Valentina Abruzzi shifted in her seat and toyed with the food on her plate while she smiled and made polite conversation with the other guests at the table. The tinkling sound of ice in crystal water glasses, the low murmur of voices, the aroma of tasty food, and the sparkle of expensive wine filled the elegant reception hall.
Considering the strange and dangerous pairing of guests, Valentina was relieved to find that the mood of the wedding reception was relaxed, light, and festive. Taking a sip of her wine, she scanned the large room once again in hopes of seeing Captain Hallelujah Thomas among the crowd of guests.
Hal had looked so handsome walking his sister down the aisle that Valentina stared at him all through the ceremony. And Glory! A beautiful woman by any standards, but as a bride, she was beyond breathtaking. Valentina had watched the whole ceremony with a tiny bit of envy—she wondered if she would ever find a man who would look at her the way that Jules looked at his bride.
“Yummy.” A voice with barely contained enthusiasm sounded out next to her.
“How would you know? You haven’t eaten more than three bites of anything on that plate.” Valentina raised a brow at her cousin.
“I wasn’t talking about the dinner.” Gia’s smile was wide as she looked around the room. “I was talking about dessert. Serve mine up hot, laid out on a chrome fender, all inked up, and wrapped in leather!”
Gia batted her eyelids in rapid succession and gave her long hair a sexy toss. Then she entertained Valentina with a comical series of practiced and exaggerated come-hither looks— all of which were directed to the bikers standing against the bar in the back of the room.
When one of Gia’s more overemphasized and sexually charged moves caught Gianni Abruzzi’s attention, he frowned at his niece and daughter from across the table. Valentina’s father leaned forward and opened his mouth to spout off what could only be words of rebuke, but just as he was about to scold them, Dolly McCabe lightly touched his arm. When he turned to her, she whispered something into his ear, successfully drawing his attention elsewhere. However, while Gianni was momentarily distracted, Aunt Audrina was most certainly not.
“Comportarsi!” Audrina growled at her daughter.
“Ci stiamo comportando!” Gia rolled her eyes and fired back at her.
The two women scowled at each other locked in the age-old battle of mothers and daughters.
“God, will that woman ever give it a rest?” Gia huffed under her breath as her mother continued to glare at her. In what seemed like forever to Valentina, Aunt Audrina was finally forced to turn away and give her attention to a wedding guest who had come to the table to pay respects.
Gia gave out a small sigh of frustrated relief as she took a long sip of white wine. Then her eyes filled with admiration as she once again scanned the guests in the reception hall.
“Seriously, Valentina, have you ever seen so many gorgeous men together in one room? And I’m willing to bet that not one of their last names end in a vowel either. Thank God.”
Valentina nodded with appreciation at Gia’s sentiment. It was definitely an unusual occurrence for the girls to find themselves seated among a group of strangers. Italian families were tight by nature, but being raised in a family who had its roots in the Bonzini syndicated crime organization gave a whole new meaning to the term closely knit.
By any measure, growing up with the presumption of enemies around every corner was difficult and stifling at best. But for the daughters of high-ranking officers like Capo Joe Bonzini and Front Boss Gianni Abruzzi, the restrictions were especially severe. The two girls spent most of their teenage years together plotting against and trying to thwart the limitations put in place for their own safety.
Much to the consternation of Auntie Audrina.
Audrina was Gianni’s sister and Gia’s mother. When Valentina was only two years old, Madelina Abruzzi (Valentina’s mother) died in a head-on collision. Faced with raising a motherless child, Gianni had asked his sister, Audrina, to help fill that void. Audrina was honored with the task and watched over Valentina, lovingly, willingly, and without hesitation. Five years later, when Joey Bonzini, Audrina’s husband, was sentenced to federal prison on a RICO charge and died shortly after, Gianni had naturally stepped up. As a result, Valentina and Gia were raised like sisters. The two girls each had bedrooms in each other’s homes, attended the same private schools, received their first communion in matching dresses, and were restricted to only double-dating all through high school.
The prevailing attitude and misconception in both families was that one girl would act as a moral compass for the other.
Which, of course, had the direct opposite results.
Just ask the DeMarco brothers.
Valentina blushed every time she thought of those steamy, summer nights when the sound of adolescent panting and lustful moaning filled the air. Hours later, when the girls would get together and compare notes about fumbling hands, sloppy kisses, and stumbling attempts to “put it in,” they confessed their mutual disappointment.
It wasn’t long before that disappointment turned to disenchantment. It was then that Valentina and Gia decided that the whole groping thing just wasn’t worth the trouble. The cousins resolved to break up with the DeMarco brothers and vowed to swear off sex forever, or at least until they found a guy who knew what he was doing. While the vow of abstinence didn’t last out the year, the quest to find a guy who knew what he was doing continued on.
Ten years later, the girls had several failed relationships and one near death experience between them, and they were still looking for that guy.
“Want to see my mother have a heart attack right here on the floor?” Gia challenged Valentina with the light of mischief in her eye.
“Gia….” Valentina whispered back in warning.
“No. Really.” Gia grinned. “This will absolutely positively kill her!”
Valentina couldn’t help the low giggle that erupted from her inner adolescent self. She knew as a grown-up woman she shouldn’t still be enjoying her cousin’s exploits as much as she did.
But she just couldn’t help it.
As the younger cousin, Valentina should not have been expected to be the voice of reason for the slightly older, much wilder girl. But because Gia’s capricious and willful nature had always been a problem, and the girls were always together, the duty had naturally fallen to Valentina to keep her cousin in check. The expectation had been that Valentina would shine a light on any and all mischief that Gia was always more than ready, willing, and able to get into.
That, of course, had no chance of ever happening.
Because Valentina Abruzzi was no rat. When pressed to tattle on her cousin, Valentina had flat out refused. While that act of rebellion cost nine-year-old Valentina the loss of her riding lessons for a whole month, it had also won her a look of pride and respect from her father that he just couldn’t hide. Gia, of course, was infinitely grateful and more than a little impressed by Valentina’s display of defiance on her cousin’s behalf. As a result, a bond was forged between the two girls that would last a lifetime.
And never again did Gianni Abruzzi ask his daughter to report on her cousin’s wayward activities. However, that capitulation came with a cost. It was made clear to Valentina that whatever the cost for Gia’s misadventures were throughout the years, both girls would be made to pay it.
“As soon as they lower the lights and that music starts, I’m going to wait for the slowest, sexiest song to play, then I’m going to strut my well-shaped ass over to that group of fine-looking men, and I’m going to ask one of them to dance!” Gia punctuated her words with a big, bright smile. Then she leaned forward and whispered in a voice filled with astonishment, “And guess what else? I took a good, long look at the DJ’s playlist and Frankie isn’t on it. Not once!”
“Seriously? No— Fly Me To The Moon? No— It Had To Be You?” Valentina asked in astonishment.
“Nope. Nothing.” Gia shook her head from side to side.
The girls sat for a moment in speechless wonder while they considered the strange, new world they had suddenly found themselves in. Because, as far as the family was concerned, if Sinatra didn’t sing it, it wasn’t a song.
“So really? You are going to ask one of the Saints to dance?” Valentina was first to break the stunned silence. Then she took a quick glance around the reception hall and was both relieved and disconcerted to find Hal nowhere to be seen. While Valentina didn’t want Hal to be on Gia’s radar, Valentina had at least hoped to get a chance to talk to him tonight.
“Yeah, really! I sure as hell am. I’m gonna be holding one of those tight badass bodies next to mine while that music plays on,” Gia said with determination. Then she back-pedaled just slightly when she added, “But I’m going to wait until the dragon lady leaves to make my move.”
Valentina shook her head and grinned because dragon lady was an apt description for her strong, unyielding aunt. But then again, the apple did not fall far from the tree. When Gia got something in her mind she was every bit as stubborn, scheming, and formidable as her mother was.
“I’m not sure what time her plane flies out, but I know she’s leaving the reception hall right after the bride cuts the cake. You know how she is, early to bed and early to rise and all that bullshit.” Gia sighed in exasperation. “I don’t want to do anything that will piss her off and make her cancel the trip to Italy out of spite. Been there, done that. God, you’d think I was sixteen years old again, but I can’t help it. I have this irrepressible and on-going urge to do something that would warrant a trip to Father Mike’s confessional whenever I’m within a yard’s length of that woman!”
Gia threw a withering glance towards her mother’s back. Then Gia’s thoughts quickly turned direction. “When are Uncle Gianni and Dolly leaving? Boy, that red-head has some balls! I wonder if she knows what she’s up against?”
Valentina had had the same thought when her father told her that he was taking Dolly for an extended trip to Southern Italy—complete with a visit to the matriarch of the family—Nonna Bettina. But then again, if anyone could hold her own against the still formidable octogenarian it was Dolly.
Dolly McCabe’s son, Reno, was a high-ranking officer in the Hells Saints MC and had practically cut his teeth on the spokes of a Harley. Reno’s uncle (Dolly’s brother-in-law) was THE Prosper Worthington, the founder and national president of the HSMC.
Valentina imagined that the role of president of a notorious motorcycle organization could not be much different than that of a mob boss. While Gianni had never been anything but a loving father to Valentina, she had heard the stories about the family business; even if only half of what she had been told was true, it was evident to her that her father was a man capable of committing highly illegal and unlawful acts—a man capable of extreme brutality.
She guessed that her father and Prosper Worthington were alike in that way. So, it stood to reason that Dolly was no stranger to the violent world of men. She had entered into a relationship with Gianni Abruzzi of her own free will and with eyes wide open. And to be fair, Valentina really had no idea what type of arrangement they had outside of their business partnership. Except for displaying an obvious enjoyment in each other’s company, Gianni and Dolly kept the terms of their relationship exceedingly and respectfully private.
“So, which one are you going to ask?” Valentina turned her attention back to the group of Hells Saints brothers. She scanned the group of rough faces again searching for Hal and noticed with relief that he still wasn’t among Gia’s line-up of potential dance partners.
“You mean which one of them am I gonna ask first!” Gia pushed away the slice of wedding cake that had been placed in front of her.
Just as predicted, Audrina made a discreet and graceful exit through a side door just after the dessert and coffee had been served. Once her mother was safely out of the picture, Gia swung a glance to the bar and wagged her index finger.
“Eenie meenie mynee…mine!” Gia homed in on a big, bearded, dark-haired biker from across the room. Then she wiggled in her seat, tossed her long hair, and parted her shapely legs just slightly. Once she was sure she had his attention, Gia gave the guy an award-winning smile.
He responded immediately with a knowing look and a predatory grin.
“That’s Riker, Gia.” Valentina felt compelled to whisper out a warning. “He’s kind of a… I think he’s a …”
Valentina’s voice trailed off as she thought about what she knew about Riker Devlin.
“He’s a what?” Gia’s mouth formed the words, but her eyes were glued to the bad boy at the bar.
“Well…” Valentina chewed on her bottom lip as she searched for a way to best describe him. “He headed up the crew my father hired to do the work on the bakery. Riker was the general contractor on the overall construction, so he was around a lot. And let’s just say that he made his presence known in more ways than one. By the time the job was over, Riker had pretty much slept his way through the entire catering staff. The girls were all ready to scratch each other’s eyes out by the time he left.”
“So you’re telling me he’s a man-whore?” Gia kept her eyes trained on Riker, who continued to stare right back.
“Oh yeah. Riker’s definitely a slut.” Valentina nodded vehemently.
“Perfect!” Gia broke off the hypnotic stare and turned to look pointedly at her cousin. “I’m tired of living like a goddamn nun! God, you’d think that I castrated Julio instead of refusing to marry him in some archaic family matchmaking scheme. I’m sick of the family looking at me like I have two heads because of it. Bad enough I have been banished to the far corners of the earth.”
“Fashion school in Milan is hardly what I would call a banishment.” Valentine smiled at her cousin’s penchant for drama.
Gia slumped back in her chair and sighed. “Living in the family villa while I’m in school is the same as being locked up and you know it. I swear to god those walls have ears!”
Valentina tried one more time to make her cousin see reason. “I ‘m willing to bet that a couple of drunken kisses and quick feel-ups in a dark corner with Riker Devlin is not going to be worth the hell you’ll pay if dad catches you.”
Gia cast another longing look in Riker’s direction and sighed. “I’ll take that bet.”
Then she waved her hand dismissively in the air. “Besides, Uncle Gianni will be going soon too. You know as well as I do what this is. The family’s only here to show support for whatever dastardly alliance the bikers and Uncle G’s crew are brewing up. In just a few minutes, the family henchmen will drop off fat envelopes filled with wads of cash into the wedding box. Then they will all go behind closed doors, drink grappa, and congratulate themselves on being masters of the universe.”
Valentina knew her cousin was right. The small contingency of La Familia at the wedding was there for one purpose and one purpose only—to make a statement in support of Gianni’s business relationship with Prosper Worthington. Providing the hall for the reception and attending the nuptials with his family meant that Gianni was intent on sending out a clear message to the syndicated crime circuit.
The fact that the table next to Valentina’s family was filled with her father’s most trusted men completed the picture the organization intended to paint— if you mess with the Saints, you mess with the mob…and vice versa.
Valentina agreed with her cousin on one other thing, too.
Gia wasn’t the only one who was sick of living like a nun.