Page 45 of Protecting Olivia

Were we really having this conversation in front of his whole family? His sister hadn’t said a word to me and both his brothers were looking at me like a zoo animal on exhibit. What if they didn’t like me? What if they thought I wasn’t good enough to be a part of their family? They were very obviously close, more than close if Leo wanted to discuss our fledgling relationship in front of them. I thought back to what Leo said about my mom not liking him. He told me that once she saw what I meant to him, she’d get over it. That had to work both ways. If his siblings didn’t welcome me the same way Essa had, they’d have to get over it. I would prove to them how much Leo meant to me.

“I have never been more ready in my life.” I blew out a breath and squared my shoulders. “Introduce me to your brothers.” I tried to keep my voice firm to not give away my nervousness.

“I like her, Brother,” one of the men said and laughed.

“Come here, tesorino,” Leo commanded.

He didn’t have to ask me twice. I needed to feel his arms around me to settle the riot of emotions bouncing in my tummy.

“Olivia, this is my older brother, Marco Jr., we call him MJ.” Leo pointed to his brother. “And this is Luca, my younger brother. I assume Ma already introduced you to Bella.”

She had, but she hadn’t. I didn’t get to actually talk to Bella before we dove right into marriage and family.

“Hi everyone. It’s nice to meet you all.” I didn’t know what else to say. I felt like I was on display and my every word was being scrutinized. I felt the need to flee from the men’s watchful stare. The safest place for me was back in the kitchen. “What can I help with?” I asked Essa.

“Don’t let them scare you, Figlia. Boys, stop staring at your brother’s girl.

“Sorry, Ma. It’s not every day I walk into the kitchen and find a beautiful woman standing there,” Luca said.

“You better watch your mouth, Luca, Leo might kick your ass for looking at his girl.” MJ laughed.

“He could try,” Luca returned.

“I could try and not break Ma’s furniture when I put my foot up your ass. Take your eyes off my woman,” Leo growled.

Yes, he growled, like the jungle cat he so closely resembled.

“Language,” Essa chastised. “If you boys are going to fight, go outside. My carpets were cleaned last week, and I hate having to blot the blood out of the carpet. I cannot wait until you three have sons and you know what it's like to referee unruly boys.” Essa turned to me. “Only have girls. No sons. They may love their ma, but they are a pain in the ass.”

I laughed at her use of a curse word so shortly after she had corrected her sons. She might’ve called them a pain, but the love Essa had for her family was unparalleled.

“Would you all please not scare Olivia away before I get to talk to her? My whole life I wanted a sister, and now my dumb brothers are gonna scare you off before I get to keep her,” Arabella spoke for the first time.

I didn’t know if the butterflies in my belly were because I was freaked out that Essa and Bella said they wanted to keep me, or if it was from the excitement they wanted to.

“Don’t let her fool you. She acts sweet and innocent, but she is trouble. She’ll rope you into her crazy schemes if you’re not careful,” MJ said.

“Shut up, MJ. I am not.”

“Right.” He smiled at Bella.

“Ma!” Bella whined.

“Sorry, Figlia, he is not wrong.”

My head bounced around as they continued to bicker with one another. My gaze landed on Leo. He was leaning against the wall, his arms crossed over his chest watching me with his family. Peace washed over me. This was where I belonged. There was no doubt in my mind. Essa said I was made for him and they had been waiting for me. The truth was, they all were made for me, and I had been waiting for them.

Chapter Seventeen

Leo

I spent the night watching Olivia charm my family. She did nothing special, she didn’t need to. My family had fallen in love with her just as fast as I had. There was something about her that was captivating. That should’ve scared the fuck out of me, but it didn’t. I’d been around the block enough times to know that what I felt for Olivia was different. It was real. If there had been any sliver of doubt, it disappeared the second her soft tongue grazed mine. The current that sparked between us bonded me to her in a way that was unbreakable. It was like our souls had melted together.

My whole life Ma told me and my brothers that we’d know when we met the woman that God had intended for us. Each of us thought she was full of shit and dismissed her. Luca and MJ would never believe me if I told them that I thought Ma was actually right. Olivia was proof. They’d have to feel it themselves.

After the week we’d had, family dinner was exactly what we both needed. It was what I needed. Every Sunday if I wasn’t on an op, my ass was planted at Ma’s table. It wasn’t because that was what was expected, though it was. It was because I needed them. I was close to every member of my team, they were my second family. We fought together, we bled together. I was bonded to them in a way that very few people could understand. However, my family grounded me, reminded me that I was more than a hired assassin sent in to kill bad guys so the government could deny involvement. Dinners around Ma’s table reminded me why I do what I do – so they could be safe. I would take the hash marks on my soul if it meant my brothers, sister, and Ma could breathe easy and not have to know what evil looked like.

By the time we pulled up to my apartment Olivia looked dead on her feet. I felt a little guilty I had subjected her to all the ridonculous behavior. My brothers were the worst, telling her one wild story after another. She fit right in and laughed along with them, encouraging my siblings to tell her more. Arabella looked like she had a shiny new toy on Christmas morning, a sister she could play with. And Ma, I hadn’t seen her so happy since before my dad died. Her family was getting bigger. She welcomed Olivia into the family without reservation. That did freak me out. I figured Ma would put Olivia through her paces. Instead, she cried and thanked me for bringing her a daughter. Crazy woman.