Page 109 of Scandalous Kingpin

“Are you ensuring they stay out of trouble?” I asked him as I came up beside him and watched them make a toast while laughing.

“Juliette has a knack for getting in trouble,” he remarked dryly, a hint of disgruntlement coloring his voice.

My sister-in-law had a tendency to act first and think later, and ever since he learned about Juliette’s extra-curricular activities, he was her constant shadow.

“She does, but she also knows how to get out of it.”

He let out a small rumble of irritation, but he didn’t disagree. After all, we both knew I was right.

“I want to tell you something.”

My eyebrows climbed at the unexpected change of subject. “Yes?”

Dante’s brows knitted in a frown as he considered his next words. “I want to apologize.”

“What for?”

“For failing you. If I knew about Father Gabriel—” His throat bobbed with a hard swallow. “I should have known. I should have protected you.” That familiar tightness gripped my chest. “You’re my family, my baby brother, and it was up to me to ensure your safety.”

“It wasn’t your job to protect me.” My words came out choked. “Just as it wasn’t mine to protect you. But we did it because we’re a family. Yes, you’re my brother, but you’re also my best friend.Youare the reason I survived Vittoria.”

He swallowed hard.

“You’re giving me too much credit.”

“No, I’m not.” He watched me with sharp eyes, his features taut with tension. “It’s the truth. I love you, and there’s nobody else on this planet I’d rather call my brother.”

There was a moment of stunned silence because we weren’t in the habit of speaking about our emotions. It was another result of our therapy sessions.

Then Dante’s lips curved.

“Ditto.” He clapped me on the back as the tightness in my chest intensified. “We’re stuck together.”

“I don’t think Aisling is going anywhere either,” I muttered.

“That’s a good thing. It would break Papà’s heart if she did,” my brother pointed out. “And she loves you very much.”

I rubbed an exasperated hand over my face. “I have to admit, her stubbornness and persistence are almost admirable.”

“She’s nothing like Vittoria.”

“No, she’s not,” I agreed, brushing off the buzzkill of a conversation by switching topics. “Now, go check on your wife to ensure those best friends aren’t up to no good.” My voice came out scratchy before I cleared my throat. “I promised Ivy I wouldn’t spy on them with the security cameras.”

He threw his head back and laughed. “Throw me to the wolves, why don’t you.”

“But first, let’s toast.” I reached for glasses from a nearby table and poured both of us a whiskey. I lifted my glass and clinked it against Dante’s. “To happiness.”

“To happiness,” he echoed, and we drained our drinks.

A beat passed before we let out awkward laughs.

I threw an arm around his shoulder and steered him out of the office as he held back a grin. “Go and spy on our wives, brother.”

Life was made out of chapters. Some were hard, some were sad, and some wreaked havoc on one’s soul. But this… it was the start of a new one. The best one yet.

A couple of hours later, I finally had my wife where I needed her. In my office. With me. In my arms.

Hungry for her, I cupped her face and kissed her softly. Soon the kiss turned fierce and passionate, our bodies grinding against each other. She was my other half, the perfect half, and life with her was the most beautiful dream.