AllFreeNovel
Share Us
I spread my legs and grind against him. “Now I’m your little slut,” I supply.
The wicked chuckle he gives me tells me he very much appreciates this response and approves. “That’s right.”
The fact that someone could find us sounds like such a silly notion now as my need for him thwarts all rationale. My head drops to his shoulder. I moan. My eyes flutter closed as the hint of a breeze kisses my skin, a wave crashes on the shore, and the first spasm of pleasure crests over me. “Shh,” he whispers in my ear. “We wouldn’t want anyone to hear you.”
My reply is a garbled mess of words. I slump against him, spent.
“Hey! Marialena! Salvatore! Where are you?”
I quickly right myself and glare at him, but the wicked glint in his eye tells me he’s anything but repentant. My body, still thrumming and heated, tells me it doesn’t regret anything either.
“What, baby?” he whispers as he pats my belly. “Do you think they forgot about the fact you’re pregnant?”
I shake my head and wag my finger at him because I’m not really sure how to come back from that.
“We’re here!” I shout, just as Rosa looks over the edge.
“Ah, should’ve known. Of course you’d show your husband your favorite hiding spot. Careful, Lena, Mario may never forgive you.” She grins. “Nonna’s already hit the wine hard and is ready to party, you don’t want to miss this.”
Salvatore takes me by the hand, and we follow Rosa back to The Castle. Romeo’s had spotlights installed, so The Castle’s lit up like a thing of beauty, majestic and timeless. I imagine I’m a fairy-tale princess. My eyes grow a little misty.
“You alright?” Salvatore asks, as I brush the back of my hand across my eyes.
“Eh, pregnancy hormones,” I say with a laugh. My heart is full. I love having the man that I love here, in my home, where I first learned the meaning of the word love.
“I love you,” I say tremulously.
He gives my hand a little squeeze. “And I love you.”
Uproarious laughter greets us when we enter the dining room. Romeo and Nonna are dancing to a lively tune piped in through overhead speakers. He can hardly keep up with her. With her ruddy cheeks and bright eyes, she’s shed decades here in this dining room.
“I feel like I’m in Italy,” Salvatore says. “A tune from the old country.”
“Here, drink this,” Mario says, plying him with a tall glass of wine. “Then you’ll really feel as if you’re there. You can drink two, one for you and one for Lena.”
“Hey! That’s not fair. Ugh, someone should’ve reminded me pregnant women can’t drink wine.”
“We all have to make sacrifices,” Salvatore says with a look of utter martyrdom as he takes both glasses of wine.
Nonna sees us and smiles, her eyes a bit glassy. “Chi si volta, e chi si gira, sempre a casa va finire!”
I smile at her. “Always, nonna.” I may travel the world and marry, have children and move away, but I will always, always have a home here at The Castle, with Nonna and my mother, my siblings and little nieces and nephews.
“Ah,” Romeo says, nodding at us. “But don’t forget,Tra Moglie e Marito Non Mettere il Dito,Nonna.”Never interfere between a husband and his wife.
“She isn’t interfering, Romeo, only reminding me that I will always have a place here with all of you.”
“La famiglia e tutto,” Salvatore agrees a bit gruffly, but I can tell by the way he squeezes my hand that he has no hard feelings. Though we have family, our loyalty now lies with a small, nuclear family of our own. Nonna grins at him, releases Romeo, then reaches for Salvatore’s hand.
“I can’t!” he protests, holding up two wineglasses to show his occupied hands.
Nonna shakes her head and tips her hand up like she’s holding a phantom glass.
“Drink up, husband,” I tell him with a laugh. With a grin, he drains his glasses, hands the empties to me, then joins Nonna on the dance floor. Nonna loves him because he trusts her food and the enormous platefuls he eats rival my brothers.
In the past few months, we’ve ceremoniously buried his cousin and mother, and he’s appointed new leaders. My brothers told me they were vetted to within an inch of their lives, and I’m not surprised. They said this with no small measure of approval, though. Even though I’m a Capo now, they like to know I’m safe.
Salvatore rewarded Jared for his bravery and help, and when we couldn’t locate any of his family, Salvatore begrudgingly agreed to let Jared stay. He softens Salvatore a little, even more than I do, and I know it’ll only give him good practice. Both of us, really.
