Sweet Temptation by Cora Reilly

“I know.”
I left. Faro still waited in the corridor and almost sagged in relief when he
spotted me.
He waited until the elevator doors closed before he said, “I thought I
wouldn’t see you again.”
“Luca knows I’m worth more alive than dead.”
Faro shook his head. “If you say so.” He regarded me closely. “Do you want
to talk?”
I grimaced. “I don’t need to talk.”
The second I stepped into our house, Giulia stormed toward me and embraced
me so tightly I worried she might bruise her bump. Her eyes were red. Daniele
stepped into the foyer behind her. At twelve, he was almost as tall as Giulia. I
still remembered when he’d clung to my trouser legs.
“Shouldn’t you be in bed? You have school tomorrow.”
“I knew something was wrong when Mom came home crying. She wouldn’t
tell me what was going on.” His voice was already changing from boy to man.
I’d raised him, had suspected he wasn’t mine for many years and now had
certainty. It didn’t change anything. Giulia loved Daniele and Simona as if they
were her own, and I did too.
“I had a discussion with Luca.”
Daniele came closer, fear on his face. “Are you in trouble, Dad?”
That word coming from his lips still filled me with pride. That would never
change.
Giulia stepped back to give us room.
I cupped the back of Daniele’s head and pulled him against my chest. “I
cleared everything up. It was a misunderstanding.” Daniele briefly hugged me.
Now that he wasn’t a small boy anymore, these displays of affection had become
less. “Now go to bed.”
Daniele pulled back and headed upstairs, taking the steps two at a time. I
wrapped an arm around Giulia.
“Nothing changed,” she said firmly.
“Nothing changed,” I confirmed. “Daniele is a good boy, my boy, and he’ll
be a good Underboss.”
Giulia smiled widely. “I know he will be. Just like his dad.” She linked our
fingers. “Let’s go to bed.” The way she said it, I knew she needed more than just
sleep, and after today, making love to my wife sounded like the perfect balm.
After Giulia had fallen asleep, I headed into the cigar lounge. Loulou trotted
after me. She spent most nights in Daniele’s or Simona’s bed, but my steps must