Page 16 of Single Mom's Mafia Daddies

Renzo stood back and locked his hands in front of him, his elbows resting on the pistol grips. “The situation is under surveillance.”

Alessio nodded and stroked his thumb and forefinger back and forth over his chin. His father had done the same thing when thinking, and I hesitated to interrupt his process. I focused on Lila and Leo instead. Their names, their likes and dislikes, were burned into my consciousness.

I retrieved a coin from my pocket—a vintage Lire 100—and flipped it across my knuckles. “Would you like to hear the history of the house?”

Neither would, but it served to bring their attention to me and away from Alessio, who continued to storm across the floor.

“I could take you on a tour.” I flipped the coin into the air. Leo watched it spin end over end, the silvery shine reflecting on the walls. I caught it with my left hand, hid it up my sleeve, then opened my hand.

Leo crawled across Lila’s lap and grabbed my hand. “Where did it go?”

Lila’s amused smile raised one side of her mouth, the dark shadows ringing her eyes slipping away.

“It’s gone.” I wiggled my fingers. “Wait.” I tapped his cheek and turned his head to the side. “Not gone. It’s right there.”

He cackled and fell over backward into Lila’s arms when I “found” the coin behind his ear.

“Do it again.” He kicked his legs on either side of Lila’s so that his heels bounced off the thick leather. “Do you know more tricks?”

“Tricks?” I shook my head. “No tricks. Only magic.”

“Magic’s not real.” Leo flashed Alessio’s favorite scowl, and my gut clenched.

Lila draped her arms around Leo and hugged him tight. She took in everything, her looks quick but assessing. I’d researched enough about her to understand her wariness. She wouldn’t know whether she could trust us. And after what happened to her shop, we were no more reliable than the men who destroyed her life’s work.

We’d have to earn her trust.

“If magic isn’t real, then how do you explain this?” I whipped an identical coin from his other ear and held it up to the light.The boy released a delighted laugh when I handed him the coin. “Better check your mother’s ears for more.”

Leo spun around and grabbed Lila’s head, pulling her face down and checking her over.

I moved to stand beside Renzo and motioned for Alessio to join us. He stopped close enough for us to talk without Leo overhearing but still keeping a close eye on mother and son. In all our years as friends, I’d never seen Alessio like this. Worry stamped his face into long lines, and the constant swinging gaze to check on them caused my skin to prickle with unease.

“Verducci,” Alessio spat our rival syndicate’s name with a sneer. “They’re behind this. They must be.”

“How did they find you?” I propped my palm on the back of a chair, maintaining my relaxed facade while digging the wood into my hand to keep from ripping the room apart.

Lila laughed along with Leo when he attempted to stuff a coin into her hair so he could “find” it again. Her laughter brought light back to Alessio’s eyes. Even Renzo stopped scowling long enough to crack an amused grin.

“You can smile?” I punched him in the shoulder. “I didn’t think it was possible.” Especially so soon after an attack.

Renzo punched me back, his meaty fist knocking me a step backward until I cracked against the wall. “Don’t get used to it.”

“Are they fighting?” Leo’s small voice traveled straight to my heart and daggered its way into my soul.

He sounded so scared that I had no choice but to return to them and drop to a knee. “No fighting. Renzo and I are playing.”

Lila’s face twisted.

“Would you like something to drink?” I moved to distract her before she decided this was the wrong place for her and Leo. Some part of me wanted her to stay, not just for the safety measures, but because she intrigued Alessio, and that was enough to draw my curiosity.

Alessio avoided looking directly at Lila, and her gaze skipped over him like she couldn’t bear to spend any time in his presence. They obviously meant more to each other than Alessio had indicated.

I poked a finger into Leo’s shoulder, and he rewarded me with a laugh. “What’ll it be? Milkshake? Something fizzy?”

“We’re fine.” Lila shifted on the couch, her body sinking deeper into the cushions. The simmering tension escalated with every avoided look.

“If you keep wiggling like that, the couch might eat you.” I clicked my tongue. “And that would be a shame.” I motioned from Leo to Renzo. “You made him smile. Think you can do it again?”