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"I apologize. I know you have too much honor to desecrate your wedding vows."
"Desecrate. That's a serious word. Can I assume you also have too much honor todesecrate yourwedding vows?"
"I am no cheater." His voice is just bursting with affront.
"Neither am I."
"I know. I should not have asked that."
"Are you admitting to a mistake? Only it's the first time I've ever known you to do that."
"Don't be so gleeful. I can admit when I am wrong."
"When have you ever?"
"I do not recall, but if I had been wrong, I would have admitted it."
I want to tease him and say that is a lie, but the arrogant man would just say he is never wrong. Except, he just admitted he'd made a mistake asking what he had.
Which touches me way more deeply than it should, and I find myself saying, "The only man I want is you, Raff."
"I crave you like a drowning man craves air."
I gasp, hating that this conversation is happening over the phone and not in person. I want to touch my husband so badly right now, it physically hurts that I can't.
And I won't see him again for two full weeks.
Neri and I will be flying out on the Mancini jet before Raff gets home from work. I prefer to travel in the evenings with my son, eating our dinner on the plane.
My rambunctious boy is not quite so energetic then as during the day. He will fall asleep about an hour before we arrive and won't wake on the transfer to my family's home in the top three stories of an Art Deco building in Manhattan. Since it is three hours later in New York, letting Neri sleep through until morning helps him to adjust to the time change more quickly.
"Text me when you arrive in New York and call me before you go to bed."
"Alright."
"Be safe."
"You too." I think my admonishment is more needed.
My husband's life is saturated with violence. In comparison, a flight on a well-maintained private jet represents no risk at all.
Chapter 8
New York City, New York
Five Families
CATALINA
Papà is beside himself. The don is coming for dinner.
I don't understand why my father is so happy. As Severu De Luca's consigliere, he has dined with the don many times. Don De Luca has been to our home as well, though this is the first time he is coming to dine with us.
All of us. Papà, my Zia Lora, Zio Giovi, Carlotta and me.
Zia is my father's widowed sister and she's lived with us since mamma died. She and Zio Giovi came for the funeral and never left. I like Zio Giovi. He is kind. He's much older than Zia though, his hair more silver and his face more lined than papà's.
Zia's full name is Madonna Candelora, like mine is Madonna Catalina and my sister is Madonna Carlotta.
