GIO
My fingers reached out for the remote control resting on the coffee table, and with a simple press, the room was filled with the gentle strains of a familiar melody. Soft notes swirled from the speakers, and then a deep, resonant male voice began to weave through the air. Recognition lit up Millie’s eyes, a spark of connection to her favorite album by Rag’n’Bone Man. The sight of her beaming, that achingly perfect and deliberate smile spreading across her captivating face, tugged at something inside me. How had I endured these long eight weeks without witnessing that sight? Without her?
Setting aside her plate, her expression shifted from radiance to something more serious. She looked at me with an intensity that erased her smile. “Promise me, please. Let’s never let another fight keep us apart for so long. I don’t know if I could bear it again.”
Instinctively, I opened my arms, and she responded by gracefully settling onto my lap. Her arms wound around my neck in a firm embrace. “I promise,” I murmured, my voice carrying the weight of sincerity. “And you, promise me that you’ll never keep something from me again, no matter what it might be. Going to Chicago alone like that, it was reckless.”
A hush settled over us, the world outside fading as we held onto each other. Her voice was a gentle whisper against my ear, a fragile admission. “I know,” she confessed softly. “It was because of Karsen. He called me on the night you left for New York.”
The confession hung between us, a betrayal laid bare. If Mathias were to find out, there would be dire consequences for Karsen.
Millie’s voice trembled as she continued, her words revealing a complex web of emotions. “My father is so cruel to him. He’s been hurting Karsen, and I’m terrified it might escalate. I just wanted to help him, that’s all.”
I understood. Millie couldn’t simply stand by, especially when it came to someone she cared about. But Karsen was new to this life, and the trials he would face were harsher than anything he had known before. “Did you see him?” I inquired gently, my fingers tracing soothing patterns along her back.
Her head shook, a hint of sadness in her eyes. “I couldn’t do anything for him.”
“He wouldn’t have joined you in New York, Millie. He’s devoted to the Outfit.” My touch aimed to reassure her, to ease the tension that had plagued her for too long. “Karsen is resilient. He’ll find his place among us.”
And yet, the unspoken fear lingered: what if he couldn’t?
“Can’t there be reconciliation?” Her plea was heartrending, her gaze imploring. But this was a hope I couldn’t grant her.
“While I hold the position of Capo, peace with Mathias Ruberti is unlikely,” I admitted, a shadow passing over the memory of the incident involving the photos.
“Mathias never harmed me. He wouldn’t,” she asserted with a conviction that caught me off guard.
My muscles tensed, old wounds reopening, but I fought to push the anger down. “He is the Capo, Millie, and we’re entrenched in a war. The next time he gets hold of you, he won’t let go. Trust me. You’re the leverage he and the Outfit need against me. He’s facing as much pressure as I am.” I refrained from disclosing that he was behind the photos. Sharing that detail would only add to Millie’s distress, something she didn’t need given her current state.
Anxiety danced in her eyes. “Is your family still opposing you? Harper told me you killed one of your uncles on the night you saw the photos of Mathias and me.”
“I did,” I responded with a heavy finality. “I silenced him in front of the gathered Underbosses and Captains.” There were further truths I omitted, of more lives claimed, and blood spilled, all in the recent weeks.
Millie exhaled slowly. “And then you saw me with Mathias.”
“I lost control, Millie. I completely lost control.”
She leaned in, her lips finding mine in a tender kiss. “How could you ever think I’d betray you with Mathias?”
My fingers glided over the soft skin of her calf, her lashes fluttering at the touch. Beneath her eyes, shadows hinted at the strain she carried. I continued to massage her calves, feeling the tension melt under my fingertips. Gradually, her eyes opened again, meeting mine with a vulnerability that stirred my protective instincts. “Promise me,” she murmured, “promise me you’ll never raise a hand to our daughter. I know some men in our world think it’s the only way to discipline children.”
“Millie,” I stated vehemently, a surge of emotion in my words. “Many in our world also believe a husband should control his wife through the same means, and I’ve never laid a hand on you, nor will I. I swear on everything I hold dear that I’ll never harm our daughter.”
The sudden sound of her phone ringing caused her to startle, her gaze shifting towards the screen resting on the table. It was Harper, as expected.
Millie let out a sigh, her hand reaching out to grab the phone. Her fingers danced across the screen as she quickly composed a response. After typing her message, she muted the phone and set it back on the table.
Curious, I inquired, “What did you tell her?”
“That I’m in New York with you,” Millie replied.
“That’s all?” I murmured, leaning in a bit closer. My lips brushed against her delicate throat as I spoke.
A rueful smile tugged at her lips. “You know she won’t give us a break until she gets all the details.”
“I doubt muting the phone will keep her at bay,” I remarked, almost on cue, as my own phone began to ring. Without even glancing at the screen, I knew it was Sebastian. Harper must have coerced him into checking on her sister.
A soft chuckle escaped Millie as she shook her head. “She’s just worried. I’ve given her plenty of reasons to be.”
And I was undeniably one of those reasons.
My phone’s persistent ringing filled the air.
Millie reclined slightly, her eyes meeting mine. “They won’t easily give up.”
With an exasperated groan, I picked up my phone and answered Sebastian’s call. “I’m busy,” I muttered into the phone.
“Busy in a good way or a bad way?” came Sebastian’s voice, slightly strained. Harper’s high-pitched voice could be heard in the background, presumably engaging in some sort of argument.
“I suppose that depends on your definition of ‘good,'” I replied, signaling to Millie to lie back. She complied without hesitation, and I began to knead her calves and feet. Her features softened under my touch, and the once impenetrable darkness within me seemed to ease as well, if only for a moment.
“Gio,” Sebastian’s voice held a hint of impatience, likely a result of enduring weeks of Harper’s relentless persistence. He seemed even more volatile than usual, but then again, I wasn’t one to talk.
“Is Millie with you?”
“Yes,” I confirmed, my thumb applying gentle pressure on the sole of Millie’s foot, drawing a soft moan from her.
“Oh, thank the heavens,” Harper’s voice chimed in from the background. “Let me speak to him,” Sebastian addressed her before turning his attention back to me, his voice laced with tension. “When are you coming back?”
“Tomorrow, just to grab a few things. Millie will be staying with me in New York from now on.” Millie’s gaze met mine, a pleased glint in her eyes.
“Okay,” Sebastian responded slowly.
I slammed the phone down, irritation coursing through me like an electric shock. Harper’s incessant voice in the background grated on my nerves, and I found myself yearning to silence my mobile altogether. But the cruel reality was that, as the Capo, I couldn’t indulge in such simple desires.
“Will you talk to Sebastian about the pregnancy?” Millie’s voice wavered, her lips caught between her teeth, uncertainty etched across her face.
“Yes, tomorrow. I need his support to enhance your security,” I replied, my fingers lifting to caress her ankle as my lips found a soft spot for a lingering kiss. “Enhance your protection,” I murmured.
Millie’s brow furrowed, her curiosity piqued. She stilled, allowing a yawn to escape before a bashful smile curved her lips. “I apologize. Sleep’s been hard to come by without you.”
“I feel the same,” I confessed. Countless nights had passed with me waking up, reaching for her in the darkness, only to be jarred into the painful realization that she wasn’t there, at least not physically.