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“Of course,” Nino said, nodding. “Uncle Ant,” he called, making the older gentleman take a step forward. “Would you mind bringing the ladies back to the suite?” he asked, handing the elevator key not to Antony, but to me. Which sort of felt like a big deal. Or maybe I was reading way too much into it.
“Absolutely. Ladies,” he said, holding out an arm.
“Darling, do you mind if…” my mom said, reaching to pull the jacket off of my shoulders, and slipping it on to cover all the blood. “Say goodbye to your fella. I will be outside waiting for you.”
“Are you okay?” Nino asked as soon as we were alone. I mean, alone save for the two bodies and his brothers and cousins all around.
“I’m… I don’t know,” I admitted. “But I’m glad I have my mom back, so that’s all that really matters. I’m sure I am going to need to process. Maybe in the tub. With some scotch,” I said, getting a little chuckle out of him before his arms were pulling me against his strong body, wrapping me up, squeezing me tight.
“I was so fucking worried I might lose you,” he said, giving me a tighter squeeze.
“You still might,” I said, voice tight. “You’re squeezing the life out of me,” I added.
His arms loosened enough for me to pull back and look up at him. “Thank you for coming to save me. Even if I totally could have… gotten the job done given enough time.”
“And another couple magazines,” Dante said, making a little involuntary chuckle escape Nino.
“That’s a gun thing, right?” I asked.
“Yeah, sweetheart, that’s a gun thing.”
“I think it must mean he likes me if he’s teasing me, right?” I asked, voice low enough for only the two of us to hear.
“You’ve got nothing to worry about there,” he assured me, pressing a kiss to my forehead. “Now go be with your mom. I will be back to the suite as soon as possible.”
With wobbly legs, now that the adrenaline was good and worn off, I made my way outside to where Antony and my mom were waiting for me.
We didn’t say much on the ride back, and Antony cut the awkward silence by putting the stereo on low.
He did insist on going up with us, but only to ‘look around’ before he headed back out again.
“Is every man in that family incredibly handsome?” my mom asked, shaking her head at the closed door, then looking over at me.
“Ah, yeah, pretty much,” I said, nodding.
“But you have the handsomest,” she told me with a warm smile.
“I do,” I agreed. “Come on. I will give you some clothes, so you can take a shower,” I told her, leading her through the suite.
“It’s beautiful,” she decided, nodding.
“But you hate it,” I said, knowing her too well.
“Ihateit,” she agreed, beaming at me.
“If it makes you feel any better, Nino lives in this old Queen Anne that he is lovingly restoring,” I told her.
“That does make me feel better. Have you broken in all the rooms of the house yet?”
“Mother!” I hissed, cheeks feeling hot, but it felt good, normal, to be talking about something so mundane compared to all the mafia stuff and killing.
“I have to tease you,” she told me. “I will be right out. Can you make me some tea or coffee?” she asked.
“Really? Because I was eyeing up the liquor cabinet,” I admitted.
“Both seem appropriate,” she decided before going into the bathroom.
Deciding she was right about that, I put on the coffee, then grabbed the scotch. My mother, like me, wasn’t much of a drinker. But when she came back out, clean, blood-free, wearing a pretty tan linen tunic top and loose leg black pants, she took the shot I’d put out for her, lifted it, and poured it back without even the hint of a grimace at the burn.
