“No, you’re right. Romero isn’t the type and he wouldn’t risk so much for sex. He must care about you if he goes against Luca’s orders.”

“You won’t tell him, right?”

“I told you, I won’t. He’s got enough on his plate already, I don’t want him to worry about this as well. We’ll figure something out. But until then, please be more careful. I’m not going to tell you to stay away from Romero because I suspect you’d just go behind my back, but if someone else finds out, things could really get out of hand.”

“I know,” I said. “Romero and I will be careful.”

Aria pressed her lips together. “And there’s really no way that you’d consider breaking things off with Romero?”

“No,” I said without hesitation.

She smiled sadly and hopped off the bar stool. “I want to talk to Romero now.”

I pushed to my feet and grabbed her arm. “Why? Will you try to talk him into leaving me?”

“Do you really think I’d do that to you?” Aria asked in a hurt tone.

I felt bad instantly but Aria had changed over the years. Maybe it was because she’d taken more responsibilities as Luca’s wife, but sometimes I thought she acted too much like a meddling mother when it came to me. I didn’t doubt she always wanted what she thought was the best for me, only problem was I wasn’t sure if we both agreed on what that was. “No. But why do you want to talk to Romero?”

“I just do,” she said stubbornly. “Please stay here while I go talk to Romero. Do me that favor.”

“Aria, please don’t make a bigger deal out of this than it is.”

“Oh Lily, this is a much bigger deal than you think.” she said before she walked off.

Romero

I wanted to tear my hair out in frustration. We should have been more careful. I usually never let my guard down. I always anticipated possible risks. Today I’d failed on so many levels, it was pitiful.

Aria advanced on me. She looked royally pissed. And I couldn’t blame her. She stopped right in front of me, her blue eyes blazing with anger. “How could you do that? What were you thinking?” she hissed. “But you probably weren’t thinking, at least not with your head.” She made a gesture in the general direction of my crotch.

My eyebrows shot up. This was so unlike Aria. “This isn’t only about sex.”

“Lily said the same thing, but what is it then? You know the rules, for God’s sake. It’s ironic that I have to remind you.”

“I know the rules,” I said tersely, getting angry. But Aria was the last person I should be mad at. She was right.

“Lily said you slept with her.” Aria shook her head. “God, Romero, if someone finds out, Lily will be ruined. Or do you intend to marry her?”

“I can’t. You know that. Your father would never allow it, and if we went against his wishes that would mean war.”

“I know. So why did you do it?”

“I didn’t push Lily if that’s what you think,” I said. Did she think I’d forced her sister somehow? “Lily wanted it too.”

“I don’t doubt it. I see how she’s looking at you. She loves you. Of course she wants to sleep with you, but you should have known better!”

“I know. What do you want me to say? That I’m sorry?”

“You’d be lying,” Aria muttered.

Indignation shot through me but she was right. I wasn’t sorry that I’d slept with Lily, at least not enough that I wouldn’t do it again. “Are you going to tell me to stay away from her now?”

“You’d be going behind my back. And Lily would hate me if I tried to get between you and her. You’ve slept with her already, so it’s not like it matters if you do it again as long as you are careful not to get caught and not to get my sister pregnant.”

“Are you going to give me the talk?” I said in amusement.

“I’m serious. If Lily gets pregnant, then things will get really bad.”

“We’re careful.”

“As careful as you were when I caught you on the sofa?”

“I mean it. Lily won’t get pregnant.”

Aria covered her face with her hands. “God, I can’t believe we’re having this discussion. I wanted Lily in New York so she’d have some fun, but not that kind of fun.”

I wasn’t sure what to say. Guilt weighed heavily on my shoulders, but like Aria had said it was too late now.

“Would you stay away from her if I threatened to tell Luca?” Aria asked as she lowered her hands.

“No,” I said without hesitation.

“Good,” she said, throwing me off track. “At least that means you’re serious about her. Maybe we can find a solution for you and my sister. Let me think about it.”

“I’ve been thinking about it for a long time but maybe you are more lucky than me. Unless we want war, we’d have to convince your father to agree on a union between Lily and me.”

“Gianna and I married for political reasons. Why should Lily not be allowed to marry someone she wants?”

“If I was more than a soldier, then maybe your father would consider it.”

Aria’s eyes lit up. “You could become a Captain with your own group of soldiers. You’ve been working for Luca for so long and he always says you’re his best soldier. The only reason why he hasn’t already promoted you is because he trusts you with me and doesn’t want anyone else as my guard.”

I stared at her. Usually the position of Captain was handed down from father to son. Soldiers rarely received the honor of becoming Captain.

“Father still hasn’t found a husband for Lily. That’s a good sign. Gianna and I were long engaged when we were Lily’s age, so maybe he’s open for suggestions and it would be a good move to improve relations between New York and Chicago again.”

“You’d make a good Capo too,” I said with a smile.

“I’m married to a good Capo, that’s all.”

“You are,” I said. “But I don’t want to become Captain only because you talk Luca into it. I haven’t worked this hard for a pity promotion.”

“I won’t have to talk him into it, and Luca never does anything because of pity. You should know that.”

I nodded. She had a point. “Once you tell him, there’s no going back. He might not take it so well. I went against his direct orders after all. That’s still a crime.”

“Yeah, you did,” Aria said. “But he loves you like a brother. He’ll forgive you. I’ll just have to figure out a way to break it to him.”

“I could talk to him. I have to own up to my actions.”

Aria shook her head. “No, I can be more convincing than you, and he can’t stay mad at me for long.”

I laughed. “You Scuderi women have a way with men.”

Aria smiled for the first time since she’d found Lily and me on the sofa. I took that as a good sign, even though I wasn’t so naïve to think that I’d become Captain tomorrow and then Scuderi would gladly accept me as his future son-in-law. This would be a difficult battle.