Page 32 of Capone (Sinful Warriors MC #6)

Chapter Twenty-Two

GIOVANNA

A fter a long week working at the bakery, I was more than ready to enjoy a nice weekend in the house. I figured Luca would probably link up with a few of the brothers to get out of the house, but to my surprise, he was still home. Things with him were different in every way.

I was fully experiencing what it meant to be with Luca, and I must say, it was very addictive. When we woke up this morning, I put on a lounge set and made breakfast. After we ate, we settled in the living room and had been here ever since.

Gabi was set up on one side of the room with her easel, painting, while the puppies napped in their bed. Luca and I had been snuggled up for hours at this point. I lay on top of him, scrolling through my phone, while he watched ESPN. I never thought something so simple could be so satisfying.

The way his hands casually rubbed my body. The occasional pecks to my forehead. Listening to the beat of his heart. Every single detail made me happier than I’d ever been.

I could even tell the difference in my daughter. She would vie for his attention just as much as I did. Anytime she called his name to show him her painting, he wouldn’t hesitate to take his eyes off the television and give her his full, undivided attention.

I loved their relationship. Although he played a parental role in her life, it was like he was her friend and protector first. For someone with no kids, he was a natural. I’d had to catch myself on several occasions imagining what he would be like if we had a baby.

It was too soon to be thinking like that, but this was a rabbit hole that got deeper and deeper by the day.

My phone vibrated on the table, snapping me out of my thoughts. I leaned over just enough to grab and resume my position on Luca’s chest. Unlocking my phone, I saw I had a text alert.

Bianca: Hey, SSGC, this is Blade, not Bianca. I wanted to let you ladies know I’ll be paying for a spa day on me. I can tell Bianca’s going crazy staying in the house, so I need you all to take her out and help her relax.

Crystal: Aww, that’s so sweet, son.

Me: It is. But what is SSGC?

Sofia: Sinful Sisters Group Chat. It’s SUPPOSED to be our safe place to speak freely. Bianca’s about to get kicked out of the chat.

Bianca: For what, though? She doesn’t even know I have her phone.

Cara: Exactly! You’re in violation of code 502 in the Sinful Sisters’ Handbook.

Madison:

Alice: Cara, when did we ever discuss codes of conduct?

Cara: We haven’t… but I think it’s pretty obvious our men don’t need to be reading these messages.

Bianca: Oh, hell naw. What y’all be talking about? Forget it. I’ll go look for myself.

Crystal: Unless you want me on your porch with my belt, I suggest you exit this chat.

Cara: And I’m coming with Duke and Daisy, since Viper still won’t give me my damn weapons back!

I had to laugh at that. Cara had been ranting for days about her guns. Viper wasn’t budging, though. After her parking lot shenanigans, he had her on a tight leash.

Veronica: With good reason, Cara.

Cara: Whatever.

Bianca: Back to the topic at hand. Will you all be available two weeks from now? I want to reserve the spa specifically for the Ol’ Ladies only.

Me: A free spa day? I’m definitely available. Just tell me the time and place.

Sara: Same!

The rest of the ladies replied that they would be there as well. I could really go for a deep tissue massage. Just as I was about to set my phone down, it rang. Looking down at the screen, I saw it was my mother.

“Hey, Mom,” I chirped.

“Hey, sweetie. How are you?”

“I’m good. What about you?”

There was a slight pause before she spoke. “Umm, I’m good.”

Her voice didn’t match her words. She seemed nervous for some reason. I sat up with a frown, causing Luca to stare at me, concerned. “What’s going on, Mom?”

She sighed into the phone, leaving me in suspense. I knew whatever she was about to say wasn’t good news. “Okay, so you know my birthday is next weekend?”

“Of course.”

“Well…. I know you haven’t been home in years, but I’m having a big dinner party, and I would really love to have my entire family there. I know you have issues with your father, but do you think, just for one night, you could put them to the side? For me?”

That was what my mother didn’t know. I had swept a lot of things under the rug on her behalf. I didn’t want to be the reason my parents split, so I kept my mouth shut. If my mom knew all the things he said to me over the years, I knew she would have left.

My two younger sisters were now adults and out of the house.

Alessia was twenty, and Emilia was eighteen.

But my younger brother, Niccolò, was sixteen, and he loved having my dad around.

Regardless of how terrible my father was to me, he spoiled my brother.

He was the spitting image of him and his pride and joy.

Going back to that home felt dreadful. My father managed to ruin all my childhood memories in one night. I could never view him the same. Was everything he did calculated? Did he only do the things he did for his own self-serving benefits?

For years, I tried to understand how a man who raised me with so much love turned out to be the person who hurt me more than anyone else.

He was now cold. The last few times we were around each other, I almost felt like he hated me.

I just couldn’t understand how he could turn his back on his flesh and blood simply because I chose not to marry a man I didn’t know.

“Mom, I don’t kno?—”

“Please, Giovanna. I only turn fifty once,” she pleaded.

I bit my lip, blowing out a frustrated breath. Luca sat up, wrapping me in his arms. You okay? he mouthed. I nodded my head even though I really wasn’t.

“Please. You don’t even have to stay for the entire dinner. I’ll be grateful with just an hour.”

“Okay, I’ll come,” I said against my better judgment.

My mom cheered so loudly I had to pull the phone away. It made me smile even though I knew I was about to come face-to-face with my father after all this time. After running down the details with me, we said goodbye.

I placed the phone down on the table and buried my face in my hands. Luca pulled me into his lap, pulling my hands away from my face. “What’s going on?”

“My mother wants me to come to her birthday dinner.”

He nodded in understanding. “Well, let me tell you this right now, Sugar. No one, and I mean no one, will ever mistreat you in my presence. Father or not. So, you have nothing to worry about.”

My eyes stretched in surprise. “Wait, you’re coming?”

“Of course, baby.”

I smothered his face in kisses, making him chuckle. “Thank you, thank you, thank you.”

“No need to thank me, Sugar. I told you it was my job to protect you. Even if it’s against the man who helped make you.”

The seriousness in his voice had a chill running down my spine. He meant every word, and my heart skipped a beat. “I love you,” I said, wrapping my arms around his neck.

“I love you too, Sugar.”

I sat in the passenger seat, staring at the home that used to hold so many wonderful memories. To finally come back here was surreal. I was a mix of emotions. On one hand, I was happy to see my siblings and family members, but on the other hand, I dreaded looking into my father’s eyes.

No matter how much time had passed, I still held the same amount of pain in my heart since the night he threw me out. I tried not to let my father get to me, but that was easier said than done.

I knew at some point tonight, he would say something to try to hurt me. He always did. Sometimes I just wanted to tell my mother everything. I knew she would leave him in a heartbeat, but every time I opened my mouth to say something, I just couldn’t do it.

My mother loved my father. All she wanted was for her family to be repaired, but that would never happen.

My father was too caught up in his ways to change now.

I just hoped for the sake of my mother’s birthday dinner that he would behave himself.

I’d already watched Luca come to my defense many times, and I knew without a doubt that if my father said anything out of line, then he would have to deal with Luca.

“Hey, look at me,” Luca commanded, grabbing my hand and taking my attention away from my childhood home.

We had been in the driveway for a few minutes, and I had been sitting here like a deer caught in headlights. I was beyond nervous.

“Yeah?” I turned to face him, squeezing his hand.

“Remember what I said. I got you, and I got Gabi. There’s no need to be scared or nervous. Okay?”

I nodded shakily as he leaned over the console to peck my lips a few times.

His kiss calmed me almost instantly. The tension left my body as he gripped my cheek in his palm, keeping my gaze locked with his.

It felt like he was looking right into my soul and vice versa.

Knowing I had him in my corner gave me a little confidence.

Luca noticed the shift in my mood and smirked before pressing his lips to mine one final time. When he got out of the truck, I stayed seated and waited for him to open my door. Once he helped me out of the truck, he went to the backseat and unbuckled Gabi from her car seat.

We walked hand in hand while Gabi rode the crook of his arm. We weren’t even fully on the porch before the front door was slung open.

“Giovanna,” my sisters shrieked, wrapping me in a hug.

It had been about six months since we’d seen each other.

I always kept in touch with my siblings, but with us living in different states, we didn’t get to see each other often.

Most times, we did end up missing holidays with one another.

Derek always wanted to spend those days with his family, and I didn’t care to be around my father.

Sometimes I regretted distancing myself the way that I had. My siblings and I were always close. With my sisters finally being adults and living on their own, I was sure we would probably start our own holiday traditions.