Page 4 of Throttled (Men of Inked 1.5)
I gulped, realizing my mistake. “Mom. Thanks, Mom,” I quickly corrected.
She smiled, her face growing soft as she turned back to the poster board.
“Let’s talk about the bachelorette party while Ma is busy.” Izzy grabbed my arm, pulling me toward the small table on the other side of the room.
“Maybe she wants to come,” I said, looking at Mrs. G.
“Nope, she’s staying home with Daddy. I have everything planned out.”
“Izzy,” I warned, my eyes snapping to her face.
She smiled, looking overly pleased with herself. “Don’t worry. I have it all under control,” she said, winking at me.
“That’s what I’m worried about.” I said, leveling her with my stare.
“As a bridesmaid it’s my duty to give you a kick ass bachelorette party. Whatever happens, just blame it on me. I can take care of those boys.”
“Give us the run down,” Mia said, not letting me respond to Izzy.
“Okay, well, we have a party bus picking up all the girls here on Friday night and the boys will have their own. We’ll be spending the evening at Shepard’s Beach Resort. I reserved the top floor where the suites are located and we’ll party our asses off. They have a dance club set up at night and we can drink till we puke and crawl to our rooms.” She bounced up and down in her chair. “This shit is going to be so kick ass.”
I looked down, twisting my fingers in my hands. “No stripper, Izzy.” I wasn’t asking. I wanted to make it clear that I didn’t want any half-naked men touching me.
“Don’t worry,” she said, her smile growing wider as my stomach turned over.
“Izzy, I’m serious.” I stared at her, holding her with my gaze.
“Relax, Suz.”
“I’m looking forward to a girls’ night out,” Mia said, squeezing my arm. “Michael doesn’t let me out of his sight much. Well, really he doesn’t let me out of his bed.” She laughed, her face turning red.
Izzy winced. “My ears are going to bleed or my brain will explode with that image. Do not mention my brothers and sex. Ever. Ick,” she said, sticking out her tongue like she was going to throw up.
“What about Flash?” Mia asked, smirking.
“He’s just a friend.” Izzy frowned, looking to her mother.
“He looks like he wants to be more than friends,” I added. “You’ve never brought anyone around for family dinners let alone a holiday, Izzy.”
“Eh, he was in town and he doesn’t have any family in the area. We hangout sometimes but it’s nothing more than that.” She drew in a breath. “He’s not right for me and the guys, well, they’d never allow him to be part of this family.”
“What are you girls talking about?” Mrs. G asked as she sat down with us.
“The monsters that you’ve created,” Izzy said quickly, changing the subject.
“Ah,” she said, turning to me. “Suzy, everything looks perfect. I wouldn’t change a thing on that seating chart.”
I smiled, happy that I hadn’t messed it up. “So Ma,” I said, the words still foreign on my tongue. “You were going to share your pearls of wisdom with us about how to handle our boys.”
She laughed, her eyes twinkling. “Well, it’s taken me many years to hone my skills and learn how to get what I want. It’s a fine line though, ladies. You can’t let them know you’re the one silently controlling the strings from the background. They like to think they’re the puppet master when in reality we hold all the strings.”
“Still not giving me details,” Mia said, shaking her head.
“Michael and Joseph are tough boys and Izzy, any man that steals your heart will be just as tough as your brothers, if not more. This information will be for all of you to file away and use when necessary.”
We leaned forward, waiting to hear her next words.
“Always remember to make them think they’re in charge.” She smiled and laughed. “That’s the key. Don’t ever make them think otherwise. Love them hard, ladies. Smother them with your love. Be fierce when necessary and never back down. Once you give in, they’ll expect it always. When they won’t give you what you want, well, that’s when you deny them the thing they want most.” She pause
d, wiggling her eyebrows.
“Oh my God, Ma. I don’t even want to think about you and Pop having sex.” Izzy stuck her finger in her mouth, pretending to gag.
Mia and I broke into a fit of laughter.
Mrs. G shook her head. “Deny them food, Izzy.” She laughed. “Your mind is always in the gutter, child.”
I couldn’t control myself. I sagged into the chair, hysterical with tears streaming down my face. Izzy glared at her mother, unconvinced by her pearls of wisdom. Mia put her head down on the table, her body shaking from the giggles we’d all developed.
I sobered, sitting up in my chair and leaned my elbows on the table. “That won’t work for me, Ma. I don’t do the cooking. It’s hard to deny a man food when he does all the cooking.”
“Well then you only have one other weapon.” She smiled, patting Izzy on the leg.
“For the love of God, Ma. Really. My ears are going to explode and I’ll never be able to have sex again if you keep talking.” Izzy closed her eyes, rubbing her fingers roughly against her skin. “No more. I can’t listen.”
“Izzy, dear. I was going to say that Suzy shouldn’t snuggle with Joey. Snuggle, Izzy.”
“Snuggle?” Izzy looked at her Ma with wide eyes. “Really? Who the hell snuggles?”
My laughter returned worse than before. Izzy and Mrs. G were the cutest two people I knew. I could listen to them talk all day.
“All Gallo men snuggle, Izzy.” Mrs. G stated calmly and matter of fact.
“Bullshit,” Izzy coughed. “Suzy?” She looked at me for confirmation.
“I’m sorry to blow the image you have of your brother, but he loves to snuggle. He’ll never use those words, but there’s not a night that goes by that I’m not required to fall asleep in his arms.”
“You’ve ruined the image I have of my brother being the big bad wolf.” She shook her head, turning her attention to Mia. “Michael too?”
Mia nodded. “Yep, but there’s no place I’d rather be. I feel so safe in his arms. He’s like an overgrown security blanket. I don’t think we’ve ever fallen asleep without our bodies being entangled.”
Izzy rubbed her forehead, looking to the floor. “My mind is blown. Jesus. I know there’s no way in hell Anthony is a snuggler. No God damn way.” She shook her head and looked at her Ma. “You did this to these men, Ma.”
“I snuggled them since the moment they were born, just like I did you. Even as little babies, their fingers would tangle in my hair, playing with the strands.”
“I’m not a snuggler,” Izzy interrupted, holding up her hand. “Never have been and never will be.”
“You will, my dear. When you find the right man.” Mrs. G swept her fingers across Izzy cheek, tilting her head and smiling. There was so much love between the two women, it radiated off of them.
“Nope. I like my space. I’ll never give in. Who knew I was really the one with the penis after all these years?” Izzy laughed, hitting the table.
“Don’t let the boys hear you say that,” I said, grinning at her.
“What are they going to do? Cuddle me to death?” she asked through her laughter, her body slipping from the chair in hysterics.
Chapter 4 ~ Fair Warning
“Get your ass up and help, Sam. We aren’t done. You may think you’re a guest¸ but you help like the rest of us. Earn your meal, friend,” I bit out, trying to hide the obvious dislike of the man.
He sat at the table like a king, watching us as we cleared the table and started to clean up dinner. “Really? Izzy said I was a guest.”
I walked over; leaning over the table so only he could hear. “I don’t give a fuck what Izzy said. This is my house and you ate my food. Get your fuckin’ ass up and help.”
“I knew you were a prick,” Sam said as he stood, grinning. “I don’t remember your mother treating a guest like this in her home.”
“I’m not my mother and I don’t like you. Never have and sure as fuck never will.” I leaned farther across the table, coming eye to eye with him.
“What the fuck did I ever do to you?” Sam glared, not breaking eye contact.
“I don’t like you being with my sister. It’s that simple.”
“Izzy and I aren’t together.” He crossed his arms.
“I don’t give a shit what you say. I don’t like her even being near you. You’re trouble, Sam.”
“I’m not trouble, Joe. You know me. I’ve never done shit wrong.” He walked around the table, coming to face me without a barrier.
“I know you’re prospecting with the Sun Devils. They don’t play games, Sam. They’re the real deal. I don’t want my sister involved in their bullshit.” I snarled, fisting my hands at my side.
“They’re good guys, Joe. I never take your sister around them. She and I spend time together when I come to town to see my parents or go on a run. Nothing more than that.” His eyes softened as he stared at me, the glare had vanished. “I’d never hurt your sister. We’ve been friends since we were little kids. She’d kick my ass anyway. I mean seriously, Joe, your sister doesn’t take anyone’s shit.”
