Page 70 of Isle of Seduction
Andrea shines his best smile in my direction and heat pools at my core. I shouldn’t like him around my family as much as I do. And it certainly shouldn’t make me feel like I want to climb him like a tree, but here I am. If he eats everything Mammona cooks for us today, I’m screwed. I’ve always loved to watch the man eat, but knowing the amount of love that goes into preparing the Moretti-Bartoli Christmas dinner, it will cement our bond even more. I’m not sure I dread it or want it more than anything.
“And this is Nico, Andrea’s brother,” I introduce him next.
Nico dips his head to Mammona and tries to smile. It looks fucking painful and I want to laugh. Then I remember he’s definitely not used to so many people. I’ve known him long enough to know he prefers the comfort of solitude and must feel overwhelmed. More unknown people means more overtime work for his brain to analyse every single piece of conversation and gestures, and the meaning behind them.
“Giulia!”
Before I can take Nico to a quiet room while we wait for dinner to be ready, my twin cousins Lisa and Marie jump on me, sandwiching me in between them in a tight hug. Lisa’s wearing her traditional little black dress, though she went for a puffy design to her usual skin-tight, and Marie’s looking radiant in a midnight blue short dress threaded with silver that shows off her generous body. I know she often compares herself to her lithe sister, but I find her to be the most gorgeous of my cousins.
When Lisa notices Andrea behind me, she doesn’t wait for me and introduces herself with excitement. She did the same with Pierce six months ago, so I’m not surprised, but I have no intention of saving Andrea from my two very curious and very persistent cousins.
When I turn back to Nico, he’s engaged in a staring contest with Marie. They don’t move an inch and if it weren’t for the rise and fall of their chest, I’d almost think they forgot how to breathe.
“Nico?” I try to get his attention and he clears his throat, averting his gaze.
“This is my cousin Marie, and that, talking Andrea’s ear off, is Lisa,” I chuckle.
When I look back at him, he’s still looking into Marie’s eyes intently, like he’s never seen twins before.
“Nice to meet you,” Marie says before hurrying back to the living room.
“Come on, you two,” I address him and Andrea. “We gotta freshen up before dinner.”
TWENTY-EIGHT
NO ONE THROWS A CHRISTMAS DINNER LIKE MAMMONA
The Moretti-Bartoli Christmas dinner is a feast. The long wooden table accommodating the thirteen people gathered around has been filled the entire day with enough food to feed an army. The kitchen staff and Mammona, which I learn just means “grandma”, have prepared the best food I’ve ever eaten. By the end of the evening, only a little is left, and the fourteenth place setting is untouched.
Julian Bartoli didn’t grace us with his presence.
Giulia speaks animatedly all night with Lana. Her laugh booming at the table is the most beautiful sound I hear all night.
Her other cousins are full of life and curious vicious little things who don’t let up until I give a retelling of our arranged marriage, and how I seduced my pretty wife into forgiving me for an arrangement she didn’t want.
Lisa finds the story delightful, but Marie frowns the whole time. They’re barely twenty and I know Lana won’t marry them off to advance political games with the other European families. But at some point, they’ll have to realise they are assets to their family and can take a more prominent role.
After dinner, we retire to Pietro’s office with Giulia, Lana, Pierce, and Nico. As much as the patriarchs are involved in the family business, this is more personal.
“Cugino, I need your help.”
The bastard smiles slyly. “Finally, I can kick one favour out of my fucking list.”
“Considering the number of favours I do for you on the daily, this one should come for free.”
“Nothing is free,” Giulia, Lana and Pierce all exclaim at the same time.
“E tu, Brutu?” I tell my wife because, fucking traitor.
The atmosphere is light between all of us. For the first time, I let myself feel what it’s like to have a big family. I don’t hate it as much as I thought I would. Pierce has been cordial, Lana treats me like a friend and my beautiful warrior wife has been smiling so much she lights up the entire place. And Nico hasn’t given me any sign to worry about a meltdown. He’s been quiet as usual, and the Moretti family has accepted it, leaving him to interact when he wants.
Giulia and I explain the situation with Addams to Lana and Pierce. The two murder investigations, the charges against me then dropped, Luc and Addams knowing each other. We share all the details when a slurred voice I don’t know comes from behind us.
“Luc and your opponent were both working for Misha Petrov.”
I immediately have my gun out and trained on the place where the voice comes from, a designer leather seat turned to the window. My hackles rose at the name of the boogeyman.
“Fucking Hell, Jules, how long have you been lurking?” Lana exclaims.