Page 52 of On Ice

By the time I get home, I’m beat. By racing like hell, I manage to arrive in time for dinner. I walk into the kitchen and take in the scene. My family’s claimed their usual spots around the kitchen table. They’re laughing and teasing Mama about something, but she’s taking the ribbing with good humor.

Steam rises from pots on the professional range, bringing with it the rich scent of our live-in chef, Giulia’s, osso buco. Giulia is a sturdy Italian woman in her mid-fifties. She has a no-nonsense demeanor and a sharp tongue, but she also has an warm, infectious laugh. Her hair is dark and wavy with a streakof silver at the front. Her olive-toned skin is slightly weathered from her love of gardening.

Her sharp brown eyes flick to me the second I enter the kitchen. “Well, well. Looks like the king will be joining us after all.” She smiles, revealing crooked teeth.

“I heard you were making osso buco, of course I’m here.” I move to her and kiss her lightly on the cheek. I inhale the food, letting out a pleased groan. Osso buco is a feast for the senses. The rich aroma of slow-braised veal shanks fills the air, mingling with the scent of garlic, onions, and white wine.

“Luca,” Isabella exclaims. “I was worried you weren’t coming home for dinner. I was about to take a plate up to Evan. He must be starving.”

I grit my teeth at her insistence on meddling, but when I turn around, I force a smile. “No need for that, Tesoro. I’m going to handle his dinner needs. I told you not to bother him, Isabella. Remember?”

Isabella pouts at my response. “I feel bad for him. Evan’s been stuck in that room all day. That’s not good for him.”

Tony guffaws. “Says the girl who rarely leaves her bedroom unless it’s dinner time or she has a date.”

She punches his arm, laughing. “Be quiet. I leave to go shopping too.”

“Oh, yeah. That’s true.” Tony smirks, and then takes a sip of red wine.

Mama sighs. “I wish you’d warned me you were going to keep that person here, Luca. Since when do you bring strangers home with you?”

I grimace and move to join them at the table. I take a seat across from Mama. “Sorry, it was an emergency.”

Tony leers. “An emergency hookup? Never heard of that before.”

My face warms as Mama shoots me a reproachful look. “It wasn’t a hookup. I’m trying to keep him alive. He pissed off a lot of powerful people.”

Mama lifts her brows. “And you brought him here? Was that wise?”

I lift one shoulder. “I want him alive. This was the safest place I could think of.”

Isabella leans forward, eyes bright. “He’s the hockey player, remember, Mama? The one who refused to do what Luca told him to do.”

Mama nods. “Oh, he’s the one?”

I nod, fiddling with the silverware in front of me. “Vincent and the others want him dead, but I’d rather he didn’t die.”

“He’s very attractive.” Isabella gives an impish smile. “But I especially like that he disobeyed you, Luca.”

I frown. “You like that, do you? Well it’s caused me a lot of trouble.”

She shrugs one slender shoulder. “Pfft, you’ll handle it. You always do.”

Tony refills his wine glass, the gold rings on his thick fingers glistening in the light. “I knew you shouldn’t buy that hockey team. Marco and I both thought the casino deal in Atlantic City was a better option.”

I narrow my eyes. “Well, when you and Marco are in charge, you can do what you want.” I love my brother dearly, but I don’t want him challenging my authority. It’s not a good look for the family. “Last time I checked, I was still the Don of this family.”

“Sure. Sure.” Tony gives an uneasy laugh. “I’m just saying that casino was a sure thing. The hockey team is more work, that’s all.”

“Is that all you’re saying?” I hold his gaze and he squirms in his chair. Tony works as muscle and a street-level enforcer for the family. He’s hot-headed and too impulsive. He craves my approval, but often oversteps boundaries to prove his worth. That means he sometimes creates more problems than he solves, forcing me to clean up his messes. “I can’t say I like the idea you were talking behind my back with Marco about this stuff.”

Pink touches Tony’s cheeks. “I’m allowed to have opinions about things. I mean, it’s my family business too.”

“Yeah, it is.” I frown. “But shouldn’t you focus more on your own responsibilities instead of mine? From what I hear, you fucked up royally the other day.”

Tony’s eyes shift guiltily around the room, avoiding my gaze. “What do you mean?”

Tony runs a backroom betting operation where guys gamble big money on sports, horse races, and underground fights. One of my captains told me Tony screwed up recently, letting some cocky kid from a political family walk in and bet way more than he could actually pay.

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