war getting worse, I couldn’t allow fights among my own men, much less my family.
“I hope they don’t argue in front of the kids,” Val said with a sigh.
Orazio was the first to arrive in the late afternoon. He looked as if he hadn’t slept much these last few days and I wondered if the problems with Giovanni caused him so much stress or if something else was behind his obvious exhaustion.
He shook my hand briefly and gave me a tight smile. I valued his work but we’d never really hit it off. He was as closed off as me, which didn’t really help to form a closer bond. “Congrats on becoming a father again.”
“Thank you.”
His expression became more relaxed when he walked up to Val and Leonas. He hugged her briefly.
“I’m so glad you could make it,” Val said, looking happy. Standing beside each other, it was unmistakable that Val and Orazio were siblings. They shared the same eyes and almost the same hair color.
“Anna!” I called. “Your uncle is here.”
Steps thundered upstairs then Anna flew down the steps almost stumbling and jumped into Orazio’s arms. He lifted her up with a smile. “Careful. You’re going to hurt yourself.”
I allowed him a few moments before I motioned toward my office.
Val’s expression pinched. “We want to have coffee and cake.”
“This’ll only take a few minutes.”
She didn’t say anything but I knew she’d give me a piece of her mind later. I appreciated that Val had her own head, but I was also glad that she knew when to keep up appearances.
Orazio set down Anna and followed me into my office. “What is it?”
“Where have you been these last two days?”
Orazio’s eyebrows rose slowly. He chuckled and shook his head. “First my father, now you? Why does everyone always interrogate me? I didn’t know I had to announce wherever I went.”
“Unlike your father, I’m your Capo.”
“So this isn’t just a friendly family visit, all right,” he said bitterly.
I gritted my teeth. “Just answer my question, Orazio.”
He met my gaze. He wasn’t overly nervous, at least not more than the situation warranted. He was angry, that was obvious. “I had a huge fight with my father two days ago then again yesterday morning. You know he can’t let it drop. Every time he sees me, he criticizes every single of my choices, especially my refusal to marry a woman he suggests. I’m fucking sick of it. I knew I was about to lose my shit on him and I didn’t want that to happen so I decided to clear my head. I went to a few bars, drank a few too many drinks, fucked a few girls… and now I’m here, Dante.”
“What bars?”
He laughed darkly. “The Voda and the Kamchatka. My father made it very clear a long time ago that he doesn’t want fellow Made Men to see my escapades, and nobody knows who I am in Bratva owned bars.”
I narrowed my eyes but I couldn’t detect a lie. “It’s risky for you to walk into these bars. Even if our war with the Bratva in Chicago lies currently dormant, that could change at any time.”
“From my looks, I could be Russian. Nobody questioned me.”
I nodded. “The main reason why I was trying to call you is that Rocco and I suspect a spy to be behind a few unfortunate incidents and since you’ve been working closely with the Famiglia, you might know who got too close to them or maybe one of their women and switched loyalties.”
Orazio shrugged. “Nobody comes to mind. The guys I worked with are loyal to you, Dante. I can’t imagine them to betray the cause. Maybe there isn’t a spy. Rocco can be a tad paranoid if you ask me.”