by Bethany-Kris
Melina swallowed hard, a sudden welling of emotion rising up in her. It took her a moment to gather her composure.
“You raised a good man. It’s easy to love him.”
“All right, enough of this love fest. Let’s eat, people,” Victoria said.
She motioned them toward the front door.
“Oh, yes. I wouldn’t want dinner getting cold and now that you’re back, Melina, perhaps we could discuss something important.”
Cynthia linked her arm through Melina’s and guided her toward the house.
“And what’s that?”
“Why, wedding planning, of course. I’m sure that’s on the horizon soon.”
Melina’s panic-stricken gaze flew to Mac who followed them. He winked.
Holy freaking hell.
Was Cynthia’s comment an innocent one or was there more to it than simply a desire to see her son settled down?
Had Mac said something to his mother about marriage? As Melina followed the Maccaris into the family home her thoughts ran every which way. Mac had told her once that when he loved it wasn’t just for the moment. It was forever. As Cynthia guided them into the kitchen, Mac took a moment to slip close to her and kiss her cheek softly. The tenderness in his gesture nearly undid her.
Unknowingly, he’d given her something she thought she’d never have again.
A family.
“I love you,” she whispered.
“And I love you.”
Smiling, he slid back her chair to allow her to sit before he took his own spot beside her. Cynthia and Victoria started to bring out dish after dish. Melina’s mouth watered.
Family and good food.
What girl could ask for more?
The best things in life came free, Mac knew. Things like good health, happiness, purpose, family, and love. Sure, a person had to work for those things, but it wasn’t the kind of work that drained a man of dignity and strength.
It was the most honorable kind of work.
Mac had never been more aware of that fact than he was in that moment, standing in the entryway of his mother’s living room, watching Melina, his sister, and Cynthia flip through old family photo albums.
His girl was lit up—she probably didn’t even realize it.
Bright eyes. A wide smile. Genuine happiness.
After the hell that was being locked up, he was grateful he had been able to provide this moment for Melina before real life came around to remind them of the outside world that was still turning … still waiting on them to get back to it.
For now, this would have to do.
“He didn’t change a bit, huh?” Melina asked.
Mac grinned, knowing damn well she was talking about him.
“Not much in his looks,” Cynthia said. “His attitude, however …”
“Ma,” Mac said quietly.
Cynthia never even looked up from the pictures she was showing off. “That attitude of his just grew and grew until it was too much for the rest of us to handle.”
“I don’t have an attitude, Ma.”
“You do,” the three woman said in unison.
“Although it’s more like an arrogance,” Melina added, shooting him a sly look.
Mac was a smart man—he prided himself on that virtue. Shit that didn’t kill him only made him a hell of a lot stronger in the end.
This was one of those times, he knew.
No smart man would walk into the lion’s den of three woman and write a check he had no way of cashing. And that was exactly what he would be doing if he decided to indulge his mother, sister, and Melina in an argument about what he acted like.
Besides, he was an arrogant fucker.
Mac wasn’t about to deny that for a second.
He simply didn’t think it was an attitude problem.
To each their own.
“James?” his mother asked.
“Yeah, Ma?”
“Get me the bottle of wine and a few glasses out of the cupboard, hmm? I think we all should celebrate Melina’s homecoming.”
Mac’s gaze slid to his lover, and he watched the sweet smile bloom over Melina’s features. Her dark caramel skin flushed in her happiness.
Homecomings were meant for those a person cared for—those who people wanted to know they were cared for.
Melina was adored.
Mac hoped she knew it, too.
She’d spent so much time either taking care of others, or surviving on her own. She deserved people who were willing to be a cornerstone in her life, regardless of what was thrown at her. God knew his family—his mother and sister, anyway—were the best kind of people for that job.
“Wine and glasses, James,” Cynthia said, giving him a look that reprimanded him without even saying what for.
“Going, Ma,” Mac said.
Mac found the chilled wine in the refrigerator, and the crystal glasses his mother always kept high and out of the reach of guests in the very top cupboard. Careful not to drop one of his mother’s favorite wine glasses, he set them down to the counter when Victoria slid in beside him.
“Hey,” she said.
Mac offered her an easy smile. “Hey. And thanks for earlier—letting Melina know there are other people who missed her—I think she needed that.”
Victoria shrugged. “I’d miss your ass, too.”
That was Victoria Maccari—always the blunt one.
“So,” his sister started, glancing toward the entryway to the living room, “… has Ma said anything to you about you-know-what?”
“She’s made it very apparent she would like to see me married, Vic.”
Victoria’s brow furrowed a second before a burst of laughter followed right behind. “Besides that, Mac. I guess I should have said ‘you know who.’”
“No.” Mac spun around slowly to face his sister fully. “Who, exactly, should she be telling me about and why?”
If someone was bothering his mother, they were going to have serious problems.
Like drinking through a straw for the rest of their miserable life.
“Apparently, James has been coming around lately, asking things.”
It took Mac a second to realize who his sister was talking about—he’d gone months without having to deal with his father, and he really wished he could have gone a few more.
“What kind of things?” Mac asked.
“Ma said he was asking about you—but that’s not the important part.”
Mac sort of thought it was. “Then what is?”
“He wanted to be here today—even showed up, but Ma made him leave. He was …” Victoria trailed off, tipping her thumb up toward her mouth and pretending to take a fake drink. “You know?”
“Wonderful,” Mac muttered.
He wasn’t all too surprised that his useless, fuck up of a father was coming around. He was even less surprised that James was trying to get info on Mac.
He was surprised, however, that his mother made her estranged husband leave. Cynthia didn’t indulge James Maccari, but she was never outright rude.
“She seemed really uncomfortable when he was here, Mac,” Victoria added.
Fuck.
“I’ll handle it,” Mac assured.
“All right.”
“And don’t say a word to Ma that you told me about it.”
Victoria gave him a wide, innocent look. “Told you about what?”
Exactly.
From across the large dining room, Mac sipped from a glass of Cognac as he watched Melina accept yet another hug from Neeya Pivetti. He let the liquor settle over his tongue before swallowing it back, and then he set the glass aside, done with the drink altogether.
It was all about compromise with Luca Pivetti.
The Don liked a good drink when he had guests in his mansion, and he preferred if they partook in the custom as well. Mac had settled his issue with not drinking by accepting whatever the boss offered, taking a sip—just enough not to be rude or refuse—and then being with do
ne with the drink.
Luca never said a word.
Mac took that as a good thing.
“Seems jail did well for her,” Luca said as he lifted his own glass for another drink.
“How so?”
“She doesn’t seem any less of herself, I suppose.”
Mac chuckled. “Melina? Less than herself?”
Even Luca smiled, the ever-cold and standoffish man that he was known to be. “You have a good point. I gather you would have much rather been at home with her than here, hmm?”
Mac had no shame. “A little.”
Luca laughed. “I appreciate you indulging my wife. She worried.”
Mac passed his boss a look, taking note of the content on the man’s features. Luca didn’t seem to notice Mac’s surprise at the fact that his boss seemed a little happier than normal, for whatever reason.
And he’d almost thanked Mac.
He’d said he appreciated his actions, which wasn’t entirely a “thank you” but it was damn close.
Luca Pivetti never thanked anyone unless it was well deserved.
It was all a little strange.
“So,” Luca drawled, turning to face Mac fully, “… what of it? What have you figured out?”
“About what, boss?”
Luca tipped his head in the direction of the chatting women in a subtle way. “She’s out—you’ve made yourself a name in la famiglia and earned a proper position. Don’t you think you owe her the same respect?”
All over again, Mac did a double-take of his boss.
Was Luca saying what Mac thought he was saying?
Was he suggesting what Mac thought he was?
Marriage?
Luca’s next words confirmed Mac’s suspicions. “Wasn’t it you who said you had been working on the wife thing before the arrest happened?”
“I did,” Mac replied.
Months ago, Mac would have laughed someone out of his face had they told him that Luca approved of his relationship with Melina, never mind wanting to see it be a more permanent, proper thing. Luca had had little to no qualms with speaking against Melina when Mac had first started bringing her around, and even went as far as threatening her. He’d disapproved—vocally and often—on just about everything Mac had chosen to do with Melina.
Yet, Mac did his thing, knowing it pissed his boss off.
He’d needed to keep his lover safe, and he wanted her with him, no matter what.
“You amuse me when you’re confused,” Luca said more to himself than to Mac, smiling in that way of his again.
“I’m not confused.”
Lies.
He was confused as fuck.
Luca only patted Mac’s shoulder with one hand, turning to go back to the wet bar and have one of his maids pour him another drink. Before he went, he said, “She gave up a great deal to protect you—freedom is the one thing none of us want to have taken away, and hers was, for a time. I have no doubt in my mind that she didn’t do it for my sake, or the sake of our famiglia, but I have to respect her for doing it, even if it was only for you. Do you understand, Mac?”
He did, finally.
Melina’s loyalty was an admirable trait.
And God knew Luca liked to give credit where it was due.
“I’m still working on the wife thing,” Mac said instead of replying to Luca’s statements.
“Soon, yes?”
Mac didn’t answer right away.
He wanted to agree, because that was what he needed. But he still wasn’t sure on Melina’s plans or desires, and that was where he always paused. He was just waiting on a sign from her so that he could put the ring burning a hole in his pocket to good use.
“Working on it, boss,” Mac said instead.
Luca shook his head, slapped Mac on the shoulder once more, and made a beeline for the wet bar.
Mac didn’t mind being left alone again.
Not when he could watch Melina from afar. He found her across the room; she was still talking to Neeya, but her gaze was only on him. She smiled wider at being caught staring.
She’d been watching him, too.
“Spent a lot of time here, huh?” Melina asked out of the blue.
“Pardon?”
“You seem to know where to walk, and we’re not lost yet.”
Mac pressed a kiss to the top of Melina’s head. “We’re not going to get lost.”
“Yet.”
Smartass.
Mac tightened his arm around her waist, keeping her close to his side as they strolled down the decorative stone pathway. It was just one of many pathways that led into the back property of Luca’s mansion, weaving in throughout the two acres of woodland. It was a nice walk, as long as a person never left the path.
He’d learned that once …
“I did spend a lot of time back here over the last few months,” Mac admitted after a few minutes.
Melina’s stride slowed, forcing him to slow down his walk, too. “Why was that? Boss’s new pet?”
Despite her teasing, he could hear the honest curiosity in her tone.
“It was more like Luca’s way of punishing me.”
She glanced up at him, her brow furrowed. “What, why?”
Sighing, Mac urged her to keep walking, and she did. He knew this moment had been coming, and he owed her the truth. “The day of your sentencing, I disobeyed him by making a fucking scene like I did. He wasn’t impressed, to say the least.”
Luca’s way of punishing Mac had been to fuck him around with anything and everything he could. From interrupting Mac’s time with his family, pulling him out of church, to even having Mac do what would be considered message runs that any fucking soldier could do. But no, Luca called on Mac.
A lot of the time, it forced Mac to lose time in his days.
Lost time meant work lost.
Lost work meant less money.
Then, when tribute rolled around, Mac would be left explaining why his money wasn’t as good as it normally would be when he paid his boss. He was still over the minimum, but barely.
And of course, Mac couldn’t blame Luca.
Nonetheless, Mac did what Luca wanted, and took his punishment without a fucking complaint. He didn’t follow the rules all those months ago, so he had to answer for that.
Frankly, Luca could have dealt with Mac in a much more violent way than he had.
Mac was grateful.
“He had a fit over that?” Melina asked, anger heating her tone.
Mac checked his impulse to smirk, because even when his girl wasn’t pleased about something, he still found her anger hot as hell. Now was not the right time for that nonsense.
“Like I said, it caused a scene. The media was on that for days after. It was too much attention, and any sort of attention is bad for this business.”
Melina frowned, her lips pouting in that way of hers. Mac didn’t bother to check his impulse this time. He slid a finger under her chin, turned her to look at him, and pressed a fast, hard kiss to her mouth.
He fucking loved it when she pouted.
She probably didn’t even know how hard it made him.
Melina grinned, sighing happily against Mac’s kiss. His hand slid lower on her back, pressing firmly enough so that the curve of her body was tight to his form and she could feel his erection beginning to grow beneath his pants.
Though he didn’t want to, Mac pulled away.
Luca had guards all over his property—Mac was not interested in giving people a show.
Melina smiled softly at him. “That was nice.”
Mac winked. “Let me get you home and it’ll get a lot better.”
“Deal.”
Before Mac knew what had happened, Melina turned on her heel and made a move for the grassy section just off the walkway. It would be a shortcut back to the mansion.
He grabbed her arm and pulled her back just in time.
Melina’s eyes grew wide as growls echoed from deeper in the darkness where they h
ad yet to walk. “What in the fuck is that?”
“Dogs,” Mac said. “Stay on the path, okay?”
“Seriously?”
“They’re not nice dogs.”
Mac had learned that while Melina was away, too.
Melina stiffened a bit as the growling ceased. Not once had the dogs shown themselves. Mac had learned that they wouldn’t unless Luca called them out—they would then proceed to act like overgrown Rottie puppies—or if someone stepped off the pathway while their master was not with the person.
Then, they acted like the guard dogs they were.
“Can we go?” Melina asked, still staring into the darkness.
“Yeah, let’s go.”
“Tired?” Mac asked.
Melina nodded, never taking her gaze off the passenger window as Mac drove up to the toll, digging out the change he needed to pass over the bridge. His girl had been tired, and didn’t want to drive all the way back to their place, so Mac had taken the wheel.
“Doll?”
“Hmm?”
Mac’s right hand left the steering wheel, sliding up Melina’s thigh and just under the skirt of her dress. The warmth of her flesh heated his fingertips, and he felt her shiver work its way over her body.
“Are we good?” Mac asked.
Melina looked away from the window finally. “Good for what?”
“Us, I guess.”
“Do we have a reason not to be?”
Mac shot her a sly smile. “Well, a man never really knows.”
Melina pursed her lips before leaning over in the seat and pressing a kiss to his jaw. “We’re good.”
“How good?” he asked.
She cocked a brow. “Are you trying to go somewhere with this?”
“I—”
“Because I am not giving you road head, Mac.”
Mac couldn’t have stopped his reaction if he tried, laughing hard and loud. Through his chuckles, he managed to say, “No, but never say never, Melina.”
She opened her mouth to give a retort, but he squeezed her thigh roughly, quieting her. “Never say never,” he repeated.
“We’re not having this argument.”
“It’s not an argument, doll.”
Melina slid back into the proper position in her seat, crossing her arms over her chest. “What were you trying to get at then?”
