Total pages in book: 79
Estimated words: 75683 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 378(@200wpm)___ 303(@250wpm)___ 252(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 75683 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 378(@200wpm)___ 303(@250wpm)___ 252(@300wpm)
“The coffee is good, if you’re ever in the area,” I told them. “That was as far as I got before the guys came in.”
“How’d you not see ‘em before her?” August, my youngest brother, asked, and I exhaled hard.
“I had my back to the door.”
I saw the brows go up.
I didn’t blame them.
I would react the same way.
“Why?” Massimo asked.
“Honestly? ‘Cause I wanted to get a better look at Savannah,” I admitted, shrugging. Because the guys wouldn’t read into that the way my mom and my aunts would.
“Guess we’ve all been there,” Dante said, slapping a hand against my shoulder.
“Alright, since we are… nowhere,” Luca said, rolling his neck a little. Heavy was the head, as they say. Had to be especially true when you were ruling over a mafia Family. “I want everyone to be vigilant. No lingering outside, no standing out in the open. They might be amateurs, but even they could take out one or two of us if we aren’t paying attention.”
“Should we be worried about the women and kids? The moms? Sisters?” Lucky asked.
“I’m always worried about them,” Luca said. “But it wouldn’t hurt to gently suggest no one spends any extra time outside without one of us with them. Just until we track down these guys.”
With that, the meeting wrapped up.
And I ran around town, putting together a little basket to bring with me. After consulting every woman I came in contact with, I ended up with a nice robe—with a pattern of daisies on it, since that seemed to suit her—another pair of socks, slippers, some fancy lotion and lip balm, a weighted eye mask with lavender to help her sleep, a book from the popular section, and some snacks.
It felt a little impersonal.
But, I mean, I didn’t know her well enough to truly cater it to what she would want.
When I made my way into the hospital room, I found Sunshine settling her daughter back into the bed, her hair wet like she’d just taken a shower, or had at least been given a careful washing.
“Hey!” Savannah greeted me, shooting that megawatt smile at me. Screw what I said earlier to my Ma. She was brighter than the fucking sun.
“Oh, you must be Nino!” Sunshine said, shooting me a smile just as bright as her daughter’s one. “It’s so nice to meet you. We were snacking on that edible bouquet all day yesterday,” she said, walking over to me, and giving me a one-armed hug since my other one was holding the basket. “Oh, and look at this. You are too sweet,” she declared as I put the basket down on the empty rolling table. “I would love to sit and get to know you a bit, but I think I am going to rush out while you are here to take a shower and feed my cat.”
“And water our gardens,” Savannah implored.
“Yes, of course, darling,” Sunshine said, giving her daughter a smile. “Why don’t you have a seat? Stay a while,” her mother said before making her way out of the room, closing the door as she went.
“You have her smile,” I said when she was gone.
“Thank you,” Savannah said, taking it for the compliment it was. “You really didn’t need to bring me anything else,” she said, but her curious gaze kept slipping over to the basket, so I went ahead and started to pull out items, showing her what I’d brought.
“Want the socks now?” I asked, figuring the other pair were in a laundry bag since she’d gotten cleaned up.
“Yes, absolutely,” she said, wiggling her feet under the blanket. “And, I mean, I wouldn’t kick you out of bed if you gave me another massage,” she said, and I was having a hard time figuring out if she was just being cute and friendly, or if she was flirting.
Either way, though, I didn’t need a second invitation. I sat down at the end of the bed and let her rest her cold feet in my lap.
“I know,” she said. “I have the worst circulation,” she told me as I squeezed one of her feet between both of my hands.
“I should have brought electric socks,” I told her.
“They make those?”
“I didn’t know until I was in the store today either,” I said. “The lady at the store was worried about the access to enough electric sockets, though.”
“It’s going on my Christmas list,” she said, letting out a sigh as she relaxed back into the pillow as I pressed my thumb into the arch of her foot.
I now understood why so many massages between couples ended up in fucking. Because the way she was letting out little whimpers of approval was fucking with my system in ways that were decidedly not appropriate for the venue.
I kind of wished she would talk my ear off like she’d done at the restaurant, give me a distraction, but she seemed a little too into the massage to say anything.