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“You seem to know so much. He’s been gone for more than a week.”
“And you barely went out the week after running into each other at the movies. I’ve watched eight other syndicate marriages happen since mine. I know how this goes. As long as you’re safe and happy, I won’t get in the way. Even if he is a Mancinelli. I might hold that against him, but I won’t hold it against you. Lorenzo, the moment she’s in danger or you make her unhappy, it won’t be my husband, brothers, or cousins coming after you. It’ll be me.”
From Enzo’s smile, I’d say he believes her, but he also respects her even more.
“Just don’t send Ana. You know she terrifies Uncle Sal.”
“I’ve already talked to Maks, Chellie. He’s not thrilled, but he accepts this. He knows better than to even think about this affecting our friendship. He sure as shit won’t say a word about it. Lorenzo, I know she’ll pick you. Don’t be a douche and make her.”
“Laura, I’m glad she’s friends with you. And not just because it meant Chellie and I met properly. There are details you will never share from your family. But Chellie has you, and you know what this is like. The women in my family will welcome Chellie, but you’re already as close as sisters. I hope you can help make this easier for her.”
“Chellie, I want to talk to you alone for a moment, please.”
Enzo nods, but I know he wouldn’t stop me even if he didn’t like it. I take a few steps away and lower the volume on my phone.
“Yeah?”
“You definitely scored the hottest one in the family. You got yourself a Maks.”
“Doesn’t everyone say Pasha is the pretty one?”
“He is. Maks is the hottest.”
“Are you seriously not mad that I didn’t tell you?”
“Lanie will be. But you know I understand. I’m certain he’s told you what to do if something goes wrong. Go to his family first. Always. But if you can’t get to him, nothing’s changed. Come to mine. Everyone knows how close we are. We’ll always protect you no matter who you marry.”
“You make it sound like that’s a foregone conclusion.”
“With these men, it is. The moment he decided on a first date, you might as well have signed a marriage license. They don’t play around. If you’re not absolutely certain already, then you better get certain fast. If you don’t think you can do this, end it. Because when he falls in love with you, there’s nothing he won’t do for you. You’ll break his heart if you don’t feel the same. Nothing will ever be more important to these men than their families. You can understand why. To him, you’re already as good as part of his.”
I’m watching Enzo as I talk to my best friend, the wife of the head of the Russian ma — bratva.
“I don’t think I’m in love yet, but I’m sure I’m three-quarters of the way there. I understood what Maks meant to you from the start. But now that I feel the same thing for Enzo that you must have felt about Maks, I feel shitty that I wasn’t more supportive. I wasn’t as onboard with you and Maks as you are about Enzo and me.”
“I’ve been in this life for three years now. I’m in a different place. I can be happy and scared for you at the same time. Just promise me one more thing.”
“Sure.”
“Listen to Lorenzo and trust him. You might not like it. You might not understand it. You might not agree with it. But he will put you first even when he thinks he can’t. When he tells you to do or not to do something, it’s for a reason. Don’t ask questions. Just do it.”
“I will. I gotta go. The dinner’s about to start.”
“Have fun, Chellie Belly.”
I giggle.
“Bye, Laura Snora.”
When we were nine, she and her little sister had to sleep over at my house because her parents went out of town. She shared my room and had a sinus infection. She sounded like a chainsaw. I teased her mercilessly for a week, and the nickname stuck. She calls me Chellie Belly because of a trick I could do as a kid where I could basically make my tummy roll up and down but also side to side. I can’t do it anymore, but the nickname stuck.
“Everything all right?”
“Yeah, Daddy. Don’t frown. It’ll give you wrinkles.”
I stretch and kiss his cheek.
“Laura’s cool with everything?”
