Page 158 of Thorns of Death

“It’s about time we bury the hatchet with Luca DiMauro.” Manuel pulled my attention back to the task at hand. Luca and his family were coming over. It wasn’t until I had my daughters that I understood DiMauro’s hesitancy to tie his daughter to my son. It wasn’t until I’d opened my heart that I knew it was something I wanted for all my children.

It seemed a different lifetime—a different me—when Margaret Callahan stepped foot into my territory and I arranged her safe passage but only on the condition of marrying her and Luca’s child to my own. Of course, at that time, I didn’t know that it was Luca’s father, Benito, who’d set up the Callahans to cover his own traitorous ass.

“It will be good,” I agreed. “And long overdue.”

Manuel nodded. “Having daughters changes perspectives.”

I couldn’t agree more.

The door to my office swung open and my two-year-old, Inessa, appeared. Her green eyes darted over Manuel to me and her beautiful face lit up.

“Papà! Zio!” She put her small hands on her little hips and made a mad face that was way too adorable. Her vocabulary was advanced, and she definitely knew how to use it to get what she wanted. “I want gelato.”

Much like her mother, Inessa loved her gelato. She could eat ice cream for breakfast, lunch, and dinner.

Manuel and I chuckled. He scooped her up and threw her into the air. She squealed happily, the sound of her voice making my chest expand.

I pushed back from the desk and stood up. “It’s your papà’s turn. Come here,mio cuore.”My heart. My children and my wife had my heart. Without them, this life wouldn’t be worth the hassle.

Manuel put her on her feet and she bolted toward me, her emerald eyes shining.

I opened my arms and she threw herself into me, knowing I’d always catch her.

“Can I have gelato now?” My youngest daughter was pure determination packaged in a small body. She was her mother, through and through. Our boy, Romeo, was a mirror image of his older brothers and me. But our girls were their mother’s, much to my delight.

“Your mamma won’t be happy.”

She shrugged. “È bene.” That’s okay.

Manuel and I chuckled. “After dinner,” I told her. “You can offer gelato to our guests.”

She took my hand and twirled around. “Do I look pretty?”

I grinned. “Of course.”

“But Mamma is the prettiest one of all,” she finished for me.

“All my girls are beautiful.”

She scrunched her nose. “I heard you tell Mamma she’s your prettiest one in the world.”

“Are you jealous?”

She stood on my feet and wrapped her small hands around my legs. “No. I think she’s prettiest too.”

My heart turned over. It wasn’t her words that had my soul filling. It was the love in her voice. I scooped her up and brought her face up to mine.

“Now, where is my kiss,principessa?”

Her little arms wrapped around my neck and she pressed her lips to my cheek.Smooch.

Her eyes darted to Manuel, then back to me. “Are you done with work?”

“Almost.”

“Mamma says you work too much.”

“I know,piccolina. But we’re almost done for today.”