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Sighing, he moved to stand to my right, leaning over on the railing. “What is going on with you Mel?”
“What?”
“What is going on?” he repeated himself, this time turning to face me.
“I’m sorry, did you miss the fact that you went behind my back and took my son to see one of the sons of the triad without my knowledge or consent?”
“I’m supposed to get your consent before I take my son out?”
“Don’t do that! Don’t make it sound like I am in the wrong! He’s almost ten, Liam, TEN. He needs to be stronger first! All of our shit will find him eventually. The world is going to try and tear him down. Every fucking moment I can I spend pushing him to be stronger while trying to keep him safe. My whole life I’ve spent proving that I am Melody Giovanni. I’ve gone through hell as Melody Callahan and now my son looks at me like I’m a housewife and my husband no longer thinks he should clue me in on our family business. Meanwhile, I’m running a damn state. What’s wrong? You. You are not talking to me! You are hiding things!”
“For the love of fucking Christ, Melody! You make it seem like I betrayed you. When did you become so emotional about shit like this? Did you ever stop to think about why I took him? He’s young and he figured it out! HE came to me. He wanted to see and I looked into his eyes and saw that he was ready! It was not planned and I did not intend on going behind your back! I took him, he learned, he came home safe. How can I talk to you when you aren’t listening?”
He was an idiot. When it came to everything else, he was a genius; when it came to me, he had no idea how to fucking approach. How long have we been married? All these years and still…
Brushing my hair over to the side, I simply crossed my arms.
“Ethan came to me and asked me if he could go out with you. I told him no. I told him you and I had a plan and he should be patient. Then he goes and asks you and you argue as if my words have no meaning.” I laughed bitterly at that. “Oh, and let’s not forget all the talking coming from our families. ‘Melody is no longer focused on the family but the rest of the world. Melody’s family is the one who almost destroyed our way of life. Melody is now second. No need to speak to Melody, go straight to the boss.’ And because of that, the last few weeks you’ve been meeting privately with heads of Italians families, without so much as a word to me.”
He didn’t say anything, but I could tell he was somewhat shocked I knew.
“That”—I pointed to his eye—“that small twinge of shock in your eye, that is what pisses me off. I’ve never given a flying fuck what people have to say. Their words mean nothing to me. But the fact that you think you can keep secrets from me and I would not find out as if I’m some airhead blow up doll—”
“Never.” He grabbed onto me, pinning me between the railing and his body. His green eyes focused on me…hurt, frustrated, and confused. “Yes, I’ve been keeping secrets. Yes, I’ve been meeting with Italians. But never say I think less of you or that you’ve become anything less than my absolute partner in everything.”
“So why didn’t you tell me? I’m not a patient person and I’ve waited over and over for you to speak up.”
He frowned. “Because I know their words mean nothing to you. You are a mother. You are the head of a state. You plan to be the head of a country. Why the fuck should you be concerned about—”
“They are my people, Liam. My people. The choice of what I am concerned with and what I am not is up to me. You do not make those choices for me. I share control with you; I never left it all in your hands.”
He shook his head at me, cupping the side of my face just like I had done to him earlier. “You want to take care of our family, our children, me, all of Chicago, and our people every day…I just want to take care of you. I know you hate it. I know you’re going to fight me tooth and nail to the very end, but you cannot do it all Mel, and you don’t have to because you have me. You always have me and I would sooner put a bullet in my brain than ever…ever…betray you. Do you know what the Italians call me?”
I nodded. “The Mad Hatter.”
He snickered. “Sometimes
, but for the most part, I’m il cane del padrone.”
I laughed. Damn it. I wanted to be serious but the look on his face as he said it was hilarious. “The master’s dog?”
“We have three children. I’ve finally mastered Italian. I’ve personally overseen charities here and in Italy for all of them and still I’m the dog. However, it does not bother me in the least…because you are the master of me. My mind, my body, my heart. Mel, you control all of it, all the time. I can sit with them a thousand times, but at the end of the day, they still see you as their queen, Bloody Melody.” He lifted my chin up to look him in the eye. “As for Ethan, you’re right, I should have told you before, I apologize, but I cannot and will not apologize for changing our plan. He’s much stronger than even I was at his age. We wanted to wait so he could enjoy just being a kid, but he doesn’t see the world like a normal kid. He’s got his mother’s heart; what I can do?”
I glared; I felt like he wearing me down with his words and I still wanted to be pissed at him. He hadn’t just mastered Italian, but the art of sweet-talking me too. Worst of all, he knew it, which made it all the more irritating. “Stop looking at me like that.”
“Like what? This is how I always look at you.”
Fuck me.
“Give up! I give in! Happy? I’m not pissed anymore. Stop pouring butter all over me.” I groaned, resting my head on his bare chest.
“Does my love for you embarrass you?” He laughed, wrapping me up in his arms.
“You…shut up,” I muttered, kissing the center of his chest. “You’re making me soft.”
“Says the woman who poisoned me five minutes ago,” he said as he undid my silk robe and pushed my nightgown off my shoulders. “The night is almost over and I still haven’t kept my promise to you.”
My lips parted slightly at the touch of his cold hand grasping my bare breast, his thumb brushing my nipple softly before pinching tightly, a shiver going up my spine. His left hand grabbed my ass to bring me so close to him I touched his chest. I wasn’t sure if it was his skin or mine that was on fire or if we both were burning…all I knew was that I wanted him.
