Page 562 of Sinfully Savage Mafia

I rub the back of my neck. “How about we skip lunch and just hang out here? Like, in your bed?”

She gives me a little punch. “It’s going to be fine, Zeno. I promise.”

“Easy for you to say,” I grumble. “You’re not the one who’s about to be roasted. And not in theComedy Centralkinda way.”

Lily rises to her feet and pulls me up with her. “Come on. If we don’t leave now, we’ll be late.”

“I have no problem with being late.”

“You can’t avoid this forever,” she says, laying her arms around my neck. “And this isn’t only about you. It’s about your family and the Severinovs and the Marcones. So, man up and let’s get moving! Own what you did, Zeno.” She grins at me. “They’ll respect you more for it. I do.”

I let out a deep sigh. “Fine! Okay, you gave your pep talk. Let’s get going because the sooner we have this meeting, the sooner I can get you back here and naked.”

“That’s the spirit,” she murmurs. She rubs the underside of Vito’s chin. “We’ll be back soon and don’t worry. We’ll bring you lots of yummy steak, baby,” she croons.

A knot twists in my gut as we speed back to the Excelsior for the luncheon meeting hosted at Tommy’s restaurant. Christ, I can’t even begin to think about food right now. The Severinovs want my head on a spit after what went down with Messina…and about me dragging Lily into it. And the Salesis? Hell, I’m sure they want to jam that spit straight up my ass.

Everyone flew in last night, and today is the day we decide whether or not we will work together as part of Red Ladro. My father and older brother Ciro are pissed as hell at me for jeopardizing their chances to be part of this group.

Eh, fuck it.

If they turn us away because of what I did, you know what?

Good riddance.

And guess what else, Salesi? Imma still nail your daughter every chance I get.

That thought is the only one to make me smile as I pull up to the hotel entrance. We get out and walk into the hotel. It’s a beautiful sunny day in Vegas. Hot as Hades, but that goes without saying.

A few weeks ago, I figured this stint in Nevada would be a temporary pit stop until I could get back to my real life in Sicily.

A few days ago, I realizedthisis the real life I want.

Here in Vegas, with Lily.

And Vito, of course.

Yep, I sound like a big badass assassin, right?

Pussy-whipped and proud to be.

We walk through the casino, hands clasped, although it doesn’t ease the sense of dread that threatens to consume me every step closer we get to the restaurant. I tug at Lily’s arm before she bounds inside, and she stops to look at me with a questioning look on her face.

“You know I won’t take orders from your father,” I say in a low voice. “I did what I did and I stand by it all. But if he thinks he’s gonna get here and try to keep me away from you, he’s fucked in the head because that ain’t happening. He doesn’t scare me. None of them do.”

Lily squeezes my hand tight and steps toward me, standing on her tiptoes to place a kiss on my lips. “I’m certainly glad to hear that,” she murmurs.”

“Can I tell you what I want to hear when we’re done here?” I nuzzle her ear with my lips.

“Daddy!” Lily squeals and I stifle a groan.

Oh, hell no. That was most definitely not the right answer.

She runs over to two men walking toward us and throws her arms around them. “I’m so happy to see you both! I’ve missed you so much!”

I stand uncomfortably a few feet away, watching, not watching, shifting, not shifting, hoping they break away from their tight embrace so I can get this whole thing over with. My eyes dart over to the restaurant. I can see my father Pietro, my cousins Matteo and Sergio, and Gallo inside of the restaurant. My father doesn’t look thrilled with me, and that message was delivered loud and clear when I spoke to him earlier.

I wonder if I’ll even have time to eat since it seems that every attendee of this meeting wants to read me the riot act.

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