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Zoe bit her bottom lip. She was willing to marry Luca to escape her family, but now that Cy was no longer a problem and the Chronis family had ferreted out the traitors, she didn’t have to run away.
Tootsie curled himself around her, pain contorting his face, but it didn’t stop him from giving her the comfort she needed.
Safe in his arms, Zoe wiped the lone tear from her cheek and nodded. “I understand.”
Her brothers stared at her like they’d never seen her before. I could only imagine how hard it was to watch their sister choose the enemy.
In one day, so many things had changed, and so many futures were altered.
“Now that we’re all on the same page get your men out of my club.” Luca stood, offering me his hand.
Tootsie remained seated, but the Chronis siblings stood and met on the other side of the low table and had a quiet conversation. Zoe tilted her head back and huffed. “I’m a thirty-year-old woman. I think it’ll be okay if I live in sin for a few months. And look at him.” She gestured at Tootsie. “Someone needs to take care of him.”
The brothers shared a look before they each pulled Zoe into a hug. When they stepped away, Alex pinned Tootsie with a glare. “You take care of my sister. If anything happens to her, I’ll kill you. Truce or not.”
Somehow, Tootsie pulled his huge body up and stood. Sweat poured down his face as he held his hand out. “I would kill myself if anything ever happened to her.” They shook hands, Alex putting more oomph behind it than necessary.
As soon as the Chronis brothers disappeared into the crowd, Tootsie collapsed onto the couch, groaning in pain.
Zoe jumped to his side, cooing and wiping his forehead. “We need to get home and get a doctor.”
Marco pulled out his phone, and within minutes, three big guys were at his side and being given orders. “They’re going to take you two to Rosa’s, and a doctor will be waiting for you when you get there.”
“Rosa?” Zoe’s face dropped. I could understand the desire to stay away from the Moretti matriarch, especially as a Chronis.
“Don’t worry, my mom loves Tootsie,” Luca said with a grin. “Just stick by his side.”
I slapped his stomach with the back of my hand. “Stop it.”
Luca hugged me to his side. “What’s the point of having a Chronis in-law if we aren’t going to have a little fun?”
“Asshole,” I muttered.
Zoe bounced back from her terrible surprise quickly. She started directing the men on how to lift Tootsie, move Tootsie, and talk to Tootsie—it was adorable. The group went out the back door and took all the remaining tension with them.
Marco gestured to the DJ, and the music got louder.
I leaned up, putting my mouth to Luca’s ear, and asked, “Do you want to go home?”
He looked around and shook his head. “With all those extra people gone, this isn’t so bad. Let’s get a drink with them and then dance.”
Grinning, I dragged him to my friends, who were still stiff and watching the Morettis with apprehension. “Sorry about that.”
Adriana laughed and downed her champagne. “It wouldn’t be a Moretti party without a little violence.”
I rolled my eyes and sat next to Ashley. “You guys okay?”
“Fine. Just a little worried about all the hulking men in suits casually carrying guns and staring at my boyfriend like they want him six feet under.” She subtly nodded toward a few soldiers standing at the entrance of the VIP section. “How are we going to get out of here?”
Luca jerked his chin at the menacing assholes, and they scattered. “Don’t mind them. You’re safe.”
“You sure?” she asked, still icing Malcolm’s hands.
While Ashley was a mess, Malcolm sat there, calm as fuck.
“Malcolm showed his loyalty to Sasha. He’s untouchable.” Luca picked up the empty bottle of champagne and sighed. “I guess we need to get one of those girls over here.”
As if his words summoned her, a tall, slim woman strutted over with a fresh bottle in a bucket of ice. Without a word, she set it on the table and left.
