She couldn’t just leave; it wasn’t enough for her. I was surprised by her alliance. I didn’t expect that her jealously would cause her to plot out a plan to kill Gretchen. But as usual, being the pawn doesn’t give you the understanding of how the game is played.
Now, she’s Vincenzo’s problem. I gave no order to have her hurt, but I also didn’t give my protection. She sealed her fate when she threatened the woman most precious to me.
I watch Vincenzo put her in a car and tip his head to me, then Dante before getting in and leaving. The car pulls out, kicking up a bit of dust from the back road we’re on.
Dominic walks up to join us.
“What now, Luca?” he asks.
His hands are swollen from the beatings he gave tonight. But there’s a calm inside him. For men like us, aggression is necessary for the soul.
I look amongst their faces, and I know that everyone is waiting for direction.
For so long, I’ve existed behind the scenes, quietly maneuvering people like chess pieces. Today, I won.
But a family always needs a head, someone to light the way for everyone to find. So, I give them one, stuffing my hands into my pockets.
“Ask Dante. I’m going home to my girls. I’m done now.”
My words are met with a quiet understanding. Antonio pats me on the back once more, and Dom’s lips tug into a proud smirk. Each man nods to me, and I take a few steps back before turning and walking away from my past and into my future.
Six months later
“HEY! GRAB MY MONSTER!” I shout to Drew where she’s holding one of her twin boys.
Ella takes off running from the kitchen with the spoon I gave her to play with.
“Gotcha!” Luca’s voice booms as he picks her up, spinning her around.
He walks over to where I’m making dinner and kisses my reddened cheeks. “Looks like someone likes that word…a lot.” He winks at me, and I blush harder.
I whisper, “Be quiet!” and then roll my eyes at his laughing face.
He smacks my ass, making me jump.
“Luca!” I giggle. “Dinner’s ready, tell the crew,” I direct and gather everything I need.
“Dinner!” he yells out like a barbarian over his shoulder, and Ella copies him, making me laugh again. My loves.
Everyone gathers outside on the deck overlooking our lake. I take a pause, watching. It’s perfect. Luca and I decided to stay here at the lake house permanently. It’s two hours from the city, but it’s a paradise.
And with Drew, Blair, and I starting our own company, I work from home. Rose stayed on with us, but I amended her schedule so that I have plenty of time to work and play. Drew walks up and hugs me from behind, squeezing me tight, as Dante and Dom walk by holding the twins.
She rests her chin on my shoulder.
“Did you ever think you’d be here, G? A mom, in love? Living in the middle of nowhere?” She chuckles at the end.
“No, but then again, you don’t choose your family.”
She comes to my side and kisses my cheek.
“I love you,” she says.
“You too, boo.” I smile back.
We walk to the table, and the guys are laughing and arguing about something in Italian.
“Drew! Drew! You have to settle this,” Dante barks out, and she joins in, speaking smoothly in Italian.
The conversation takes over the table, none of which I can understand, as I set the food down and sit next to Luca and smile. He always translates when they get this way. I love it; it never bothers me, but I am excited to start taking Italian lessons.
“What are they saying?” I ask, laughing at all the animation happening between Dom and Dante.
He leans in smiling, brushing my hair behind my ear, to speak quietly.
“They’re arguing over different ways to say ‘love.’”
His warm, minty breath makes me shiver.
“There are different ways to say love?” I ask, intrigued.
He smiles big and leans back in his seat.
“Yes. There’s your basic ‘Ti amo’ or I love you.” He winks at me, knowing I’m aware of that one, since he says it often.
“Mhmm,” I reply, filling up my plate.
He reaches for the wine and pours me a glass.
“Also, ‘Sei tutto per me’ or You are everything to me.”
I smile again; it feels as if he’s saying these to me, not explaining.
“I like that one,” I confess, biting my lip and plating up some noodles for Ella.
“And, one of my personal favorites, ‘Ho un debole per te.’ It means I’m weak for you.”
His eyes fix to mine, and there’s something happening. I can feel it, but I can’t move or look away.
“Yeah?” I breathe out, hearing only my words because the table is silent.
Luca nods and spins his glass on the table. “Sei la mia anima gemella.”
“What does that mean?” I ask, feeling emotional for a reason I don’t understand.
“You’re my soul mate.” The way he says it, I know he’s speaking to my heart.
Tears spring to my eyes as I reply, “Am I?”
Luca stands and takes my hands, lifting me from my seat. “Senza di te la vita non ha più senso. Nei tuoi occhi c’è il cielo. Sei il mio angelo. Sposami, invecchialo con me. Lasciami morire tra le tue braccia, quando siamo vecchi e grigi, perché un momento perso è troppo.”
The smile on my face is ridiculous. I don’t know what he said, but I know I love it.
“In English, Luca.” My voice is trembling.
The tenderness in his eyes breaks me. And then he drops down to one knee, in front of our family.
“Without you, life has no meaning. Heaven is in your eyes. You’re my angel. Marry me, grow old with me. Let me die in your arms when we’re old and gray because a moment apart is too much.”
“Si, amore mio.” Yes, my love.
Three Months after
Charlie’s on First has been decked out to the nines. Elaborate glass chandeliers hang from the ceiling, and dark red flowers are on every available spot.
I showered my angel with a party set for decadence and celebration because Gretchen was impossible; she refused some big church wedding, saying it would be “over her dead body,” but she caved to having a reception at the restaurant.
Her only request was a Gatsby-themed party, so here I sit, smoking my cigar on the patio, watching my wife in her slinky backless champagne gown dance with our daughter, whom she signed adoption papers for last week, surrounded by more love than I could have imagined.
“Hey, you got another one of those?” Matteo asks, joining me on the patio, followed by my other brothers.
I reach into my pocket and hand a cigar to Matteo.
“Luca, your wife has some hot friends. I’m walking around here with a permanent boner.” We all laugh at him.
“Keep it in your pants—we’re not at Church…” Dante warns, then looks over to me. “I still can’t believe you blew off your own bachelor party.”
His gaze drifts inside, back to where they’ve been fixated for most of the night: on Sarah, who manages Church.
I smile because I recognize the look and nudge Dom to pay attention. He looks at Dante and smacks the back of his head.
“She’s like our sister.”
“Then I want to fuck our sister.” Dante shrugs, and Antonio spits out his beer as we howl with laughter.
I love these guys. Each came to city hall and stood next to me when I married Gretchen. And each kissed her cheek, making me want to kill them.
The door opens and Blair pops her head out into our outdoor man cave.
“Fellas, the bride wants her groom. You have ten minutes to wrap it up.”
“Oh, I’ll wrap it up unless you prefer something else…” Matteo flirts with her, and we all throw napkins, ice, and whatever else is in our hands at him for his offense, but Blair just laughs.
“Stow it, pretty boy. What ar
e you, twelve?” she chides as Sarah slips up next to her, eyes on Dante.
“In inches?” Matteo raises his brows, and Vincenzo pushes his shoulder, but Blair grins sinfully.
She walks closer, grabbing him by the hair and pulling his head back roughly, and brings her lips dangerously close to his, skimming back and forth, barely touching.
“You can’t handle me. Come see me when you have something to offer and bring your A game because I don’t give second chances.” I raise my brows to Antonio, and he shakes with laughter.
She releases his head with a little jerk and walks back inside. Sarah lingers for a moment, and Antonio smiles at her.
“Hey, beautiful, save me a dance?” She nods her head and walks inside.
Matteo turns to the group and bites his fist.
“I think I just met the future Mrs. Prozzi.” The hollers and laughter start again.
We all stand, buttoning our jackets, to walk back inside, and Dante reaches out for Antonio.
“Not her. She’s nobody to you. We understood.”
Dominic turns his head to me, wide-eyed, and I nod.
Antonio laughs.
“Got it,” he says and walks inside.
“Oh shit, someone’s got a crush,” I say as Dante, Dom, and I are left alone.
Dominic brings his hands over his heart.
“And it’s so sweet. We should write her a note—ask her if she likes you too!”
I nod furiously at his suggestion, trying not to laugh as a look of fury crosses Dante’s face.
I grab Dante’s shoulders.
“She could check the box for yes or no.”
My brows raise at my fake excitement. He pushes my arms away and looks between us.
“I’m gonna kill you two pricks,” he complains, shoving Dom by the shoulder and walking inside.
I follow behind him, making my way to my bride and snaking an arm around her waist.
“Heard you wanted to dance with me.”
I spin her around and plant a kiss on her lips, intertwining our fingers and leading her to the dance floor.
When we get to the middle, the singer walks out onto the stage—the same one who sang the first night I held my Angel in my arms. She begins to croon the song we first danced to and I bring Gretchen’s hand to my lips.
Gretchen’s eyes grow wide, and the look on her face makes me feel like I won the lotto.
“Luca. I love you so much.” She breathes into my chest as I pull her close and bring her hand to my heart, the other on the small of her back. We sway slowly back and forth to the music, soaking up our moment.
“Never as much as I love you, Angel.”
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Sinful Series
Truth
Worship
Depraved
Forever series
Come Back to Me
Forever with Me
Coming soon…
Filthy Little Pretties
I don’t even know where to begin. You think to yourself, just write a good book. Just make it something that people will like and everything will be great but what you don’t realize is how effing hard that is. I wrote the first version of Worship and threw all 80K words away. Total and complete delete of the file.
I felt like maybe this whole writing gig wasn’t for me but before I could walk away, there were people that literally yelled at me, hugged me, picked me up and said to write the story I wanted and forget about anything else. They made me listen to myself. Listen to the words that were floating inside my head. I’m forever grateful that they believed in me, in my words enough to stand with me and start again.
Gretchen. You said it was terrible, you were right. I owe you for the rest of my life for forcing me to re-do this. One day, me and you, on permanent vacation. Thanks for always loving me enough to never accept my failures and always pushing me to my successes.
Michelle and Annette, Book Nerd Services, you are my hearts. Knowing you has made my life a different place, and it feels a lot like heaven. I have such a tremendous amount of gratitude and love for the two of you. All the shouty voicemails and messages in all caps. All of the swooning and giggling together has made this whole experience unbelievably amazing. You are the salt of the earth.
Sandra, you are legit my sister from another mister and the best freaking editor alive! I owe you everything, including sanity. And three weeks next time. Ha!
Sarah K., All Encompassing Books, best proofer ever. You are amazing and I will never let you go!
Sarah, Musings of the Modern Belle, You are legit my day one. I’ll fight anyone that is mean to you. I love you for every gorgeous teaser, every time you laugh at some stupid shit I message, and for single handedly changing the outcome of not one—But TWO books. But most of all, I adore you for always giving me rad book recs. LOL.
Brittany and Thuy, my sisters from another mister. I love y’all. All our crazy facetimes and messages. Thank you for always reading everything and being honest. I couldn’t ask for better friends. Also-shout out to Henley’s and Sweatpants, always one of the best parts of my day!
Dani, I can’t even say thank you enough for all the work you do. For all the clean-up you do, on my dumbass behalf, and for giving me the space I needed to do this book right. You never broke a sweat and it gave me the confidence to believe I could do it. Thanks for holding me down. #Forevers.
Ratula, you read both versions and I love you for that but mostly because I feel like I found my warped soulmate. You are stuck in my tribe for life! #ptcd
Becky B, Fairest Reviews, you might be the most wonderful person ever. Thank you for all that you do. Your selfless help was incredible, and I will be forever grateful! This book wouldn’t be nearly as cool without your help.
Tara Leigh, you explain life to me on the daily. You named my group. Made my do all the adult shit I pretended not to see. And you suffer through daily phone calls of me ranting about people I hate. You complete me. Lol.
Kennedy, I’m so grateful for all your support and love! My tribe started with you, and I couldn’t be happier about that. I love doing this author stuff with you!
Every single damn blogger that held it down for me, my Posse—I have an undying love for you. You guys get bombarded with books, but you held a place for me. Just because you believed I would give you something that was beautiful. You trusted me and I will forever trust you back.
Last but certainly never least. Anthony. Georgia. Hayes. Charlie. Without these four I wouldn’t have a purpose. I wouldn’t know how to love. It beats for them.
It all started when…
Trilina decided, 3 years ago, that between making grilled cheese sandwiches and running carpool she was going to write saucy novels for readers to titillate and excite them. She hasn’t slowed down since!
Having always had a love of writing, even as a child, she would journal and typically change the ending of whatever she was writing to suit her daydream. A knack for storytelling has translated into a career.
She lives in California where she multitasks the roles of wifey, mama and author. She hopes you enjoy her words and keep coming back for more!
Read Sexy, Stay Sexy!
xoxo, Trilina
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Worship (Sinful Series Book 2) Page 23
