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“What you mean to say is he’s mafia,” I retort. “Everyone is scared of the Medicis. I’ve done my homework, sis.”
“Well, you can’t be thinking they’re all that bad since you haven’t objected to my and Angelo’s nuptials.”
“That’s because I know he makes you happy, and as you said, he’s one of the good guys.”
“He really is. I can’t say I could have predicted falling in love with the Mafia Don of Boston, but here we are. Things work out in mysterious ways.”
“Are you getting all mushy in your old age?”
She rolls her eyes. “Just because you’re still in your twenties doesn’t mean you can gloat.”
I sober a little. “Thanks, sis. I really love my presents.”
“Happy Birthday, Mia. I’m so happy to have you back.”
* * *
We have a fantastic rest of the day.
I’ve always had low-key birthdays. When our parents died in the accident, it was close to my birthday, and for years I never wanted to celebrate it.
Rayne always tries to pull me out of my funk, and after years of trying, I relented.
It wasn’t fair to be selfish and make it all about me. She lost them, too.
There’s one thing Rayne loves to do: spoil me.
The girls join us in the afternoon, and we have afternoon tea as Caroline fills us in on all the office gossip, including Tom being disgruntled about how Dante went postal.
“I’ve made it clear to him that we were always just friends,” I say. “And then he tries to stick his tongue down my throat. He didn’t even text me to apologize.”
“I’m so bummed we missed it!” Caroline groans. “He had a face like a sour lemon today. What a jerk.”
“Dante’s so hot,” Ashley says. “So is that other mean-looking guy that hangs around. Seriously, ladies, you need to hook up.”
The girls know who Rayne’s fiancé is, and they’ve been gracious enough not to ask me too many questions about it. I wouldn’t say I enjoy lying to them, we’ve been close for a long time, but sometimes it’s best not to involve them if I don’t have to. The last thing I’d ever want is to endanger my best friends. And around the Medici family, that seems to be how it is.
I shouldn’t have been so impulsive when I sent Dante that message about his doing something about our attraction. My body might be screaming at me to let him in, but the rational part of my brain tells me he’s mafia.
Do I go against all of what I know, or with what my heart is telling me?
“Yeah, where are the single, hot bodyguards for the rest of us?” Caroline complains. “Darko has a set of buns on him like I’ve never seen.”
I shake my head. “How did you even get a look at his buns? They’re supposed to be incognito.”
Caroline and Ashley both look at one another and fall over laughing. “Yeah, they really look like the type of guys from around here,” Ashley scoffs. “They don’t stand out in their dark suits, designer haircuts, and if-looks-could-kill, care bear stares. I’d seriously take either one of them for a ride if I were single. Can you imagine what they’ve got going on under those designer rags?” Ashley just about swoons.
Rayne almost chokes on her coffee.
Of course, the Medici men - and their associates - aren’t exactly lacking in the looks department. Each of them is attractive, even the big scary one called Rocco who’s tall and solid and never smiles, unless you’re called Sloane or Charlie. Rocco is good at blending into the background. Darko, however, not so much. He’s large, like Rocco, but more stoic somehow. He has sharp features and that mysteriousness about him, and he doesn’t say a lot.
Of course, Dante is in a league of his own.
Again, I feel guilty not opening up about the whole situation with him, although I’ve no idea yet what we even are, if anything. We shared an intimate moment, and he didn’t want to go any further. Then he ghosted me. When I think about that, I want to cringe all over again.
“You two are depraved,” I say, shaking my head. “But I’m not denying that the men in Boston are hot, and lucky me, I get to live there now.”
“Ugh, I’m so jealous!” Caroline singsongs.
