Page 80 of Cassio

“It will be a baby fest for the next few years,” Luca muttered. “I’ll go broke.”

All three of us chuckled. With Luca’s latest venture into the oil business, it would take him a hundred lifetimes of extravagant living to go broke.

I sensed Áine’s gaze on me. It burned through me, pulling my eyes in her direction.

“Cassio,” she greeted us with a light tilt to her gaze, like a queen greeting her subjects. Her voice was soft, and it soaked through my skin and straight to my groin. Jesus, I couldn’t wait to take her to bed again and have her as my own. But there was something else too.

A flicker of fear deep in my chest.

We all knew it wasn’t good to love something too much in our world. And the fear of losing something you wanted so much was ingrained into me from an early age. After all, I had a perfect tormentor.

My father.

He liked to take it all away, starting with my mother. He was gone now but certain things weren’t rational. When it came to Áine, the visceral need to protect her, keep her with me at all costs, overwhelmed me. A hunger to tie her to me forever roared in my chest and bled into my veins. I have waited for this for the past two years and now that the time was nearing, the need to make her mine fueled my obsession. Not to mention that her side gig was making me extra paranoid.

“Luciano,” Jack greeted my best friend. “Áine, I’ll let your husband introduce you.”

Áine’s head snapped his way and the words flew out. “He’s not my husband,” she gritted annoyedly.

I couldn’t help but think back to Bianca’s wedding day when my sister spat out those same words to Nico.

Callahan patted her hand affectionately. “I know. You did good, kiddo.”

“Well, you know me,” Luca tried to ease the situation. “You don’t have to smile for me. I know you want to gouge my eyes out.”

“Well, that’s a relief,” she replied in a dry tone. “At least I don’t have to pretend then.”

Her eyes darted to Luciano and recognition flickered in them. She remembered him from the nightclub two years ago. It wasn’t as if Luciano was an easily forgettable guy.

“Áine, this is Luciano Vitale. A close friend.”

She extended her hand. “Mr. Vitale, nice to see you again.” Her tone said otherwise.

He chuckled. “Please call me Luciano. Mr. Vitale is my father.”

Áine acknowledged him with a slight nod, but she kept her reserved posture.

“Wait. You’ve met him before?” Jack questioned.

Áine shrugged. “No, I didn’t meet him. I saw him a few years back in passing.”

The pointed look she shot our way told us all to keep our mouths shut. Lovely, another woman to boss us all around. Though, this one I’d keep and have by my side until death do us part.

Luciano must have gotten the message, because he replied, “Yeah, I can’t remember where exactly. A club maybe.”

Jack rolled his eyes. “Not surprising. Margaret and Áine liked to party.” His daughter shot him an annoyed expression but said nothing. “How is your wife, Luciano?” Jack asked. “I hear you are expecting another child?”

I spotted Chad Stewart the moment he entered the room. I gritted my teeth and the entire room faded out except forhim. The prick actually dared to show up here and the blood in my veins burned hotter. I itched to pull out my gun and shoot him, right here and now. Especially, considering the information I found out from Nico.

“She is doing well. Accusing me of feeding her too much.” I noted absentmindedly that Luciano answered Jack.

“Speaking about eating, I’m starving,” Áine muttered under her breath.

“Let’s eat then,” Luca announced. “After all, you are a guest of honor.”

Áine glared at him and opened her mouth to say something when she froze. I didn’t have to wonder who was the cause of it. Jack, Luciano, and my brother followed her gaze.

“Oh, the state’s attorney is here,” Luca announced the obvious. “I wonder if he’ll get shot tonight,” he muttered under his breath.