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Benedetto flashes me a thumbs-up. "I approve of this one. He's a cutie. Don't break his heart."
I stare at my brothers. "So I have your approval?"
Benedetto and Gianluca grill Arlo for the next twenty minutes. They ask him about his upbringing, kinks, and what he knows about my profession. They ask him about my cock piercing to prove we've been together. When they finish, Arlo's cheeks are bright red.
Gianluca nods. "Yes. Arlo is a perfect fit. Welcome to the clan."
My heart swells in my chest. "Thank you. I appreciate it a lot."
Arlo's jaw drops as he turns to me. "Does this mean we're officiallyrealdating now, Daddy?"
I bury Arlo in a hug. "Yes. We can dispense with our fake relationship. You're mine."
Just then, an adorable old woman with a pearl necklace around her neck and a cooking towel over her shoulder approaches us. She carries a baby rescue chihuahua Benedetto saved from a coal mine, and feeds him a treat as she walks up to me.
"Constantine." Nana wraps her arms around me.
"Nana." I hug her as tight as I can. "I'm happy to see you."
Nana squeezes me tight. "I can't believe you made it. You know, I was telling your brothers I didn't think you'd come. You were so heartbroken after that Puerto Rican bastard broke up with you last year. I figured you were still in your room watchingThe Proposaland blowing your money on bad stock trades. Do you know how hard it is to make money in the market,idiota? But you showed up. Thank you for being here.Grazie per essere qui."
I force myself not to laugh as I release my grip on Nana. This is my grandmother, all right. She knows my business, and she never misses an opportunity to remind me.
"Thank you." I groan as I shake my head. "And I wasn't cooped up alone for the entire year, you know. I went to the Little Bunny Club with my brothers every Friday night."
Most grandsons don't share intimate details about their romantic lives with their grandmothers. But I've always been Nana's special boy, and we don't keep secrets in our family. It's our circle of trust.
Nana tsk tsks me as she smacks me with the kitchen towel. "You should know better than to spend time in that stinking club." She shakes her head. "You need a nice boy to settle down with. Not a bratty—what you call it?—like Carlos."
"Twink?" Gianluca furrows his brow.
"Yes." Nana snaps her fingers. "That's it. Carlos was an obnoxious, rude twink. He never cared about you. He only wanted you for your money. We tried to warn you, but you were too proud—troppo orgoglioso."
My cheeks flush pink. "Oh my God, Nana. Stop."
"Everyone told you Carlos was no good for you. He was a rotten, low-life user. I'm sorry he cheated on you, but I'm not sorry you broke up. It was a terrible relationship, and it was doomed from the start."
I can't help but laugh. Nana is spot on, of course. I would've spared myself a world of pain if I'd listened to her.
"Meet Arlo." I squeeze Arlo's hand. "This is my new boy. I seek your stamp of approval."
Look, I get it. It's ridiculous for a grown man to ask his grandmother's permission to date a new partner. But Nana has been right about every relationship in this family, and she's something of a matchmaker. She helped my mother and father get together. My mother was the lead dominatrix at a kink club when she scened with my father. They played together every weekend until Nana pushed my father to ask her out. They dated and fell in love.
Nana's jaw drops. "Sweet heavens. Who's thisadolescente?"
Arlo's cheeks are red as he shakes Nana's hand. "Constantine is my Daddy, ma'am. We're dating."
Nana can't believe her eyes. "How old are you?"
"Twenty-one." Arlo beams proudly.
"And do you like my grandson?" Nana's voice is firm. "Don't lie to me,bambino. I've lived on this Earth too long. You can't pull the wool over my eyes."
Arlo wraps his arms around me. "Constantine rescued me after I tripped over a racecar in the Little Bunny Club and gave myself an ouchie. He's my knight in shining armor."
Arlo stands on his tiptoes and kisses me. He buries himself in my arms.
My heart swells as I stare into Arlo's eyes. It's the unprompted things that make me bubble with warmth. How does he know this is the exact thing my Nana wants to see?
