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If Ghetti knows, he must have been close to the conversation. Makes sense. Ghetti and Sebastiano both have plans for me. Sebastiano wants me out of sight. He’s in love with my wife and hates that she fell for a guy like me. He’s in love with the idea of having what Michele has—the bakery and house next door included. Ghetti wants me in the life. He wants to steal the attention and respect Gallo and his soldiers give me, when all they do is laugh at him and his old man. Right in their faces. When Gallo had requested to see me, and Ghetti brought me in, all Gallo had to do was smile at him and he turned into a fucking peacock.
Good reasons for Sebastiano to want me out of the picture and Ghetti to have me in his.
He buries his hands into his pockets again, jangling spare change. He shrugs. “I told him the truth. You did it for him. You tricked the stubborn old man. You made him think you were against us. You wanted it for yourself. But you really bought it because you didn’t want the Irish to get it. Greedy green—”
“Once he finds out you lied to him?”
“He’s not. You wouldn’t do that to—” His eyes light up at something coming from behind me.
I smell her in the air before I even turn around. Her hand slides around my waist and she stands next to me.
“Luci,” Ghetti says. “How you doin’?”
“Good,” she says, overly polite. “You?”
He smiles and looks at me. “I’m glad you’re doing good. It’s always good to be doing good. You never want that to change.” He hustles out of the door right after, swallowed up by the bright light.
My wife’s hands on me are the only reason I didn’t take him by the throat and crush his windpipe.
“What was that about?” She looks up at me.
“Nothing,” I say. “How are you feeling, baby?”
“I took a nap,” she says. “It was…better than food.”
I grin, leaning down to kiss her lips. She’s all lit up. Like she’s glowing from the inside out.
“We have to get going,” she says, yawning. “I overslept. We’re supposed to go over to your parents’ place for dinner. Carine bought a bunch of wedding planning magazines for us to look at.” She grins, probably at the dazed look in my eyes. “Don’t worry. All you have to do is show up.”
“Done,” he says. “We’re already married.”
“Yeah,” she says, laughing. “But…she really wants to plan a wedding. She’s looking forward to it. You think she’ll be disappointed that we didn’t tell them? That we’re already married?”
“We’re telling them tonight.”
“That’s the plan, but…I’m almost worried that she’ll be disappointed. That we should have waited.”
“Couldn’t,” I say. “Not after you forced me.”
“Forced you?” Her mouth drops open.
I laugh at the look on her face. “Yeah, forced me. I couldn’t have you out in the world without my name—without my claim. You’re too fucking beautiful. Look!” I purposely raise my voice. “Look at all these motherfuckers stealing glances at you—at my wife! My pregnant wife! I did that—”
“Lilo! Oh. My. God.” She’s trying to duck behind me and trying not to laugh. She starts pulling on me. “Let’s go. Let’s go!”
I laugh out the door because she thinks she’s dragging me out. I’m following. We stop at the house so I can take a shower. She joins me, and by the time we’re done, we’re an hour late for dinner.
Her eyes take in the house, and mine take in the car parked in front of it. The lights are on, and the exhaust pipe spews smoke. The guy at the wheel is holding a newspaper, reading it, waiting.
“Someone you know?” She asks.
“Yeah,” I say. “Go inside.”
“What about you?”
“I’ll be there in a few.”
Her hand hesitates on the handle. “Can this wait? I want you to see the look on your grandma’s face when she sees how much I can eat now.” She grins at me, but it’s forced. She’s trying to get me to go inside. Maybe she doesn’t have a good feeling about this.
