Page 269 of Vita Mia

“That’s different! This is my child.”

“And she is mine. And she is grown. She’ll be thirty in two years. We haven’t been able to control Eve since she was twelve years old. You know that. She’s as stubborn as you, Bella. Could anyone have told you not to love me and you would have listened? Could anyone have told our mothers not to love the men they’d chosen and they’d listen?”

Mirabella shook her head.

“It’s her choice. I agree,” Mirabella eventually said.

“Mmmm, Bella, you are so forgiving,” he said and squeezed her to him.

She chuckled.

“Why did I have to wait to be over sixty to be remade into a peacemaker? Answer me that, Bella?”

“You didn’t wait. Do you really think that Carlo and Lorenzo will believe that Dominic became thecapo di tutti capiwithout your guidance? That your sons succeeded without your influence?”

“I’m retired,” Giovanni replied. “I mind my business, and eat my mangoes and sugar cane every day. Besides there is no Mafia, just the Illuminati.”

Mirabella laughed.

Gino glanced up to the rearview mirror of the car at his parents and then lowered his gaze back to the road.

“That’s right. You’re retired,caro.” She turned her chin and let him kiss her. “My silver lion.”

Giovanni growled in his throat and kissed her deeply.

***

CATALINA WALKED OVERto Dominic. He ended the call. “Everyone here?”

“Kyra? You convinced Kyra to come?” Catalina asked. “How?”

“I have a trust fund that Renaldo put in place for his kids. Something separate that I kept putting money in over the years so that it would grow. Kyra cut all ties with us. I decided it best to grow it for her.”

“Oh?”

“I told her about it. Everycapuplans for death and the future of their children. She wanted to be here when Giovanni sat with her children and gave it to them.”

“Remarkable,” Catalina said. “They are all here. I had them taken to the cabana near the pool. So many of them at once. I can’t believe it,” she said. She walked over and kissed him. She touched his jaw. “Gio and Mirabella’s plane landed?”

“They’re on their way from the airport,” he said and brushed his lips across hers.

“What about Nico? Is he going to come?”

“He said no. Gino said that Giovanni insisted. And Nico left a day earlier. I’m not sure if he’s here or in Miami or when he will come. He’ll come.”

“Eve’s husband is here. I greeted him and took him out to the cabana to meet everyone.”

Dominic’s eyebrows lowered with concern.

“Let it alone,caro,” Catalina said and kissed him again. “I swear you and her brothers are the worse when it comes to the girls.”

Dominic arms slipped around her waist. She put her arms around his neck.

“Are you okay? With Marietta? You spent some time out there talking. I could see you from the rooftop. Looked intense?” he asked.

“She brought up Armando. Thought reminding me of him would hurt me.”

“Did it?” he kissed her brow. “No. Because I don’t have to pretend with you. Or our son. Thank you for that, Domi. For loving me all this time, even when it was hard.”

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