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I couldn’t have said it better, and the fact that my wife had been able to articulate it so beautifully made me love her even more.

After a moment, Gio kicked his foot against the railing and sighed. “Fine. You’re right, Lexi. You’reallright. I release you from your blood vow of silence. It’s time I face my penance many years later.”

“About damn time,” Stefan said with a grin.

Smiling, I gathered my brothers, one on each side, before clapping them on the back. The incident with Father Rainaldi had been a childhood transgression, but it had also been symbolic of the times we’d had each other’s backs while growing up. Despite the distance and different directions our lives had taken, one thing was clear to me. We’d successfully evolved from our childhood roles with one thing intact…we’d always be brothers who cared deeply about each other.

I glanced over at Lexi, who gave me a little smile. Meeting her had ignited a chain of events that had led me back to my family, and for that, I’d always be indebted to her.

Chapter Thirty-Four

Lexi Carmichael

I was excused from the after-dinner childhood prank confessional with Slash, his brothers, and their parents, thank goodness. I was glad, because I wasn’t sure I could handle any more wedding drama. And it wasn’t evenmywedding.

After we returned to the dinner table, Mia and Alessa officially announced their participation in the prank, and everyone had a good laugh at it. The two girls made a big deal of praising me taking the heat for them, which embarrassed me. It was at that moment I realized the situation I’d found myself in was like one continuous family circle. Years ago, Stefan had taken the fall for Gio, Slash had covered for me today, and I hadn’t given up Alessa and Mia. I wasn’t sure what it meant in terms of us as a family other than we clearly took care of each other.

Somehow that was enormously comforting to me.

When Slash and his brothers left to speak to their parents, I stayed at the table with Father Armando.

“I’m so pleased by the progress you all have made in the challenges,” the priest said, taking Slash’s chair. “Of course, I had no doubt you’d succeed, but I must say, Mr. Zachetti is quite taken aback by your intelligence and resourcefulness. You’re moving through his puzzles logically, rapidly, and efficiently. I don’t believe he expected that. His pride is at stake, but I also think he’s pleased and excited by your resourcefulness.”

“Why do you think that?” I asked.

“If I put my father confessor hat on, I think it’s because it reflects well upon him. Anyone can make a puzzle that’s so hard that no one can solve it. There’s no challenge in that. But the test of a true puzzle master is to create something so difficult thatalmostno one can solve it, but it’s still possible. Today, you proved Zachetti to be the master that he obviously is. That has to be supremely satisfying.”

“We can’t get cocky,” I cautioned. “We still have more escape rooms to go.”

“Of course,” he said. “But watching you attack each challenge and following along with your thinking is fascinating and, if I may say so, quite encouraging. I sincerely don’t think there is anything you two can’t handle.”

“So, you’re watching us while we complete the escape rooms?” I shifted in my chair, leaning toward him. “And the gamemaster, too? I thought he would, to make sure we don’t cheat somehow, but it’s interesting that you confirm this.”

“Yes. I’m the pope’s observer, after all.”

“So, he has cameras hidden in the rooms?”

“He does. Honestly, I think he quite enjoys seeing you work through the process, although I sincerely think he did not expect you to get this far. As it stands now, you have solved the most escape rooms of any group that has ever been through. Although, I should tell you that Brando remains overly confident you will not solve the final challenges. I warned him not to be so smug. But we shall see.”

I sighed inwardly, wondering how much harder Mr. Zachetti could make the final challenges and then decided I didn’t want to know. Guess I’d find out soon enough.

I chatted a bit with my mother, who’d decided it was wonderful and clever how I’d begun to integrate myself so effortlessly into Slash’s extended family. Vittoria gave her little sister a good-natured scolding, but she gave Alessa and me multiple hugs and kisses, which I interpreted to mean I was forgiven.

Since Slash hadn’t returned from his family meeting, I went back to our room alone, got into my pajamas, and added more wood to the fire. I poured myself the glass of wine I hadn’t had earlier and warmed my toes in front of the hearth. Slash arrived an hour later, carrying his suit jacket over his arm.

“Pour me a glass of that wine, would you?” he asked, tossing his jacket onto the bed and sitting down to remove his shoes and socks.

I poured him a glass and held it until he padded over and took it from me. “How did it go?”

He sank into the armchair next to mine and took a sip. “All is forgiven, of course. Mama insisted Gio will have some penance of his own at the church the next time he goes to Sperlonga. Yard work, a little carpentry, whatever is needed at the church. He’ll also visit and clean Father Rainaldi’s gravesite.”

“Seems fair.” I took a sip of my wine, adjusting my feet to warm the other side. “What about you and Stefan?”

“We were tasked with getting that bloody statue out of Gio and Vittoria’s room and back to the fountain. How Mia and Alessa managed to carry that thing between them without breaking it is beyond me.”

“They pulled, dragged, and dropped it a few times,” I said. “But it was pretty impressive…and completely crazy.” A little laugh escaped my lips.

He reached over and took my hand, squeezing it. “How are you doing?”