Page 4 of Escaping the King (The Sovrano Crime Family #13)

Giselle

“A re you okay?” Eve asked a really dumb question.

No.

I was not okay.

I couldn't tell her that, though.

I was trying my best to secretly pack the necessities Dani and I would need. I couldn't make it obvious and set everything out by the door. But I did manage to stuff a few bags in my car when nobody was paying attention.

I came up with lots of excuses for why I was spending so much time going through clothes and other things.

“No, but I will be soon. I just need time, honey.” I looked up at Eve. I was on the floor, going through the last of Dani's drawers.

“Oh, my gosh. That is the cutest,” Eve said and sat down beside me. She picked up an old bathing suit of Dani's.

I smiled at the pink daisy two piece in her hands.

“I know. I sewed that by hand when I was pregnant. I found a used bathing suit from a church sale and cut out a pattern from it. Dani loved it.”

“I remember you putting her in it the first summer here.” Eve grinned at it. “Do you think Ari could borrow it for a while?” She looked at me with a kind smile on her face. “I mean, if you don't mind? I'll give it back to you when you pop out your next baby,” she promised.

I shook my head. “No, you keep it. Marcello has sworn me to only have boys. So I guess I won't be needing it.” I tried to make a joke, but I think I failed royally.

“That's not what he said.” Carlo's big voice shocked me, and I looked up to see him in the doorway. He was leaning against the side of the doorframe. “He said a boy first. You can have as many girls as you want after that.”

I stared up at my strong, tall lumberjack.

Gosh.

Even all this time later, he still took my breath away. “Oh, I got it wrong. I'm sorry.” I turned my head to Eve. “As long as I pop out a boy first, the world will still continue to turn. If not—it's game over, I guess.”

She started laughing and then so did I. Marcello and Carlo and their rules were pretty ridiculous.

“All right, enough. I'm going to pick up some food.

I'm too fuckin' tired to cook anything.” And that was reason four billion as to why I loved this man so much.

He didn't stand there whining, asking when supper was.

He knew it had been a crappy night and a crappy day. And nobody would feel like cooking.

We discussed it for a minute and decided on Indian food. “Okay. Dani just fell asleep on the couch. She's out. I'll lock the door behind me.” And then he left.

Nick had gone home a while ago to be with the babies. One of the other nannies from Italy had traveled home with us on the plane and then gone home with Nick and Eve.

That was Eve, though. Always thinking ahead.

The door shut and Eve whispered, “I'm so sorry, honey. We should have sent Sophia home. We saw the signs and should have acted.”

I sighed and set down the cute little pair of jeans in my hand. “This is not our fault,” I told my friend the truth. “Sophia acted how she—acted. But that didn't mean Stefan had to give in and fuck her.”

She shut her eyes for a few seconds and then opened them. “I know. I feel guilty, though. Stefan hasn't been thinking clearly. And waving a carrot in front of him like that maybe wasn't the best idea.”

I picked the jeans back up and folded them. “Too many carrots out there, Evie. We can't get rid of them all.”

She shrugged and started taking some of the clothes out of the drawer for me. I told her which ones were to keep, and which ones were to give away.

When the drawer was finished, Eve picked through the giveaway pile and took out what she wanted for her daughter. It made me sad to think I'd never see any of these outfits on Ari. I hoped my disappointment didn't show.

“He'll come back, honey.” Eve looked at me. I was a little confused about what she meant.

“Carlo? Yeah, I know.”

She shook her head and set her hand on mine. “No, Stefan. He'll come back. I'm sure of it. And then you guys can work this out.”

I set my other hand on top of hers. “He won't come back. And even if he did,” my eyes drifted over to the empty doorway. “I don't want to see him. Ever again.”

Her shoulders slumped, and the pain in her eyes broke my heart. “He loves you, Giselle. So much. I don't know why he's acting like such an idiot. I mean, I do know why.” Her eyes stuck to mine. We both knew what she meant. Stefan was jealous about the whole Carlo/baby making/marriage agenda.

“None of that's really under my control. I mean, I'm not really sure why Carlo needs a baby first. It must be some kind of mafia-land rule or something.”

Eve's eyes widened and her top teeth bit into her bottom lip. She looked more worried than before.

Anyway, whatever the reason was for the Sovrano baby rush—it wasn't my problem. Not anymore.

None of this would be after tonight.

“I think we should call Nick and Stefan over after supper. To—” her eyes fell to the floor and then back up, “talk about their world. Now that you know about it. They should explain a few things to you.”

Yeah.

I'd get right on that.

As soon as I was packed up and a billion miles away from here.

“Tomorrow, okay?” I tried to barter with my best friend and crossed my fingers it would work.

“You said we'd talk about it as soon as we got home. And we've been home almost a day.”

I stood and groaned from my legs stretching for the first time in an hour. “Tomorrow. I need a good night's sleep. I think we all do. This jetlag is no joke.” Eve had to believe that I was in favor of having this discussion with the three mobsters in my life.

Even though I really, really, really was not.

I mean, who the heck would be?

Good grief.

“Are you okay with—” she stumbled a bit over her words.

“Are you scared? Or freaked out at all? I know when I first found out about—” she stopped for a minute like she was weighing her words, “about Nick's world, it scared me.

A lot. I wanted to run away from him as far as I could go.

So, I get it if you've got those same feelings.”

Luckily, I was able to hold in the sarcastic laugh I felt bubbling up inside of me.

Was I scared of living back in mafia-land again?

Well, technically, I'd never left.

Eve didn't know that, though. And in order to stop her from calling a meeting of all the mafia dudes in her life—I needed to quash any anxieties and worries she was having about me freaking out about this news.

I shook my head and smiled down at her. “Evie, I'm deeply in love with Carlo,” I told her the truth. “I've never loved anyone like I love him.”

Also, the truth.

“I have visions of us sitting on the veranda when we're old.”

This was also true. I often imagined us sitting on the veranda at his house in Chicago.

“I still think he needs to explain why he's kept me from all of this—” I took a deep breath in, “information. But you know I'd never leave him. Or you.”

Now those were all lies.

Oh, well.

Can't win them all.

A look of relief spread across her face, and it made me feel like a horrible person. Because I knew tomorrow she'd look back on this conversation and wonder why I lied to her face.

Straight to her face.

And she'd probably hate me for the rest of her life.

Eve didn't deserve that. But did deserve a good life. And if I stayed here—I'd be taking that away from her. And her family.

As for her decision to stay in a crime family—that was completely up to her. Far be it from me to warn her away.

Even though I wanted to.

I wanted to tell her the horrible things that could happen to wives and children in crime families.

Eve was smart.

I was sure she'd probably laid awake many nights thinking about what to do. I also knew how much she loved Nick.

I watched their romance bloom and take over her life.

I was Nick's biggest fan.

And knowing all of that, I couldn't imagine her leaving Nick Rosetti.

Ever.

They were inseparable.

Any kind of lecture I'd give Eve about leaving this life would fall on deaf ears. And that was okay.

I reallycouldn't blame her.

In her circumstances, I might actually do the same thing.

My brain suddenly threw on the brakes.

No.

I would never willingly stay in a crime family.

Not now.

Not ever.

The fact that I was currently stuck in not one, but two—was beside the point.

If I had an actual choice in the matter—which I didn't—I'd choose to scoop Dani off the couch and leave. And never turn back.

“Are you sure? I feel like this is a really, really important conversation you guys should have right now. I don't want there to be any misunderstandings.”

I swallowed back another sarcastic laugh.

Misunderstanding.

There was no misunderstanding.

Not at all.

I probably knew more about the crime family life than she did. I knew it all. And I wish there was some way to bleach my brain of it.

“Would you stop worrying?” I offered her my hand, and she reached up and grabbed mine.

I pulled her up. “I do have a lot of questions. And I also have a few words for Carlo and Nick.” I gave her a sad smile and hugged her in tight to me.

“They lied to me, Evie. And they need to apologize for that. They should have told me the truth about what they were involved in.”

I felt her body begin to shake next to mine. “I'm sorry, Giselle,” she sobbed. “I didn't want to lie to you. Can you ever forgive me?” Her voice cracked, and she sounded so, so distraught.

“Of course, I forgive you. I'm not blaming you for anything. This wasn't your information to tell.”

She cried in my arms for a few more minutes until we heard the front door open.

“Oh, crap.” She sniffled and pushed away. “Let me clean myself up and then I'll meet you guys in the kitchen.”

And then she hurried off to the bathroom.

I walked out of Dani's room and down the hall. Carlo had an armful of bags.

“We each ordered one thing,” I said quietly. “How come you have a billion bags?” I questioned my fiancé and smiled, even though I felt sad.

This was the last time I'd ever greet him after coming through my door—or any door—ever again.

He glanced at me with a sheepish look and shrugged. “I couldn't make up my mind. So I ordered extra in case we don't want to cook tomorrow, either.”

I giggled softly and followed him into the kitchen. While we unpacked the many bags, Eve walked in. “Oh, it smells good,” she whispered, knowing that Dani was still asleep on the couch.

Carlo stopped dead. His hand was frozen in mid-air, holding a box of food. “Have you been crying?” he asked in a firm voice, not taking his eyes off her.

Oh, boy.

Leave it to Carlo to notice every detail. I personally thought Eve did a great job of hiding her little sobfest.

Her semi-puffy eyes shot right to mine.

I frowned at Carlo and said, “That's kind of rude.”

His angry eyes glared at me. “What's rude is if one of you doesn't immediately tell me what's going on.”

That was rich coming from him.

“We were getting sentimental going through Dani's clothes. So many are too small for her now. And Evie's taking some of them for Ari. We got a little sentimental, that's all.”

Eve nodded and said, “We're chicks, Carlo. We get mushy about things like the first swimsuit Giselle ever made for Daniella.”

Carlo looked us both up and down. I couldn't tell if he believed us or not, but it didn't matter. He gave up and didn't question us any further.

Eve sauntered up to me and stole some naan bread out of my hand and ate it. When Carlo turned his back, she mouthed, “Thank you,” to me.

And after that, we sat down and ate some of the best curry and rice I'd ever tasted.