Page 144 of My Dark Ever After

“I would do it still,” he agreed. “And I would do it for my girls too. This doesn’t just help Gemma. Guinevere will be happy to see the back of the man who tried to kill you, even if he did not want to, but she will be happier still that it means Gemma is only a short train ride away.”

Guinevere would never ride a damn train again as far as I was concerned. It was only one of the reasons one of her wedding presents waited outside in the garage, a gleaming red Ferrari 458 Speciale I knew she would love.

“Does it solve your problem with the Pietra clan and Leo?” John asked.

I hesitated before nodding. “It would. I would send Carmine with you too. He knows the area well, and he can oversee Leo.”

“You don’t trust him.”

“Would you?” I demanded. “He colluded to kill my soon-to-be wife. If he had not had the good luck to earn the love of a Stone woman, he would be in the ground with the worms.”

John nodded as if he understood and even agreed with that sentiment.

“I will watch him closely,” he promised. “I have as much of an investment in his success as he does, because of Gemma.”

“You think he is good enough for her?” I asked, successfully keeping the scoff from my tone.

John’s grin was sharklike. “No more than you are for Guinevere. Unfortunately, they did not put it to a vote before they went and lost their hearts to made men.”

“Thank God for that,” I said dryly, and was surprised when John chuckled.

“You’ll take care of her,” he said, leaning back and opening his posture up to me deliberately. “The only reason I am okay with any of this is the way you look at her.”

“And how is that?” I asked, even though I knew.

“You look at her like she is your private church, something holy and safe and entirely yours. Like you will spend the rest of your life worshipping her. Sometimes, when you say her name, it’s like a prayer.” He shook his head ruefully. “I do not need to ask if a man like you believes in God, yet that’s the way you look at her? No, Raffa, I have no doubt you live for her and you would die for her. A father would be greedy to ask for more.”

I did not say a word, because he was right.

There was nothing in this world I loved so much as my Guinevere. But it felt good to hear it and know that he trusted me with one of his most precious gifts.

“Grazie mille,” I said quietly, standing up to offer my hand. “I am grateful that you raised such an incredible woman, and I am grateful that you are willing to do this for her, for all of us.”

He clasped my hand strongly, squeezing tight and pumping it up and down a few times before he leaned over our hands to clap me on the shoulder.

“Anytime,” he said.

I nodded, my voice stuck behind the lump in my throat, because something about the look in his eyes and the gesture hinted that one day, he might do anything for me too.

After being raised by a man like Aldo and then mentored by one like Tonio, it felt almost painfully good to be in the presence of a man like John.

“Sorry, are we interrupting?” Carmine asked as he swanned into the room with a bottle of prosecco and a handful of glasses. “Good. Raffa is about to marry a woman who is entirely too good for him, and we must have a toast to his good luck.”

John and I both laughed, dropping our hands to gather near the desk with Ludo, Renzo bringing up the rear with Martina on his arm. Since she had been shot, he had not left her side for anything. When Guinevere asked if they were finally dating, Martina had tried to prevaricate, but Renzo had leaned over to kiss her silent at the dinner table.

Guinevere had started a round of applause.

“I am happy to toast to my own good luck,” I allowed, accepting a glass of fizzing sparkling wine.

“Did you ever think this day would come?” Martina asked with a wink.

“No,” I said honestly, even a little hoarse. “No, I did not.”

“Well, we did,” she insisted. “You deserve the best, boss.”

I might have argued, but Guineverewasthe best, so instead I raised my glass to my best friends and my future father-in-law and said, “To family, old and new.”

John bit back his smile but joined the others when they echoed my sentiment.