Page 62 of The Sicilian Bastard
"Did you leave him alive?"
I grunted my answer, and she gave me a stunning smile. She ran to me and wrapped her arms around me. It took me a beat, but eventually, I patted her on the back. I wasn't used to this. This was more affection than I had ever gotten from anyone other than Araceli.
"I'm really proud to call you my brother," Eunji whispered. She gave me one more squeeze then walked into Vito's office without another glance at me. I didn't take it as an insult. I took it as she trusted me to give me her back. For a woman like Eunji, that was a big compliment. She had been through more than a few lifetimes of pain. The fact that she could still smile boggled my mind. She may act submissive, but she was a badass.
I headed back into the kitchen and gathered up supplies to make Araceli a huge breakfast in bed. I wanted to knock her socks off. I wanted her to feel like this day was special. No, I wasn't the kind of man to get on one knee and unload my heart. I was the one who stayed in the shadows and protected the one I loved. I was her broken knight. She was my strong queen. She didn't need poetry and flowers. We were raw and real. All our broken parts were out in the open for all to hear.
I fired up the pan and added in the butter, letting it melt on a light sizzle. In under ten minutes, I had a few things cooking. I took off the bacon and prepared for pancakes. It was smelling good in the kitchen.
"Something smells divine." I turned and saw Agosto climbing onto a stool at the island, one hand on his belly. Eunji followed right after him, with Vito bringing up the rear. It didn't bother me that they were all together and possibly talking about me. It used to, but not now. Not after Vito and I had come to an understanding. Nick and Rose showed up a little while later. They sat on opposite sides, but they were there.
"I didn't even know you could cook,fratello."Vito snatched a piece of bacon off a plate as he said that.
"Yeah, what's the special occasion?" Eunji took the bacon out of Vito's hands and plopped it into her mouth. He just grinned down at her and kissed her oiled lips.
"I gotta feed my girl." I grinned back at my family.
"What the fuck is this?" I had a split second to react to my littlefiorewalking into the kitchen barefoot and wearing my shirt before she chucked something at me. I looked down at what I caught and saw I was holding the ring I had slid on her finger a little while ago. The ring that showed the world she was mine. The ring that would tie her to me forever. She was rejecting my claim. She was rejecting me. The pain hit my chest before everything went black.
