Page 151 of Made in Love and Blood

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Staten Island, New York

Salvatore, Gallo Estate

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Salvatore tried his best not to be annoyed at the scene unfolding down in his driveway just a few short hours after he’d laid out the new rules to Nico.

“It’s like they can’t fucking help themselves,” he muttered unhappily. “What, they can’t even be apart more than a few hours now? Absurd.”

Carina hummed where she stood beside him. “That’s love. First love is even worse. You remember what that felt like, don’t you? You don’t want to be apart; it hurts.”

As much as he hated to admit it, Carina hit the nail on head. Her hammer came down on him painfully.

She came to stand in front of Salvatore. Tilting her head back to stare up at him, he had no choice but to meet her gaze instead of continue watching the scene playing out in the front courtyard of his home. Her hand found his, and she pulled it to her stomach where his fingers splayed wide. The tension in his shoulders eased enough that it didn’t ache just to stand there.

“Does that help?” she asked him.

Salvatore shrugged one shoulder. “Some.”

Down below, three distinct voices carried up to them.

“Hi, I’m Carmen,” came the youngest voice.

“Yeah, I know. I’ve heard a lot about you.”

“You’re Frankie, right?”

“That’s what everybody calls me.”

“She might have heard that you really like soccer,” Nico informed, a smile in his tone, “and guess who just started soccer summer camp...”

“No way,” Frankie said.

“Yep. Mama wanted me to do ballet, but...not as fun.”

“Soccer’s not always fun, either.”

“Better than tutus. Nico said you’re really good.”

“Crazy good,” he corrected. “I said crazy good.”

“I do okay,” Frankie said about herself. Never too prideful, his daughter. Only if she had to make a point. “Do you wanna kick a ball around? I can put some pylon cones up for a makeshift net. I mean, I have a big net in the backyard but...”

Her voice trailed off. Salvatore bit his inner cheek, knowing why.

“Well, he’s clearly informed her of your new rules,” Carina intoned seriously.

“Before I even could,” Salvatore replied, grumbling.

“I mean, she wouldn’t talk to you, so...”

Like he needed the reminder.

“And she would need to know he’s not allowed past the driveway at the moment,” Carina added as if Salvatore required the information.

He fully believed, because Nico showed back up at the estate with his little sister, that the only reason Frankie had yet to leave for her penthouse as she’d promised was down in the courtyard. She packed up her bedroom, other than a few things she planned to leave behind, and loaded her vehicle with the items to take.