Page 20

19

MONTE

W hen Sabrina’s mother says she needs a few groceries in order to cook dinner tonight, I volunteer for the errand.

Sure, I might be kissing up a little but I’ve also got some phone calls to make and I don’t really want the whole household listening in.

Sabrina is hanging out in the living room with Anni and Jane, who sprawls on a vibrant baby play mat in the middle of the floor. Jane stares at the plush animals hanging from the fabric-covered bars crisscrossed over her head. Every time she gurgles or kicks her legs, Sabrina’s face softens into adoration.

Sabrina isn’t looking my way as I hover in the doorway but her sister is. Anni’s stare is very blunt and full of skepticism.

I’m not insulted. She loves her sister. She’s not too sure about me.

I back out of the doorway without disturbing anyone and run into Luca in the front yard. He’s spraying water from a hose, which strikes me as funny as fuck. The former heir to the vast Amato criminal empire is out here watering grass in his small town front yard, like he’s hiding out in the Witness Protection Program or something.

Good for him. This is the life he was meant to have.

Luca acknowledges me with a grin and releases the sprayer. “Where are you going?”

“Grocery store in town. I’ve been given a list. You need anything?”

“I’m good,” he says and switches the hose back on. He’s happily watering his lawn and whistling off key when I pull away from the curb.

There’s not much to see in the town center of Sleepy Rock. The lone grocery store is more of a small neighborhood market at the north end of the main commerce strip.

Swinging into the parking lot, I choose a spot at the back with no other vehicles around and cut the engine. The driver’s side window is already rolled down. The July skies are clear, and the temperature is warm but not uncomfortably hot.

Nico answers my call immediately. “Hey, old man.”

“What the fuck?” I sputter. “I think you need to be shown who’s boss.”

He laughs. “I’m sure you’ll get to that as soon as you’re not a few thousand miles away and overcome with matrimonial bliss.”

My response is a grunt.

Of the two of us, Nico has always been the more serious. Sounds like he’s getting a little full of himself without his big brother to keep him in line.

“How’s the wife?” he says, choosing to double down on his taunts.

I ignore the word he used and answer the question anyway. “Sabrina’s good. She’s happy to be with her family. She’s also excited to return to her game design classes in New York now that she gets to stay.”

“Holy shit,” Nico gasps.

“What’s your fucking problem?”

“You should hear yourself. You’re giddy. A lovesick puppy.” He’s having a good time laughing himself stupid. “Never thought I’d see the day.”

I’m about to snarl back but no words come to mind.

What am I supposed to say?

My brother knows me too well. If I tell him he’s on the wrong track, he’ll know I’m lying.

Besides, he’s not mistaken.

Sabrina has got me spiraling. I think about her all the time. I miss her when I’m not with her. Fuck, I miss her right now, needy as that sounds. I’m counting down the hours until we’re alone and she’s in my arms again. Every time I hold her, I’m more sure that I won’t be able to ever let her go.

“Shut up,” I finally mumble to my brother. Not my best work.

He’s quiet for a minute, then says, “Look, I’m just messing with you. The truth is, there’s nobody better than Sabrina. She’s truly special and there’s always been an electric energy surrounding you two. Knowing that you finally got together is the one good thing to come out of all this mayhem.”

“Yeah, about the mayhem,” I say and choose my words with care. “How’s it looking on the home front?”

“Calm,” he says, equally careful. “There was a card game at Gino’s last night. No interruptions at all. Almost like a troublemaker or two has just disappeared. Everyone else is relieved. And maybe a little nervous about getting on the bad side of some crazy European businessman. Oh, and Big Pete said to tell you and Sabrina hello. Says there’s no hard feelings. He didn’t seem aware of your joyous news so Dad and I kept it to ourselves.”

Translation: Lenny Lombardo has already been dealt with and the rest of the New York crowd decided it was healthier not to be on the receiving end of Vittorio Messina’s fury. Lombardo didn’t collect many loyal friends and nobody is going to risk starting another war for him.

Also, word hasn’t spread that I’m ‘married’ to Vittorio’s niece. The less said on that topic for now, the better. I don’t want to give out reasons for Sabrina’s name to be in anyone’s mouth.

“How’s Dad?” I ask.

“He trusts you,” Nico says. “But he’s still Dad. He worries.”

“I’ll make it up to him. Is business good?”

He knows I’m not talking about how many pizzas were sold last week. “Very good. Had a nice week and there’s some new opportunities I want to talk to you about. But the volume is a lot for a lone employee. Especially when I’m used to having this fearsome motherfucker with a bad attitude around to keep the slackers from bailing.”

“I’ll be coming back. And when I do, I won’t have much patience for anyone holding out. You spread the word. One way or another, their debts will be paid.”

“Message received,” Nico says.

Then he hesitates and the silence stretches.

“Speak your mind,” I mutter.

“I meant it,” he says. “This is a good thing, you and Sabrina. I can’t tell you what a treat it is to hear that you’ve finally found a girl who can knock you on your ass. And don’t tell me I’m exaggerating.”

“Fine, I won’t.” Because he’s not.

He snorts. “Take care, man.”

“You too. I’ll be in touch.”

Next, I try to call my father but his voicemail picks up. No wonder. It’s Friday, getting near the dinner hour on the east coast. I leave him a message, just a few sentences to say that I’m fine and so is Sabrina. That should be enough to ease his mind for now.

I tap my fingers on the steering wheel. My gold wedding ring flashes in the sunlight.

Theoretically, with Lombardo out of the way, I’m free to return to New York at any time. But I’m not going anywhere without Sabrina and I won’t pull her away from her family before she’s ready to go.

Funny how quickly things can change. Two weeks ago, I wasn’t thinking about any long term plans. No matter how many stories I’ve heard about how easy it is to fall for the right girl, I was sure I was immune. It’s time to admit that I’m not the same guy I was before I got the call to pick her up from the airport.

I haven’t put a title on this yet and neither has Sabrina. But I’ll agree to whatever she wants to call it. As long as I get her in the deal.

The store is well stocked for such a small place. I have no trouble finding the boneless chicken breasts, Marsala wine and mushrooms requested by Sabrina’s mother. She also asked for milk, eggs, ricotta cheese and fresh cherry tomatoes.

They’re all out of Sabrina’s favorite candy so I use my imagination and pick up a box of hot chocolate packets, a can of whipped cream and a jar of maraschino cherries.

“How would you like to eat my cherry, Monte?”

Remembering this scene in the Pittsburgh diner, I bust up laughing in the middle of the canned fruit aisle. A woman dressed for a yoga class throws me a funny look and hurries away.

I’d really like to bring Sabrina something else, something special. And it wouldn’t hurt to try and raise my stock with the other women in her life.

The store sells a small collection of flower bouquets. I have no idea what kind of flowers these are but I pick out a small bunch of yellow flowers for Sabrina’s mother and a blue bouquet for Anni. Behind some glass there are refrigerated shelves with pricier rose arrangements. I immediately choose the largest bunch of dark pink roses for Sabrina.

As I’m paying, it occurs to me that I’ve never bought anyone flowers before. The thought just never crossed my mind.

Back at the house, Sabrina’s mother is in the kitchen. She blushes when I give her the flowers. There’s a hint of her youngest daughter in her smile.

Everyone else is in the living room. Anni seems a little flustered when I hand her a flower bouquet but Sabrina is ecstatic when I give her the roses. She beams and hugs my waist and keeps saying, “Thank you!”

I can’t imagine why I ever thought she was high maintenance. In reality, it’s so damn easy to make her happy. When Sabrina tips her face up, she’s still smiling. I don’t hesitate to claim her mouth.

So what if we have an audience? The baby is asleep on her gym mat and Luca and Anni can look away if they’re horrified.

My arms wrap more tightly around Brina and I lift her slightly off her feet. She responds with delight, giving me her tongue with eagerness.

“Where are my flowers?” Luca complains in the background.

It’s annoying when I have to remove one hand from Sabrina’s warm body long enough to flip him off.

After dinner, Sabrina is struck with gaming inspiration and wants to spend some time with her laptop. She makes herself comfortable at the long dining room table, on the opposite end from Luca, who is frowning over a pile of legal paperwork.

Elsewhere, Sabrina’s mother has decided to rearrange the contents of the kitchen cabinets. I don’t know why. Maybe she’s just bored. She observes me with curiosity as I prepare a mug of hot chocolate for Sabrina, topping it off with a generous helping of whipped cream and two cherries before carrying the mug to the dining room table.

Luca looks up from his paperwork. “Thanks, but I don’t like whipped cream.”

“I do!” Sabrina claps her hands and her thrilled smile stakes another claim on my heart. At this point she basically owns the whole thing and I see no reason to deny it.

I set the mug down in front of her. She plucks a cherry from the cloud of whipped cream and dangles it from her fingers.

“Let’s share,” she says to me with a naughty grin.

I flatten my palm on the table, bend down and bite the meat of the cherry from the stem. Once I slice it in half between my teeth, I use my free hand to seize her by the back of her neck and press my mouth to hers. Her lips open willingly and she accepts her half of the cherry.

“Ahem,” Luca complains. “I’m amending a living trust for my client. There are other rooms where you two can be pornographic.”

“Don’t curse!” shouts Sabrina’s mother from the kitchen.

Luca throws up his hands. “Not a single curse left my mouth.”

Sabrina chews on her cherry. “You really shouldn’t curse so much, Luca. What kind of example are you setting for Janie?”

He looks around for help. Finds none. With a grunt, he buries his face in his paperwork again.

Sabrina smirks and starts clacking her computer keys. I watch her throat bob when she swallows. She’s good at swallowing. Really fucking good. I will never get over the fact that she swallowed my cum right after she gave me the best head of my life. The only thing that would have made it better is if I’d watched my cock disappear between her sweet lips.

We’ll get to that. When she’s ready.

Right now I have no wish to interrupt her creative process so I leave her to her work. I’m on my way to our room when Anni shouts my name from the nursery.

“Get in here,” she says. “I want to talk to you.”

The baby’s room is decorated in shades of pale pink and cream. Anni is seated in a cushioned rocking chair. There’s a pillow in her lap and the front of her body is covered with a pink cloth while she holds Jane to her chest.

“How about we talk when you’re done, uh, doing that?” I ask, not really knowing where to look.

She raises her chin with a withering glare. “I’m breastfeeding, Monte. Get over yourself. And close the door.”

I have the feeling I’m about to get yelled at but I do as she asks. I close the door, lean against it and brace myself for a lecture.

Anni rolls her eyes. “You look like you’re expecting to get shot.”

“Nah. I’m sure you’d put the baby down before shooting me.”

She snorts with laughter. The humor is quickly replaced with worry and she keeps her voice low. “I’ll make this brief. Sabrina has been through a lot. And I’m not just talking about mob wars and our shithead father.”

“I know. She told me about what that abusive son of a bitch did to her.”

Anni looks momentarily ferocious at the mention of Sabrina’s tormentor. Then a film of tears brightens her eyes. “She’s so sweet and lovable and she gets hurt so easily. How could he treat her like that?”

My throat tightens and my blood heats up when I think about how Sabrina suffered. “I don’t know. But I approve of the cheese grater threat.”

“I’ve thought of some better threats since then.”

“Say the word if you want a sidekick. The fucker is damn lucky he’s stuck behind bars for now.”

She winces and her voice softens. “I wasn’t paying enough attention at the time. I should have caught on that something was wrong with her. She got quiet, withdrawn. She didn’t fully understand the cruelty that men are capable of and it still hurts her. I’d give anything to have spared her from that. I think that’s why she stays lost in her fantasy gaming world so much.”

“She’s not lost, Anni. She’s right here. No one will ever hurt her again.”

The expression on her face is tough to read as she stares back at me. Then Jane makes a mewling noise beneath the blanket and I look away as Anni adjust her clothes and gets the baby situated on her shoulder.

She stands up and crosses the room. “You haven’t held her yet, have you?”

“Nope.”

“Now’s your chance.”

“I don’t really hold babies.”

She gives me a scowl. Nobody can scowl quite as effectively as Anni. “You have arms, don’t you?”

How can I argue with that logic?

I hold my arms out.

“You look like Frankenstein’s monster,” Anni says. “Loosen up. She won’t hurt you.”

I relax my arms and try to seem like a guy who enjoys holding babies. For all I know, they’re like dogs and can sense fear.

Anni gently transfers her tiny daughter to my arms. “Hold her on your shoulder. She still needs to burp. Support her head.” She steps back and gives me a triumphant smile. “See? It’s not so hard.”

And it isn’t. The kid doesn’t start shrieking or anything so I must be doing all right. Her tiny body scrunches up against my shoulder and in a moment she unleashes a rather adorable little burp.

“Congrats,” Anni says and smiles. “Your first babysitting job.”

Jane burps again. This one comes with a dribble of slimy white liquid that lands on my shirt.

Anni grimaces. “Sorry.” To my relief, she takes the baby back. “Spit-up comes with the territory. Feel free to raid the wipes over on the changing table.”

I take her suggestion and mop up the baby vomit but the shirt is finished for today.

“One more thing before you go,” Anni says.

I toss the wipes into a trash can. “Let’s hear it.”

“I know you got roped into this. But I see the way Brina looks at you. Monte, please just tell me if you really are serious about her.”

“Anni, I would bleed for your sister. I’ve never been more serious about anything than I am about Sabrina.”

She considers this and finally nods. “All right. I’m impressed so far. Keep it that way.”

“Not worried. I’ll do whatever it takes.”

With that out of the way, I open the door and yank my vomit-scented shirt off on the path to the shower.

Sooner or later, my girl will get bored with her computer games tonight.

Then she’ll come to me. And we’ll play real games in bed until we tire ourselves out.