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Twenty-One
We walked into Red, and it erupted in applause. Between the crowd and the music, you had to yell to be heard.
“Welcome home, baby.” I kissed his cheek, leaving behind a faint red imprint.
Bottle girls lined up with champagne topped with sparklers, shouting over the music blaring through speakers.
“Thanks,” Luca groused, completely put off by the scene before him.
Frankie disappeared into the crowd, and the beautiful women of Red circled Tommy, offering him champagne and whatever else he might want.
“I forget he’s twenty-one.”
Luca nodded and said into my ear, “He’s twenty-two in February.”
“A fucking baby.”
Luca laughed and pulled me past the crowd toward the VIP section. With drinks in hand, Ashley, Malcolm, and Adriana were waiting for us.
“Luca!” Adriana launched herself at him, and he hugged her back loosely, his eyes darting to me. Tensions between Adriana and the family were at an all-time high now that she was not only living in Chicago but moving in with her doctor boyfriend. “Welcome home!”
“Thanks.” He patted her back and took a step back.
Not letting his standoffish behavior dampen her mood, Adriana hugged me. “How are Sarah and the baby doing?”
“Amazing. You should visit her before you head back to Chicago. Get a baby cuddle in.”
“I might do that.”
Just then, Tootsie stepped into the VIP, and Malcolm exploded off the couch, tackling him to the ground. “You motherfucker!”
A circle formed around them as Malcolm rained punches down on Tootsie.
“Should we do something?” Frankie materialized out of nowhere.
Luca shook his head. “This is part of his punishment. Malcolm owed him a beating for that stunt he pulled in the alley.”
Tommy hopped over the railing, pushing through the suited men and flashy women. After a particularly vicious blow, he gave Luca a pointed look.
“Enough,” Luca said, and all the guys jumped into action, pulling Malcolm off Tootsie.
Malcolm stared down at Tootsie, a grin. “Consider us even.”
Ashley wrapped her arms around him, her eyes wary as she looked at the mobsters in front of her. Out of instinct, I took a step her way, placing my body between her and the men.
Tootsie rolled to his side with a groan, clearly in no hurry to get up. I wasn’t even sure he could get off the floor. Swatting away helpful hands, he said, “I’m fine.” He propped himself into a sitting position and leaned on one hand, tentatively touching his cut cheek. Staring up at Malcolm, he nodded, and the two men came to a silent agreement.
“Torquato!” a woman shrieked over the thumping bass.
No matter how much I craned my neck, I couldn’t see who was screaming Tootsie’s name. Luca pushed me behind him, and Frankie and Tommy flanked him, blocking me in.
“I thought we were meeting tomorrow,” Luca yelled. His words could barely be made out over the loud music.
“Talk to our sister.” I knew that voice. Peeking through Luca’s and Frankie’s arms, I caught sight of the Chronis brothers, with about a dozen men, all standing around Zoe Chronis.
Luca sighed, and I instantly regretted making him come out. We could be at home fucking and cuddling, but now he was handling yet another situation.
"Why is my fiancé on the ground, beaten to a bloody pulp?”
