Chapter Sixteen

Damon

The usual clamor echoed from the kitchen when we stepped into my parents’ house. Mama was cooking. Dad was hungry and trying to grab bites of food before Mama was ready to serve it, and my brothers and sister were intentionally making the situation worse. All the teasing and arguing were tempered with even more love.

Sounded like home to me.

“What’s going on in here?” I bellowed with an extra dose of bass in my voice.

All eyes flew up to meet mine in a stunned silence for a heartbeat, then they went back to their teasing and play-fighting. Mama, as usual, was the referee, while Dad encouraged his kids to win by any means necessary. They only stopped long enough to rub Jillian’s pregnant belly as if it were a fucking magic lamp and they were waiting for the genie to emerge. Then they resumed aggravating each other. Through all the gouging and threats and name-calling, there was laughter and love and the knowledge that no one outside this room would ever get away doing the same. We were a family through and through.

Mama grabbed Jillian first and kissed her cheeks before turning to me. “Back so soon? You just can’t stay away, can you?”

“You know I can’t. You’d hurt me if I tried.”

“That’s right. Are you two hungry?”

“Famished.”

“Carrie, set two more places at the table, please. Dinner is almost ready.”

“Sure, Mama.” Carrie looked at me, smiling from ear to ear like the Cheshire cat. She knew exactly why we were there again so soon. “Always glad to see my big brother and his…girlfriend.”

The pause in her statement was barely perceptible. Had Mama not been distracted by Dad and my brothers, she would’ve caught on and grilled me for answers I wasn’t ready to give. For Carrie’s sake, I was glad Mama didn’t hear it. After the food had been placed on the table and everyone was seated, I stood and waited for a lull in the conversation.

“Something to say, son?” Dad asked.

“Yes. I believe Jillian has an announcement she’d like to make. I realize it’s hard for most of the people around this table, but we’d appreciate a moment of silence so she doesn’t have to repeat herself.”

Crumpled napkins flew at my head while my brothers booed me, but they became instantly quiet when Jillian stood. The glare in her eyes was betrayed by the smile on her face.

“Thank you, Damon. I do have an announcement to make. Mama Lina, I need help planning a wedding.” She intentionally paused—long enough for it to be noticed and to capture Mama’s undivided attention. “And, if it’s not too much trouble, I also need help picking out my wedding dress. Would you mind going with me?”

The squealing and screaming that followed was nothing short of the loudest ear-piercing alarm. Mama flew up from her seat and grabbed Jillian in a full embrace. Happy tears flowed from her eyes, and a huge smile was plastered on her face. “Of course I’ll go with you, bellissima regazza. And don’t you worry about a thing with the wedding. I would be so happy to oversee every detail so you don’t have to stress over anything.”

“There is one detail I’ve already settled on.”

Mama leaned back to look at Jillian. “Whatever you want, bella, you will have. Just tell me, and I’ll make it happen.”

Jillian kissed Mama’s cheek then moved her gaze to meet mine. “Damon took me to look at a house today. I want us to become husband and wife in our new home.”

“That is a great idea, doll.”

“I agree, Jillian. That is a perfect idea. Where is the house? What does it look like?” Mana grilled me for answers, wanting all the details of our soon-to-be new home.

To satisfy her curiosity, I grabbed my phone and pulled up the real estate office website. We scrolled through the pictures they had online, giving her time to examine each one. She was thrilled for us, and I could see the wheels turning in her mind as she planned the shower, wedding, and reception in the enormous house and grounds. That was fine with me, though. I wanted to fill the property with love, laughter, and the best memories when we moved in, from the very first second.

Mama, Carrie, and Jillian spent the rest of the evening talking about the wedding and making plans to go furniture shopping together. Dad took advantage of their distraction and asked me to join him in his home office for our own discussion.

“Son, I’ve given this a lot of thought. My mind was mostly made up before we found out about Leo’s betrayal, but that just solidified my decision. It’s time for me to retire and enjoy my remaining years with your mother while we’re still healthy and young enough to do what we want.

“We’ve talked about returning to Italy for an extended trip for a long time now. After the babies are born, I won’t be able to drag your mom away from them long enough to go on a trip. So, after your wedding and honeymoon are over, I’m retiring and handing the reins over to you. You’ll be the official Boss of the Marchetti family. Have you thought about who your next-in-command will be?”

“I have, and I’ve decided to ask Marco. He’s had my back my whole life, and I couldn’t imagine anyone else running the family with me than him.”

A pained expression crossed Dad’s face, an unusual show of emotion for him. “I once thought the same of Leo. But he and I were not close as children as you and Marco were. This family is much closer. Plus, Marco knows he’d answer to all of us if he stepped out of line.”

“Marco has never been jealous of me, Dad. He probably doesn’t even want to be the Underboss, but he’ll do it because of his allegiance to me.”

“You’re right—he’s never been too interested in creating the rules, but he’s good at enforcing them. He’ll serve the family well in that role. Good choice, son.”

We spent the hours following that conversation poring over every business transaction Dad had set up during his time as Boss. Maybe that was an exaggeration, but not by much. Going through the list with him was more eye-opening in a different way. Dad had taught me everything he knew—but he hadn’t kept up with the times and technological advances. Carrie was right when she said our family had to join the current century or our rivals would get the upper hand on us before we even knew what happened.

She deserved credit for that, but I couldn’t give her a high-ranking position and put her in an automatic line of fire. But I could make her a lieutenant on the business side, separated from the enforcers. Her expertise would be acknowledged at least, and she would gain the respect of the men in that aspect. If they admired her, they’d also protect her, knowing she was an asset to the family but not a threat to their standing. My mind was made up, and I planned to share the idea with Carrie when Jillian and I went to her house the following day.

After my training session in the antiquated methods Dad used was over, he locked his desk and the office door behind us. “Let’s find the women and see if we have any money left after they’ve been shopping on the computer all evening.”

My brothers were in the den, watching a reality TV show and mocking the people who believed the hype. We found Mama, Jillian, and Carrie in the formal living room. All three of them were glued to the computer screen, oohing and ahhing over whatever had captured their attention.

“Have you three set the wedding date, closed on the house, and finalized the wedding plans yet?” I walked straight to Jillian and leaned down to kiss her.

Carrie quickly clicked the mouse, changing the screen before I could even get a glimpse of what was there. I cut my eyes at her, unconsciously narrowing the corners while I read her expression.

“We’re looking at wedding dresses, babe. You can’t see any of them before the wedding, or you’ll ruin the surprise and the fun of it. I want the one I choose to be a complete surprise.”

Funny how just a few words from Jillian cooled my flaming temper and set my mind at ease. And just the opposite was also true. Just a few words from her could set my whole body on fire and push my mind to the limits. I fucking loved the hold she had on every part of me.

“Fair enough, doll. That’s one secret I don’t mind you keeping since I’m the one who gets all the benefits from it.”

“As for the date, we’ve decided when the wedding will be. Jillian is four and a half months pregnant now, so you’ll get married when she’s around six months. That’ll still give us time to arrange everything after you move in to your new house, and Jillian will still feel good before the third trimester begins.” Mama wasn’t asking if I approved of the timing; she was telling me I approved.

Jillian looked down and ran her hand across her protruding stomach. “In six weeks, I’ll be huge.”

“Don’t worry about it, doll. In six weeks, you’ll still be just as beautiful as you are now. Probably even more so with the pregnancy glow.”

“Maybe I should wait until closer to the time to pick out a wedding dress. If I wake up the day of our wedding and it doesn’t fit, I don’t know what I’ll do.”

“You’ll walk down whatever aisle at the new house you three have picked and marry me wearing your pajamas for all I care. Our vows are what I care about the most. Putting the ring on your finger and changing your last name are tied for a close second.”

“Oh yeah, that reminds me.” Jillian stood and walked over to my father. I could tell she was nervous by the slight shake in her hand before she laced her fingers together. “Dad?”

My father looked up at her, his eyes wide, his eyebrows reaching for his hairline, and his bottom jaw hanging open. She’d called him Dad for the first time, and my usually stoic father forgot all about keeping his poker face intact.

“Yes, cara?”

“I wanted to ask you for a favor, but I don’t want you to feel obligated. If you’d rather not, just tell me and it’ll be fine.

“For you, I will do whatever you ask of me. What is the favor, cara?”

“Will you walk me down the aisle? I don’t have anyone left in my family to do it, but now I can’t imagine it being anyone but you.”

Dad stood and pulled Jillian into a bear-sized embrace. He would deny it until his dying breath, but I heard the quiver in his voice when he answered. “I would be honored to walk you down the aisle, bella. But I can’t guarantee that I’ll give you away now that I have you. You and Carrie will always be my little girls.”

“You might be able to convince me to share her from time to time for odd jobs around the house, as a loaner. But I have to insist you give her to me on our wedding day. You have no idea how badly I need her to take my last name so I can say I have papers on her.”

“Is this really what I have to look forward to for the rest of my life?” Jillian’s deadpan expression was a ruse. She couldn’t hide the teasing glimmer in her eyes any more than I could.

“You know it, doll. Till death do us part.”