“Okay. A bit worried about Kiara.”

“When can your father and I expect a grandchild from you?”

All right. That was her plan. “Simona and Daniele are both young. Taking care of them takes up all my time and energy.”

“They aren’t yours, Giulia. You have to make clever decisions. Having a child of your own will solidify your position, especially if you have a boy who might become Underboss.”

“Daniele will be Underboss, Mom. And if I ever want a child, it won’t be for tactical purposes.” Cassio and I hadn’t discussed children yet. He’d insisted I take the pill, which I would have done anyway because I definitely didn’t want to get pregnant at the moment. I wanted to be the best mother for Daniele and Simona, and a third child wouldn’t make the task any easier.

“Now that you’re a wife, you can’t afford being naïve.”

I sighed. “I need to hang up now. Simona needs me.” I didn’t wait for her reply. Lowering the phone, I watched Daniele push the animal images in the picture book alongside Simona. The cacophony of meows, mooohs, and woof-woofs caused them to laugh. I leaned back with a smile. Every day, they captured more of my heart.

I tried to wait up for Cassio, but eventually I drifted off, awkwardly curled up in the armchair in front of the fireplace.

I wasn’t sure what time it was when cold hands touched my arm, jerking me out of my slumber. It was dark in the room except for the dying embers in the hearth dancing before my tired eyes. Cassio hovered over me, smelling of gunpowder, smoke, and whisky. “I told you not to wait for me.”

“What time is it?” I slurred, my tongue and muscles heavy.

“Late.”

I tried to make out Cassio’s face to connect the tense note in his voice to his expression, but the darkness concealed his features. Reaching out, I touched his arm. The crisp fabric of his shirt stuck to his skin. It was stiff against my fingertips, crusted with something. Cassio pulled out of my grasp with a sharp intake.

I was momentarily wide awake. “Cassio?”

I sat up and Cassio took a step back from me, out of my reach. “Go to bed, Giulia. Now.”

I stood, moving toward him. The dying embers didn’t give off enough light to see much, but part of his white shirt was dark. “What happened? Are you hurt?”

“Giulia, to bed. Now.”

“No. I’m not a child, I’m your wife, and I’m not going anywhere until I know you’re fine.”

“Your insolence is driving me to the brink.”

“I think you like my insolence.”

He sighed and walked out. I followed after him. The foyer was dark too. My worry increased with every step and Cassio’s continued silence. When we finally arrived in our bedroom, I turned on the light switch. My heart dropped, seeing the blood on Cassio’s white shirt. Most of it had dried, only a small splotch on his arm looked fresher. Cassio continued into the bathroom without a word, but his expression conveyed his disapproval as I followed. “What happened?”

Cassio unbuttoned his shirt and shrugged it off, but one of his sleeves stuck to his arm. I cringed when I saw the wound it was stuck to. I grabbed a towel and dabbed it into warm water then pushed Cassio’s hand away. I soaked the bloody material of his sleeve, waiting for it to become unstuck from the long cut so there wouldn’t be further damage.

Cassio watched me almost curiously, no sign that someone had obviously used his forearm as a cutting board. I carefully unfastened his shirt, and Cassio gave the slightest twitch but didn’t make a sound. “Not your first rodeo, hmm?” I needed to make light of the situation before my worry for my husband drove me into a panic attack. What if something happened to him? What would I do with two small children, a huge house, and a slightly twisted dog?

“It’s only a shallow cut. I’ll survive.”

I laughed but it sounded forced. Once the wound was freed from the confines of his shirt, Cassio dropped the ruined garment on the floor. “I can handle this.” He took a first aid kit from a cupboard beneath the sink.

“Won’t you tell me what happened?”

He cleaned his wound but when I didn’t look away, he sighed. “I’m not sure you should know the details of my business.”

“I’m part of your life, so let me be a part of it.”

The hesitation remained in his eyes. He looked down to his wound and patched it up with butterfly strips. “Luca’s been dealing with traitors as well as an MC that’s been giving us trouble.”

At the confused look on my face, he added, “Motorcycle club. They’re stronger in the south, especially Texas, New Mexico, and Florida, but chapters have been popping up around here. Luca asked me to see what the local chapter was up to. We captured one, a strong fighter. He got me with his knife.”

“Why would you get involved in this? Why don’t you send your men to deal with this? My father would never risk his life in an attack.”

Cassio smiled ironically. “That’s why your father isn’t the best Underboss. If you want your men’s loyalty, you have to show them that you’re willing to fight at their side.”

I shook my head. “That’s how people get killed.”

“Are you worried about me?”

I wrapped my arm around his middle and pressed my cheek to his chest. “Promise me to be more careful.”

“I’m always careful.”

“The wound tells a different story.”

“Let’s get you into bed now. It’s—”

Simona’s cry rang from the speakers. “No bed for me.”

Cassio pressed his palm to my lower back and nudged me toward the bed. “You go to sleep and I’ll handle Simona.”

“You need to rest—”

“No. Let me handle her.”

I realized he needed to do it, to hold his little daughter. Maybe it was his way to remind himself of the good in this world.

“All right.” I sank down on the bed, feeling completely drained. Cassio kissed me briefly before he headed for the nursery.

I’d grown up in the mafia world. Death and danger were constant companions, but Dad had never come home injured. He knew how to stay out of trouble and let others risk their lives for him. I admired Cassio for his bravery. Yet at the same time, I wished he were a coward like Dad so he’d be safe. For his children… and me.

Daniele and I settled on the floor. It was bonding time, not just between him and me, but also with Loulou, while Simona had her afternoon nap. The last couple of evenings Cassio had come home late again, and I hoped it wouldn’t turn into a permanent thing. For now, I focused my main attention on Daniele, Simona, and Loulou. They kept me distracted enough.

Loulou trotted closer with a ball in her muzzle as she usually did when I sat down on the floor. I took the ball from her and rolled it over the floor. Daniele followed everything with curious eyes. After two tosses, I held the ball out to him. He took it and flung it away then smiled widely when Loulou chased her toy. We did this for a couple of minutes before I put the ball away and patted the spot in front me. Loulou came closer, her pink tongue lolling about adorably. I stroked her gently then crossed my legs and motioned for Loulou to come even closer. She curled up in my lap, and I stroked her ears gently, amazed at how silky this spot of her felt to the touch.