Page 60 of Poison and Wine
After we landed and exited the plane, I finally felt like I could breathe. We were home and once again on our territory. The constant feeling of being on edge melted away. Once I met with all the Neretti brothers and ironed out the parameters of our alliance, we could begin to move forward.
Since stepping on American soil, Caterina appeared to be overwhelmed with nervous energy. Even though it was almost eleven at night, she bounced in her seat while leaning from left to right to peer out the windows and take in aspects of the city. “I’ve never been to Boston before,” she remarked after I gave her an exasperated look.
“Never?”
She shook her head. “It was out of our territory, so I wasn’t allowed.”
“I’ll be sure to have one of your bodyguards give you a tour.”
She looked at me. “My bodyguards?”
“Yes, Kitten, you won’t leave the house without at least one bodyguard. Until things are smoothed over with your brothers, you’ll take two.”
“I’m well aware of having bodyguards.”
“Then what’s the question?”
She glanced down at her hands in her lap. “I just wondered why you weren’t taking me.”
“While I’m touched you’re bereft about being without my companionship, I must remind you that I have a job to contend with. One that I’ve been away from for the last week.”
Her gaze snapped to mine. With a glare, she countered, “Excuse me for thinking you might take some time off to ensure your wife gets acclimated to her new life in a new city.”
“She has you there, Cal,” Dare replied with a grin.
“Fuck off,” I snapped.
After riding along in silence for the next few minutes, Caterina’s squeal caused me to jump out of my skin. “Ooh, McDonalds!”
“What about it?” I muttered as I rubbed my chest over my shirt.
“Can we stop? I’m starving.”
Wrinkling my nose in disgust, I countered, “You actually like that greasy shite?”
She nodded. “I love it. And I haven’t had any in almost three years.”
I chuckled. “You sound like you’ve just been busted out of prison.”
“Please, can’t we just go through the drive thru?”
With a roll of my eyes, I muttered, “Fine.” After leaning forward in my seat, I said to Harvey, “Change of plans. Stop at McDonald's for some greasy shite for my wife.”
Quinn and Dare chuckled behind me. “I wouldn’t mind some myself,” Kellan replied.
“Anyone else?” I questioned tersely.
“I’ve been a week without Lorna’s cooking, so I’ll wait,” Quinn replied.
Dare grinned. “I’ll go for both.” With a waggle of his brows, he added, “You know my large appetite.”
“Ew,” Caterina muttered, which caused Dare to laugh.
After Harvey rattled off our order of burgers and fries, we made it through the drive through. He turned in his seat to hand the bags to Caterina. She stuck her head in one of the bags. “Oh my God, that smells amazing!” she moaned.
“Hey, don’t be sniffing all over my food,” Dare protested.
She brought her head out of the bag to roll her eyes at him. “This happens to be my order.” After a brief glance in another bag, she handed it to Kellan. For the last bag, she said to Dare, “This must be yours.”