Page 27 of Heart's Temptation
On the other side of the table, Simo sat beside Vittoria holding a tiny rattle that he was shaking at the baby while making cooing sounds. I was rooted to the spot for a moment. Seeing Simo, the man who had a reputation for being one of the deadliest enforcers on the planet, holding a rattle and cooing at a tiny baby was mind-boggling, if not a little painful.
Perhaps if I’d been honest from the beginning and stayed, Simo would be holding a rattle for my baby. Ugh, how narcissistic was that? But since I’d been back the past and present had been colliding, and sending not only my thoughts, but also my hormones, into overdrive.
All three of us—Gio, Marko, and myself—were young enough to have a decade of baby-making years left. It had been a dream of ours, way back when, to have little versions of us running around with Marko Daddying all of them.
It was hard to imagine that I’d ever be forgiven and brought back into the family fold however, especially as I still hadn’t told them the truth regarding what had driven me away from them. Either they bought that it was interest in another man, or they were biding their time until I was desperate enough to tell the whole truth.
Hail Mary, full of grace.
My time alone in New York with only my demanding career and the competitive political climate of our dance company had kept me from having to think over much about the might-have-beens of it all. But every day back home brought fresh onslaughts of emotional pain.
Tears threatened to fall but I blinked them back, not wishing to get pulled down by despair with such a happy family scene surrounding me. Vinnie tugged me toward Isabella. She rose to her feet and pulled me to her. She wasn’t a big woman, but she dwarfed my tiny frame even with my two-inch heels on.
Her scent was the same as I remembered and triggered more memories of the past that I’d buried deep down. Unshed tears speared my eyes and I had to blink rapidly to hold them at bay. As soon as she’d finished crushing me in a hug, Isabella held me at arm’s length, scanning me like I imagined a caring mother would.
“You are skin and bones, Nicolette.” She tugged me in again and I knew she felt the tremor that wracked my body. One lone tear escaped through my thinly veiled armor.
When she released me, I blinked hard at the woman whose eyes held nothing but love for me.
“Don’t worry, little ballerina. Things will be made right.”
I wanted to ask how she could say that and wished wholeheartedly that her words could be true.
She continued, “Let me introduce you to the ladies and my grandson.”
She looked so damn proud that I allowed her to steer me to Vittoria. Romeo’s gaze was hard as he watched me get closer to his wife and child. He’d always been possessive and protective, being the eldest Vitale, and I could tell he was on guard with me being so close to what he held dearest. His gaze flipped between me and his wife and softened on his baby. I almost thought I’d imagined that brief look of love as I’d never seen anything resembling softness from the heir apparent back in the day.
Vittoria stood to greet me. She appeared serene, resembling more of a Madonna than a mafia queen, or would have if it wasn’t for the mischievous gleam in her eyes. I reached out to shake her hand, but she grabbed my hand and tugged me in for a hug. She smelled of roses and vanilla and I took a deep inhale of the heady fragrance.
“Sisters don’t shake.” Her silky voice rumbled in my ear. I had no doubt she had the ability to keep the entire family in line. She reminded me a bit of Gio, in his ability to speak softly while simultaneously invoking fear. “I’ve heard so much about you Niki, it’s so nice to finally meet you.”
That was a surprise. Vittoria herself was a complete shock. Most mafia women I met appeared snooty, snobby and full of themselves. This woman was not only none of those things, but she also didn’t appear to hold any judgment regarding me.
“I hope some of it was good,” I joked before I could silence myself.
Her smile never faltered. “I can assure you, everything I’ve heard has been nothing but favorable. Don’t worry about those two hardheads.” She pointed her chin toward Gio and Marko. “They’ll eventually get their heads out of their ass.”
She spoke quietly but with humor in her tone, and I couldn’t hold back the giggle. However, Romeo was close enough to hear what she said and growled out a warning for her to behave or else.
A smirk pulled at the corner of her mouth. “If I play my cards right, I may get lucky tonight,” she whispered conspiratorially.
“You’ll get more than that, marmocchia,” Romeo threatened.
With the way he was undressing her with his eyes, it wouldn't be luck at all, but Romeo acting on his desire to have her. That much was clear just from the brief exchange.
“Beautiful and funny, do they know you’re a double threat?” My attempt at humor had its desired affect when Vittoria giggled.
“I do give my husband a run for his money,” she said loudly, and his brothers couldn’t help chiming their agreement. “See.” She smirked.
“I would really like to hear stories of how you do that, give him a run for his money,” I said, surprised to find that I meant it. Getting to know the woman who tamed the terrifying Don Romeo Vitale may give me some tips on how to deal with Gio. I wasn’t as concerned about Marko as he accepted Gio’s lead, and I assumed he always would.
“Let’s do lunch. I heard you have time during the day on the weekends?”
How the heck did she know that? But it made sense, all the Vitales were probably in the know about everything about me, including, and not limited to the tension in our group of three.
“True.” I smiled tightly.
“Wonderful. I’ll be in touch.”