Page 39 of Days Of Valentino

“You’re older than I am,” I deadpan.

“Still not a grandfather.” Theo smirks.

“Yet. It’ll happen. And you’ll fucking love it when it does.” Fuck, I’d much rather be spending the morning with my grandson than dealing with my brother’sbullshitspilling out all over my furniture.

The door opens, and Orlando stops dead in his tracks. “What happened to you?”

“Caught a bullet. Where’s that sidekick of yours?” Theo asks.

“Dante? No idea.” Orlando lies through his teeth. One thing I’ll give these kids is the fact they stick together like glue. They don’t rat on each other. Not even when they were little.

“When you see him, tell him I want a word,” Theo says.

“Sure thing, Zio Theo.” Orlando smirks and then looks at me. “Is he going to live?”

“Yes.”

“Thank fuck. The last thing this family needs is another restructuring,” Orlando grunts. “I’m off. Ma is taking Sebastian over to Zia Maddie’s.”

“Fuck,” Theo says, trying to get up again. I push on his shoulder right as the doc walks in. “Let me go. If Katy tells Maddie I was shot, my wife’s really going to have my balls.”

“Sit your ass down and let the doc sew you up. Katy isn’t going to say anything.” She never does. She really isn’t one for idle gossip. It’s one of the things I love about her.

“You’re right,” Theo huffs and lies back on the sofa. “Doc, can you patch me up quick?”

“Maybe I should look at it first, boss. Wouldn’t want to do a half-assed job and leave you vulnerable to some kind of infection or realize too late that you’ve ruptured something vital,” the doc says.

“Right.” Theo throws an arm over his forehead, covering his eyes.

“So fucking dramatic.” I laugh.

“You try getting shot,” he groans as the doc starts probing the hole.

“I have. Twice,” I reply with a grin.

Episode Seventeen

In all my years of marriage, I’ve never doubted my husband. Not once. I’ve always had complete and utter faith in the man. Until right now.

Theo is insistent that he doesn’t need a hospital. That he’s fine. I should point out that ten minutes ago, he came home with a sewn-up bullet hole in his side. He was shot, and insteadof going to the hospital like any normal person would do,my husbanddecided to go to his brother’s house.

Let me say that again.My husband was shot and went to his brother’s house. Where the two morons called their family doctor to come and patch him up. I don’t care who my husband thinks he is. He was shot; he needs a hospital.

“Theo, I swear to God… Do not make me call your mother.” My voice rises above his protests. There is one person in the world my husband fears more than me, and that’s his mother. All four of the Valentino brothers are big-time mama’s boys. And when my mother-in-law finds out about this latest stunt, they’re going to wish they had done the sensible thing and gone to a freaking hospital.

“Bambolina, you need to calm down. I’m fine. Look. Standing right here, fine,” Theo says.

“Don’t youbamboliname, Theo Valentino. You were shot. What if… what if the bullet hit higher? What if it went through your heart? What if you died?”

Now, I’m mad.

It’s an irrational anger fueled by fear. I know who my husband is, what his role entails. I’ve always known, and the thought of losing him has always been there in the background. But right now, all I can think about is how close I came to losing him for real.

“Maddie, I’m fine. Well, I will be, once I get my hands around that no-good little shit’s neck,” Theo growls.

He’s talking about Dante. Theo found out that Dante bought an apartment and has been holed up there with Josie, our adopted daughter, who also happens to be Dante’s girlfriend. “That no-good little shit is our nephew, Theo. Your hands are not going anywhere near his neck.”

“Nephew or not, who the fuck does he think he is taking Josie to an apartment without parental supervision?” Theo seethes.

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