Page 17 of Savage Empire

“You seemed very interested in your guest’s conversation. Tell me, son, how hard was it for you to focus on anything other than her?”

“Seems like you’re asking the wrong son.” I lift my shoulders nonchalantly. “Your golden boy is the one that can’t keep his eyes off of her. Perhaps you should start planning a divorce rather than a wedding.”

Dad smirks. “Leon is a good boy. He’s making her feel welcome, and he isn’t looking at her the way you think he is.”

“I think his wife might beg to differ.”

“Perhaps the appearance of competition will motivate her to address how she feels for him after all these years.”

Jesus Christ.

“Do you wake up with the urge to meddle coursing through your veins or does it build after you’ve had your morning coffee?”

He chuckles. “I don’t know where you get your stubbornness from.”

“Says the man who could hold a grudge all the way into his grave.”

“Oh, that’s right.” Dad hums. “My Apollo, my mirror child.”

My jaw ticks. “You’re in a teasing mood too often lately. Living with Jade and the babies has softened you.”

“Speaking of babies,” he says, looking over my shoulder.

I turn my head to find Emilio helping his daughter Mila walk down the narrow isle. She’s holding both of his hands, her arms outstretched above her head as she sports a giddy smile. Her casual sundress with yellow and white daisies decorating the skirt, and her shiny brown curls are pulled into two pigtails with matching yellow bows.

“Pa-apa!” she squeals, wiggling past me to reach for Dad’s legs.

He doesn’t hesitate to scoop her up, allowing her to sit on one of his legs. She’s two now, but looks tiny for her age in his arms. “Hello,piccolina.” Looking up at Emilio he nods in greeting. “Son.”

“She wanted to get away from all the other babies,” Emilio says with a chuckle. “Too much chaos too early in the morning, I imagine.”

“Can’t blame her,” I mutter.

“You seem cheery,” Emilio says, lips twitching into a calculated grin. “Is it because Leon is chatting up your girl?”

Dad chuckles, chest shaking with amusement. “Careful, it’s a touchy subject for him.”

“She’s not my girl, and if she was, I wouldn’t find Leon to be a threat.”

“You sure?” Emilio lifts a brow. “Blondes with pretty smiles tend to be quite charming.”

“You would know,” I deadpan. “You married one.”

“Sure did.”

“We’ll be taking off in a minute,” Dad says, cutting into the conversation. “Are you joining us, or just Mila?”

“I’ll be back and forth, but I’m going to hold Isobella for the take off. Jade still gets a little nauseous.”

“Bye bye,” Mila chirps, opening and closing her small hand to wave her father off.

Emilio smiles brightly at her. “Bye bye, sweet girl.” He kisses the top of her head and makes a move to leave, pausing before walking off.

“Oh, and Apollo?” he asks sweetly. “You might not find Leon threatening, but Elio just joined the conversation.”

Oh fucking hell.Can this day get any more unbearable?

Emilio and Elio are identical twins, though they’re easy to tell apart these days. Emilio keeps his hair longer and his face free of stubble, while Elio sports a trimmed style and often has a short beard.