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Before my wife’s alarm went off, I took her phone and turned it off. We’d just gotten to bed an hour ago. Angelo was being released from the hospital, and she wanted to be on time to pick him and Phoenix up. I wanted to get to her brothers first. She’d told them she was getting married, but she didn’t go into detail about how much she’d told them about me—about us.
She was my wife, and it was time I introduced myself as her husband. Depending on what time Angelo was released, Leonora could meet us there or at the new house. She didn’t know about it yet. It was going to be a surprise for all of them.
Except for my time in Italy, I’d never lived outside of the casino. Even though I was only going to be a few minutes away, it was going to be an adjustment. I’d made a bed for myself at Portofino and made it my life.
How fucking wild the twists of life could be. I hadn’t planned on her either—or ever expected to get married after I decided not to marry in Italy.
Different time. Different place. Different man.
After a shower, I dressed in a suit and met Lidia and Umberto in the kitchen. He was finishing his coffee and cornetto. Lidia mirrored his breakfast but gave it to me to go.
I didn’t want to be late.
While I dodged traffic, I turned on the radio. An old romantic song played, and I turned it up. Umberto looked between the dash and me. It was usually Gio who was into this sound, but what the fuck. I was feeling it.
“I see you, boss,” Umberto said in Italian, and he grinned at me.
The entire population of Vegas could see me. I was fucking burning for a woman who was so hot, I was lit up like the biggest neon sign along the strip.
At the hospital, Umberto went to talk to the men I’d ordered to watch Angelo’s door since I found out what happened with Jerry Rispoli. It wouldn’t be beneath him to kill Angelo, even Phoenix, if he thought they were ratting on him.
The Rispoli brothers usually kept a low profile, but they could be paranoid. Especially if they saw me or my men hanging around. The only thing worse would be the cops.
I knocked on the door once with my knuckle before I let myself in. Angelo was sitting on the bed. Phoenix was sitting on the sofa, a pull-out bed situation the hospital had. Their bags were packed, and they were dressed. Both of their eyes widened when I walked in and introduced myself as Leonora’s husband.
“Where is Leonora?” Phoenix asked.
“She’s either going to meet us here or at the new house.”
“What new house?” Phoenix seemed like he was starting to get nervous.
“I bought it as a surprise for Leonora. That’s why I came early. I wanted you two in on it.”
“We get to come with her, right?”
“You go where she goes. The three of you are a package deal.”
The entire time Phoenix was shooting questions at me, I could feel Angelo’s stare on my face. I met his eyes.
“I know who you are, Tullio Bigatti. They call you Mr. Big around town.”
“How does a kid your age know who I am?”
He laughed, but sarcastically. “I’m not a fool, Mr. Big, and that’s what it would take not to know who you are. Leonora went to you, right? When she found out who I was working for? Because Rispoli works for you. And you fell in love with her. She should come with a warning sign, but everything in Vegas is a gamble, right?”
“Smart kid.”
“You’re in love with Leonora?” This from Phoenix.
“Yeah.” I looked at him. “I am.”
“Good.” He nodded. “She needs someone to treat her right.”
“Phoenix.” Angelo narrowed his eyes at him, a clear signal to shut up.
“It’s true, Angelo. She’s exhausted because she works too much. She doesn’t even have a bed in the apartment. We stress her out. Linda stresses her out. And for the past couple of years, she’s dated nothing but losers.” He looked at me. “You won’t take off with our crap paper, will you? Because it’s expensive and restaurant napkins feel like sandpaper when you can’t afford it. You dress real nice, though, but so did—”
“Shut the fuck up, Phoenix,” Angelo snapped.
