Chapter 117

I watch in complete awe as Lucy says the words – so similar to the ones that Nico said yesterday, her eyes locked on Christian’s. She promises him her fealty, her life in his service. Swears never to betray him, begs God to strike her down if she should. The room is completely silent and solemn as Lucy speaks, as if we’re all watching some great ritual.

And honestly, a little shiver passes through me as she finishes, as she calls Christian her Don, and then falls silent.

Christian takes his hand from Lucy’s and brushes it gently over her hair and then around her head to cup her cheek – he doesn’t smack her, like he did Nico yesterday. But still, the paternal gesture is very clear. “I accept, Lucy,” he says quietly. “And in return, I offer you my protection.”

He sits back then, and I have the most ridiculous impulse to applaud –

But my eyes catch on Frankie, who I find watching me with a little smirk on his face, and I scowl and resist. His smirk widens into a grin.

“So?” Christian says, and I turn to see him looking solidly at his brother. “You going to let your girl live under a different family than you?”

Tony heaves a huge sigh and dips his head into his hands for a moment, clearly displeased that this decision was apparently made for him.

“Tony,” Lucy whispers, reaching up to put a hand on his knee. “It’s right. I…believe in this.”

He lifts his eyes to hers with a great deal of frustration onhis face – as if to communicate that her belief has gotten them into one hell of a situation already. But she just smiles at him – a sweet, beautiful smile – and he sighs, straightening his shoulders and turning back to his brother.

“Fine,” Tony snaps, his brown gazed focused on Christian’s blue one. “I’ll do it. Let’s get this over with.”

“Some enthusiasm, little brother,” Christian replies, a smirk pulling at the corner of his lips. “Would go a long way.”

“Oh please, Chrissy,” Tony says, sitting straighter, clasping his hands to his chest, sarcasm in the lines of his angry face. “Please, please let me make a vow to you that’s definitely going to make dad kill me if he ever finds out!”

Christian laughs, lighter than I’d expect him to be, and offers his hand. “Get to it, kid.”

Tony does as he’s told, taking Christian’s hand in his and saying the words that Nico and Lucy did. And even though I know that he’s still mad, I’m impressed that he manages to say them with due reverence – each word slow and weighty, his eyes locked on his brother’s. And I realize that even if Tony is doing this a bit against his will, he still believes in the importance of this moment, this vow. That it’s not just words to him – that it’s a true binding. That it’s real.

“Wow,” I whisper, the word slipping out between my lips without me realizing it as Tony finishes speaking.

Christian smiles a little, glancing down at me before he reaches out and gives his brother the same ceremonial tap on the cheek that he gave Nico – though, perhaps a bit harder this time.

Tony flinches a little but then bursts into a laugh, shaking his head at his brother. “Can’t fucking resist, can you?”

“You just have a very slappable face, Tony,” Christian says, laughing as well as he leans back against the couch arm. I grin, pleased to see a brotherly camaraderie come forward for the first time.

“All right,” Christian says, lifting his chin towards the door. “Why don’t you and Lucy go ahead and take a walk along the beach? There’s a beautiful little point about half a mile down – and on a beautiful day like this, it really shouldn’t be missed.”

I frown a little, wondering…because, I mean, Christian’s not lying – I know the point that he’s talking about, and it really is going to be beautiful on a sunny morning like this. But why…

“Really?” Tony asks, raising an eyebrow. “I swear fealty, and then first thing you do is send me out so you can have a secret chat with your boys?”

“And the pet stripper,” Frankie quips, jerking his thumb at me, his sense of humor seeming to come back now a bit more now that we’re all apparently united on the same side.

“Watch it,” Christian growls, but I can hear the humor in his voice. Frankie just grins at him, and then at me. I wrinkle my nose at him, pleased that we seem to be back on joking terms.

“Come on,” Lucy says, getting to her feet and tugging at Tony’s hand. “I really do want to see it. This house is…” she grimaces a little, I think unintentionally, as she looks around, “very quaint, but the location is amazing. I’d like to see the beach, get some fresh air.”

Tony rolls his eyes but obeys, standing and heading for the door.

“Wait!” I call, putting my coffee on the floor and scrambling to my feet, hurrying into the bedroom and pulling one of Christian’s big hoodies out of a drawer. I’m back in the living room and across it in a matter of moments, pressing the sweatshirt into Lucy’s hands.

“What?” she asks, confused, frowning at the mass of black material.

“It’s going to be…chilly out there,” I say, giving her a shy little smile and looking over her chic but flimsy outfit. “Don’t want to catch cold.”

“Oh, Iris,” Lucy says, breaking into a huge smile and throwing her arms around me in a big hug. “You really are just that sweet, aren’t you?”

I laugh a little, hugging Lucy back and giving a little shrug. “It just sucks to be cold.”

She grins at me and nods, pulling the hoodie on as Tony tugs open the door and the two head outside. When I turn back to the living room, I see Christian and Frankie smiling at me with pride. And Nico, as usual, just looking at me like I’m an idiot.

“You don’t have to kiss her ass so she gives you the best tables anymore, Bambi,” Nico murmurs, holding my gaze.

I just roll my eyes and stride back over to the couch, sitting down in the seat Tony vacated. “Just because you’re already made of ice, Nico, doesn’t mean other people don’t get cold. It’s just a sweatshirt.”

Nico rolls his eyes and Christian just laughs, leaning back against the arm of the couch and lifting his feet onto it so that they’re stretched out towards me, touching me. Like he doesn’t want to be apart anymore – not ever. I grin at him because I want precisely the same.

“So, what really happened?” Christian asks, turning a more serious look on Nico and Frankie now. “Come on – I need details. Nico, you’re back way too early, and I there’s no real part of me that thinks my dad let Frankie go so easily. What, are you bugged or something, Frank? Tracking device up your ass?”

Frankie smirks, shaking his head. “Not as far as I know, boss,” he murmurs. “What Lucy said was true, as far as my knowledge goes.”

“Fine,” Christian says with a sharp nod, accepting it but wanting to get the details all laid out so that he can see them clearly. “Then both of you. Report. Now.”

Nico takes a deep breath, and then gets started.