Page 63 of Delivered in White

“You’re hiding Rocco’sdaughterin plain sight?” Mikey slaps his own forehead and wipes his hand through his hair. “Gesù Cristo.”

“My father owes hers his life. I, like the three of you, revere that old fuck. I don’t say it much, or as often as maybe I should, but it’s true. And his dying wish is for this.” Trino holds up his hand clasped with mine, and glimpses the corner of my mouth curve into a grin.

“Was wondering why you were with the same woman two days in a—”

Snaps slaps Bruno in the arm to shut him up.

“It’s going to be for a lot more than two days. So the three of you better get used to it. And if you don’t respect me enough to hide the woman that’d surely start World War Three of the crime families, I hope you’d do it for my father.”

“We’re with you ’til the end, Trino.” Mikey kisses two fingers and holds them up toward the ceiling. “Lord knows myfat ass would be on a yacht somewhere fading into boredom if you hadn’t pulled me back in.”

“Same here.” Bruno winks at me, and I can’t help feeling a little lighter at how easily they’re all accepting this.

“Not going to say it again.” Snaps folds his arms. “Makes me mad when you question my loyalty.”

“I like these guys, hunnie.” I annoyingly cling around Trino’s arm. “Why didn’t you say you had such good friends?”

“Welcome to the family.” Bruno leans over Trino to grab my hand and give it a kiss.

“No raspberries on that one, fat ass.” Mikey cackles. “She’s off limits.”

“Fuck off!”

“Raspberries? Like blowing on bellies?” I lift my crop top jokingly, causing Trino to snap his tongue and put a hand up to stop my shenanigans.

“Act like a lady,” he scowls, an air of grumpy humor in his voice.

“Says the guy who wants me to strip.” I can’t help myself now that everything’s out in the open.

The men laugh.

“I like her.” Snaps points.

“Wow.” Bruno rubs his chin. “Like Mikey said – hiding Rocco’s daughter in plain sight. Fucking genius.”

“Oh, don’t make his head bigger than it is, Bruno.” I push my lips to one side.

We banter for some time. The four of them interact like brothers. Makes me wonder how long they’ve been handling this little Jersey operation together. Then things get serious.

“Alright, boss. Plan for tonight?” Snaps asks.

“The three of you manage your branches. I’ll be shifting between the three. Bruno, you’re in charge of keeping watch of my woman.” Trino looks him dead in the eye.

The proclamation sends a tingle down my thighs and a warm sensation cradling my heart. There’s that masculine energy I didn’t know how badly I needed.

“What transpired here today does not leave this fucking house. Not even Chestnut. I went through Capri’s social media posts that the Lucrazis and Barones have access to, and I can assure you, the woman in those photos looks nothing like this one.” He thumbs to me. “So we should be good there. Besides, if they show up, they’ll be looking for me, not her.”

I feel like a popcorn machine. Emotions are going haywire. Now a twinge of fear yanks at my insides. Imagining a bunch of mobsters swarming this house with guns out scares the shit out of me. Trino would know what to do, though. Wouldn’t he?

He’s so commanding in his role.

“Capri.” Trino waves in my face.

“Hm?”

“If you see any suspicious characters heading into the club—”

“Really?” I dip my head. “Everyoneis suspicious at Star Dust.”

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