by Chelle Bliss
I knew Angel could take care of herself. I felt overprotective of her, and it wasn’t out of jealousy, but worry for her safety. I’d almost lost her once, and I wasn’t looking to go through that experience anytime soon.
She was going to start working on Tuesday by learning the ropes, and then she’d slowly take over the day-to-day operations, including the books. I told Angel that, ultimately, I wanted her to work with James and me in our new business, but the choice would be hers.
Izzy and the others at Inked were way more fun than James and I could ever be, but I wanted her near me as much as possible. I wanted to be able to take a break each day and steal a kiss or taste her at every opportunity. Hopefully, once we were ready to start the business and had an office, the luster of Inked would be gone.
“Yo! You there?” James asked, drawing my attention away from Angel.
“Sorry. I spaced out for a second.” I rubbed my face, pulling at the corner of my eyes.
“As I was saying, we should be able to get everything off the ground in the next couple of weeks. We just need to find an office space in a central location.” James sipped his coffee, shaking his foot as he propped it on his knee. “Have any thoughts on where?”
I shook my head, still thinking about Angel and the free time I’d have in the coming weeks. It had felt like forever since I’d had absolutely nothing to do. It was good that we were starting this venture now, giving me something to focus my attention on instead of the void that would have been there.
“Closer to Tampa or a place near the beach. We could have the offices in Clearwater.”
“That would be close to us both, but it needs to be easily accessible for our clients.” He placed his coffee cup on the table and rubbed his chin between his fingers. “I’ll tell the real estate broker to focus on Clearwater and see what she comes up with.”
“We need to figure out a name so the accountant can get started on the incorporation paperwork as soon as possible,” I said, standing from the table and grabbing a cup from the cabinet.
“Hey, guys. How’s it going in here?” Pop asked as he entered the kitchen.
“Good, Pop. We’re trying to get shit ironed out for the business. We can’t figure out a good name.”
“Let me think. A name is crucial in the success of any business.”
“We know,” I replied, reaching for a second cup and filling them both.
“I’m partial to Caldo Investigations,” James chimed in from the table.
“I don’t want to use our names,” I said, glancing at my pop as he clutched the coffee in his hands and walked toward the table.
“Are you using ‘PI’ or ‘investigations’?” Pop sat down across from James.
“Either. We’re more concerned about the first half of the name.” I sat next to him. Sliding the cup against the table, I watched as the cream swirled, mixing into the dark coffee.
“Hmm,” Pop said, tapping the ceramic mug with his wedding ring.
“Torrid PI,” James blurted out, giving us both a huge smile.
“Nah,” I said, shaking my head and sighing.
“Confidentially Yours,” James said, his eyebrows moving toward his hairline as his smile grew wider.
“That sounds like a male escort service.”
“Yeah, not good,” Pop said, laughing. “But you’d probably get a lot of business.”
“Undercover Liaisons,” James tried again, his smile not as big this time.
“It’s a good play on words, but still seems like you’re male escorts.”
“I like that it sounds kinky. You’re such a killjoy, Thomas,” James said with a laugh.
“How about ICE PI?”
“Ice?” James asked, his eyebrows knitting together in confusion.
“Yeah. It stands for Investigate, Catch, and Enforce,” I replied, feeling proud of my name.
“That’s shitty,” James barked, breaking out into laughter and slapping the table.
“Yeah, ’cause Confidentially Yours was so fucking fantastic.” I glared at him, watching his laughter fade.
“You two give me a headache,” Pop interrupted, shaking his head. “All the names are good. Just pick one.”
“We should ask the girls,” James said, tipping his chin toward the sliding glass door and all the Gallo women.
“Did you forget the night Angel and Izzy started coming up with names? Let’s just figure the shit out without their input.”
“Let’s just use ICE, but I’m not sold on the investigate, catch, and enforce.” He stroked his chin, running his finger across his lip.
“Give it some time and see if you two don’t come up with something better. It’s a solid name, though,” Pop said, standing from the table as he grabbed his mug.
“What’s going on in here?” Joe asked as he walked in the room with his arm around Suzy.
“We’re just talking business,” I said, giving Suzy a smile as she rubbed her stomach.
“I’m so hungry. Oh my God.” She looked around the room, her eyes catching the pie on the counter. “Ooh, pie. I want a piece, baby.”
“I don’t know where you put it all,” James said, stretching out his legs and putting his hands behind his head.
“I swear to God this baby is going to be fifteen pounds. I’ve never been so hungry in my life.”
“I can vouch for that.” Joe laughed, kissing the top of her head.
“You eat as much as you want to, dear girl,” Pop said, grabbing a knife from the drawer.
Just as Pop stuck the knife in the pie, the sliding glass door opened.
“Are you touching the pie?” Ma asked, looking over at my pop.
“Suzy wanted a slice,” he declared. Apple pie was his kryptonite, and my mother had known it when she’d set it out to torture him.
“I’ll cut the pie before you turn it into a fruit bake with crumb topping.” She laid her hand over his, stopping him from finishing the job.
“Anything you want, love.” Pop smiled at her, moving his hand away from the knife.
“Who wants pie?” Ma yelled out, waiting for a response. She didn’t really need to ask; everyone wanted her apple pie. No one ever turned down her baking.
The family slowly filed into the kitchen, waiting their turn for a slice. Suzy was given the first piece—and the biggest, which didn’t escape Anthony’s notice.
“Why does she always get the biggest piece, Ma?” he asked, staring down at his sliver. “Shit is so unfair.”
“She has a human being growing inside her.”
“I’ll never be able to use that excuse,” he mumbled, stabbing at his pie as if trying to kill it.
Angel grabbed two plates and brought me a slice before she sat on my leg. “I brought you some, baby,” she said, holding out the plate for me.
“Thanks, Angel. I’d rather taste a different piece,” I whispered in her ear, watching her face turn red.
“Thomas,” she said, her eyes sliding toward my family without moving her head.
“They didn’t hear me,” I said, setting my plate on the table and pulling her into my lap. I nibbled on her ear, listening to her breathing change. “You want pie or cock, Angel?”
“You really need to ask me that?” she whispered as she looked at me over her shoulder.
“Eat quick. I want to bury my dick inside you. I’m aching to touch you.”
“Reel it back, tiger. You went a week without it.” She laughed, cutting the pie and placed a slice on her tongue.
Watching her mouth as she slid her tongue against her fork made my dick twitch. I wanted to feel her lips wrapped around my shaft and her soft tongue slide against my hardness.
“I need to make up for lost time. Eat quick.”
“What are you two whispering about over there?” Ma asked, pouring herself a cup of coffee.
“Nothing, Mrs. G.,” Angel replied, staring at her plate.
“I could use more grandbabies,” she said as she took a seat at the table
.
Everyone choked, mumbling under their breath as they tried to ignore Ma.
“I know you all heard me. I want babies. Suzy is going to give me one, but that’s not enough. I expected to have more little ones running around this house by now,” she whined, cutting into her slice of apple pie.
“We aren’t even married, Ma. Only Suzy and Joe are husband and wife. Isn’t there some sin against sex before marriage we’d be breaking in the eyes of God?” Mike asked, a small grin on his face.
I rolled my eyes. There wasn’t a virgin at this table. I knew it. They knew it. And my parents knew it.
My ma smiled, looking at Mike with a mischievous glint in her eye. “Michael, don’t you bullshit me. I remember the time I caught you with Emma in your—”
“Ma,” Mike interrupted, holding up his hand. “That’s not proper table conversation.”
“All I’m saying,” she said, trying to contain her laughter, “is that I know I taught you about birth control. But damn, can’t someone have an accident?”
“Don’t listen to her,” Pop said, standing behind my ma. “You’ll do it when you’re ready.”
“We weren’t ready when we had Anthony,” she confessed, glancing at Anthony standing in the doorway.
“I’m the mistake that started it all,” he grumbled, his a mouth full of pie, crumbs falling from his lips.
“You were the furthest thing from an accident, Anth. I was so happy when I found out we were having a baby. The day you were born was the first time I ever saw your father cry.”
“Probably tears of sadness at how ugly he was,” Joe threw in, bursting into laughter.
“Asshole,” Anthony hissed, sticking out his tongue at Joe.
“He couldn’t help how he looked, Joe,” Izzy added.
“Stop! Your mother graced me with a baby boy to carry on the Gallo name. Who knew we’d end up with three more before my princess was born?” Pop said, squeezing my ma’s shoulder.
Izzy beamed, her smile so wide that I thought her lips would crack.
“We know. We know. Izzy was the most beautiful baby ever,” Mike said, rolling his eyes and gagging.
“Michael, since Mia is at work, when are you going to grow a pair and ask her to marry you?” Anthony asked, changing the subject.
Mike sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose. “I have it all planned. It’ll be soon.”
“You’re such a pussy,” Joe teased. “Just ask her already.”
“Michael, the girl loves you. If you don’t ask her soon, she may not wait around for you to ask,” Ma said, reaching across the table and touching his hand. “Sometimes, you have to have faith in your love and stop being a pussy.” Ma burst into laughter and slapped the back of his hand.
“I will. I have it planned out.”
“Jesus, you and your plans. Whatever happened to spontaneity?” I asked, squeezing Angel and pulling her against my chest.
“I want it to be romantic. Something she’ll remember for a lifetime.”
“At this point, she’ll remember it forever since she thinks it’s never going to happen,” Izzy said, smacking him on the back of the head. “Just ask her already. She’s getting pissed.”
“She is?” Mike asked, his mouth hanging open.
“She is, brother. What’s the plan?” Izzy asked, taking a seat in James’s lap.
“I want to recreate our first date. Take her to the beach and ask her where we began.”
“That’s so romantic,” Angel said, sagging against me.
“See?” Mike said, motioning toward Angel. “I want her to be surprised. A romantic dinner under the stars, waves crashing around us as I ask her and she says yes. It’s the only place that makes sense to me.” Mike stared at Izzy, pausing as he waited for their eyes to connect. “When are you getting married, Izzy?” he asked.
“I’m not ready for that yet,” she said, biting her lip as she avoided James’s gaze.
“One step at a time,” James replied, moving the hair off her shoulders before kissing her skin.
“I’m taking my girl home to start on this baby problem,” I said, moving Angel off my lap and standing.
“Thomas!” she yelled, slapping me on the chest as she stood.
Everyone burst into laughter as I swung her over my shoulder, waved goodbye, and headed for the door.
Things had seemed easier the last week since I’d brought Angel home. I felt like a member of the family again. Maybe it was everyone coming together to help me find her, or just the time that had passed since I’d left the MC.
“Thomas!” Angel screeched, kicking her feet as I carried her out the front door.
“Shut it, woman,” I said, slapping her on the ass as I descended the first step. “Ma wants babies, and by God, we’re going to give it a shot.” I laughed, feeling her body sag against my shoulder.
“I’m all about practice, but motherhood…”
“Baby,” I said, stopping and pulling her down my chest. Capturing her face in my hands, I looked into her eyes. “You’re not your mother. You have so much love to give, Angel. You’re going to be an amazing mother someday.”
“You think?” she asked, her eyebrows shooting up as she held her breath.
“I know,” I replied, rubbing my nose against hers. “But for now, we’re going to just practice. I need to be alone with you before we have little ones running around the house.”
“Thank God,” she whispered, drawing air into her lungs and closing her eyes.
“Now get that beautiful ass of yours in the car, Angel. I have plans for you tonight.”
She screeched, running toward the car and sliding into the front seat.
The woman made me laugh, which was something I hadn’t done in years. While I’d been with the MC, there hadn’t been much laughter. She’d brought it back into my life, filling it with so much joy that I couldn’t fathom how I’d been so damn lucky.
For the first time in a long time, I could honestly say that the future looked bright. I was ready for whatever might come my way, as long as Angel was by my side.
Epilogue
Thomas had rescued me from my mother and a life of despair.
I had very few happy memories from when I’d been growing up. I didn’t have visions of laughter and hugs. Nothing had filled my childhood but bitterness and resentment. My mother blamed me for everything: her fucked-up life, not being wanted by men, her addictions, even losing my father. I was the bane of her existence, and she had no qualms with telling me exactly how she felt.
The Gallo family had taken me in, made me feel welcome, and loved me. Never in my life had I felt part of anything, let alone a family, but the Gallos made me feel at home. I’d grown attached to Ma Gallo over the last two months. She took time out of her day to call and check in on me, she invited me to lunch, and she even gave me cooking lessons. She did motherly things with me that I hadn’t had as a child.
If I had grown up differently, I wouldn’t be with Thomas, living an amazing life, and calling the Gallos my family. I looked to the future, shutting out the past to move forward into a new chapter in my life.
Looking around the table, I couldn’t help but smile. My cheeks hurt from the perpetual grin that had been on my face since the day my new life had begun and my mother had been placed behind bars. Tonight, all the Gallo women, those born into the family and the rest like me—taken in and made to feel like a family member—surrounded me.
Before my abduction, we’d talked about having a girls’ night out, but it hadn’t happened. Afterward, the guys had been too paranoid to let us out alone. Sometimes they got a little carried away with their macho authority. But finally, after two months, we had been granted a reprieve. Mainly because Suzy had finally given birth and she’d demanded a night out.
Joe, being the man he was, had said yes and made sure to make it happen. He’d wanted to give Suzy a night to “let loose.” The men were having their poker night at Joe’s, but I imagined it wasn’t like
the games in the past. All the Gallo men would pitch in and take care of one tiny human being for a night. It had been tempting to stay behind and watch five grown men babysit one small baby girl, but I had given it up to spend a night laughing with my sisters.
Suzy sat across from me, her face glowing from a mix of motherhood and the alcohol Izzy had insisted she drink. Her cheeks were losing the roundness that had been caused by the weight gain of pregnancy.
I had been there the night she’d given birth to Giovanna Bianca Gallo three weeks ago. Big, bad Joe had cried tears of joy and gushed over his daughter. I’d never seen a father prouder because he had a daughter. Izzy had fallen to her knees, thanking God for making the baby a girl. The numbers were finally tipping in favor of “vadge,” as she’d put it. Ma Gallo had instantly nicknamed the baby Gigi, and it had spiraled from there.
“So, how did you get him to say yes?” Izzy asked Suzy.
Suzy swirled her daiquiri, holding it between her fingers. “I just said please,” she replied, her cheeks turning pink as she giggled.
“That’s bullshit,” Mia blurted out, tossing her head back with a hearty laugh.
“Joe doesn’t give in that easily, Suzy. How did you really do it?” Izzy asked, looking at Suzy with a raised eyebrow.
She bit her lip, a smile slowly spreading across her face as her cheeks grew almost rosy. “I told him if he ever wanted to have sex with me again, I wanted a night out with my girls.”
“You floozy. You know that was a crock of shit,” Izzy spat out, shaking her head.
“I know, but it freaking worked. I wanted to see you girls, so I had to pull out the big guns and pumped enough breast milk to feed a small army.”
“Well, thank shit for small miracles,” Mia said, bringing her martini to her lips and taking a tiny sip.
“What’s more amazing is that the guys agreed to go over and help him with the baby,” I added, laughing as I pictured them again staring at the baby like a foreign object. “Do they even know what to do with a baby girl?”
The table erupted in giggles before Izzy spoke. “They helped raise me, so I’m sure they have some idea.”
