Page 95 of In Her Blood
She never looked away from their audience. “Today, and only today, I am offering you the chance to join me on a new venture. The Nikolaev Bratva has collapsed … but from its ashes, the Voronin Bratva will rise, stronger than any this city has known.”
The room practically burst with sound as murmurs rose and fabric shifted, bodies turning and gesturing as they talked amongst themselves.
Otto moved his hand to her shoulder, squeezing gently, his fingers placed to be mindful of her healing wound. He wasn’t pulling her away, but reminding her of his steady presence. As if she could forget. Even in this moment, standing in a crowded club full of surely armed and many agitated people, technically presenting herself as an easy target, all she really wanted to do was tuck herself up against him and forget the world.
There would be time for that—so much time for that—but for the moment, she needed to control herself and her constant need for him. From the way his thumb had begun rubbing over the back of her shoulder blade, he probably needed to remind himself of his self-control, too.
She kind of liked that she had that effect on him, though.
Epilogue
Eight Months Later
“Pictures, pictures!” Eleonora called,waving her wine glass in the air as if anyone in the room would ignore her. “I need pictures with everyone before this wonderful weekend is over and my family splits apart again.”
Evelina couldn’t help but smile at her precious aunt’s declaration.
It had been the better part of a month after she first met her cousins before she was finally comfortable flying out, just for a short weekend, to meet her long-lost Aunt Nora. And it turned out no one called her “Nora.” That was a nickname only Evelina’s mother had used for her, and when she’d lost her sister, Eleonora had rejected it from anyone new.
The vivacious mafia wife retiree had fallen into a puddle when Evelina had used the name, completely unawares. Evelina had offered not to—she could say “Aunt El” as easily—but Eleonora had refused to let her change. In a similar way that she refused to let Evelina stay anywhere other than one of her guest rooms when Evelina came to Newark for a visit, or to pay for a single damn thing while she was visiting, or to feel anything at all less than wholly welcomed.
“There’s no need to be so dramatic, Mom,” Mikey said with a sigh everyone could tell was exaggerated.
“Yeah,” Romeo said, “no one’s splitting up.” He extended a pointer finger from his whiskey glass, toward Felicity and Cristiano. “Your family’sgrowingagain.”
Evelina bit back a snicker as she watched Felicity’s face flame. It was fun not to be at the brunt of the baby jokes for a few days. Iouri was merciless in his pleading for grandchildren, and she was in no hurry to add that to the reason she lost sleep at night. She and Otto were content to enjoy each other and focus on nurturing their bratva for the time being. Though, she did plan to not replace her IUD with a new one when it came due in the coming year. Pills or something would be much easier to adjust when they were ready.
“It’s rude to point,” Cristiano said.
Romeo laughed and knocked back the rest of his drink.
“What’s rude is how long it took you two to add to my collection of grandbabies,” Eleonora said.
More than a few chuckles went around the room.
“Two fucking years? Were you scared?” Romeo teased.
Felicity had announced her pregnancy just two days before, over the heart of the Christmas holiday, and the entire family had about lost their minds with enthusiasm. Evelina had been no exception. She’d bonded quickly with Felicity, too.
Cristiano hauled his wife into his lap. “It’s calledcontraception, Romeo. Do your wife a favor and discover it.”
“Hey!” Grace piped up, swinging an arm across her bellowing husband’s lap as she pointed aggressively. “I’m not pregnant yet. At least let me get through the rest of this year without morning sickness!”
Dante set his emptied glass onto the table at his side with a subtle clink, a quiet laugh lifting his lips, and looked around the room. “I believe our mother requested another round of holiday photos.”
Agreeable responses went around the room, and Eleonora set down her wine as she began gesturing again. The long, sweeping sleeves of her fashionable black and silver dress emphasized every movement. “Let’s do one more with all the boys, one with all us ladies, sets with the couples of course, and I want at least one more with everyone, too.”
Someone groaned. “Mom,” Romeo said, “that’ll take forever. We still have to load up two kids.”
Evelina saw the exact moment her aunt’s eyes lit. “Well, if you’re waking themup, anyway—”
“Mother,” Dante said, “you took pictures with all the children before dinner. And none of them are leaving the city.”
Evelina moved forward as Eleonora’s brow furrowed and she curled an arm around the older woman’s arm. “Aunt Nora,” she said, “I’ll take pictures with you, promise. But Ialsopromise I won’t magically disappear at the turn of the year, okay?” She couldn’t if she tried. She’d known the De Salvo side of her family for a sparse handful of months, and she couldn’t imagine pulling away from them.
They were a world apart from the concept of family she had known before. They were everything she’d once longed for, and everything she hoped to provide for the family she and Otto would build over time.
Romeo was right, though. Even once Eleonora abdicated the idea of waking the minors, all the pictures she wanted essentially re-taken took well over an hour. In part because some of the men were just relaxed enough to bicker over silly things the way brothers should, in part because every combination of people needed multiple shots for posterity, and largely because they were an Italian family. They talked.
