and I gave him my sweetest smile then wrapped my arms around his neck from the side. The doorbell rang.
He leaned back with a deep laugh. “I know that smile, angelo mio.”
“Dad,” I said softly. “You know how much fight training means to me. And Savio finally agreed to help me. He’s going to practice with me after church tomorrow. Please, let me go.”
The bell rang again, then the vacuum was turned off.
“I need Diego in the Capri tomorrow…”
“I know, but Savio was kind enough to agree to pick me up at church and bring me back home after training.”
Dad shook his head. I hugged him tighter and kissed his cheek. “Please, Dad. You know Savio. I’ll do anything. Pleeeaaassseee.”
Diego’s voice rang out.
I turned to Nonna, which was a sign of how desperate I was. “Nonna, please.”
She pursed her lips. “Alone with a boy.” She clucked her tongue.
“I’ll even go back to the church choir like you want me to.”
Nonna tilted her head then gave a small satisfied nod before she turned back to the stew.
The door swung open and Diego stepped in, seething. “Don’t say yes, Dad.”
Dad lifted a finger. “Not in that tone.”
I poked my tongue out at my brother.
Diego gritted his teeth. “You can’t allow her to be alone with Savio.”
“Diego always spends time with Savio. You know how responsible Diego is. He wouldn’t be friends with Savio, if he wasn’t trustworthy.”
Diego gave me a look that promised retaliation, but he could hardly argue with my reasoning or he’d have to say exactly why Savio was a bad influence and that would mean, he wasn’t allowed to spend time with his best friend either.
“He’s your friend,” Dad said to Diego before he grabbed my chin. “And you, angelo mio, won’t behave in a way that would disappoint your mom or me, right?”
“I just want to become a good fighter.” That, and I wanted Savio to notice me only once.
Diego shook his head and walked over to Nonna to kiss her cheek. “What do you say, Nonna?”
“Gemma wants to return to the church choir.”
I grinned at him and he narrowed his eyes at me. We both knew that Nonna was desperate for me to sing again. Her old-lady friends always asked when the angel-voice would return to the choir.
“Why are you so against Gemma spending time with that Falcone boy?” Nonna asked.
The tips of Diego’s ears turned red. I really wanted to know how he’d managed to stop his face from turning red as well. It was a trick I desperately needed to learn.
“He just doesn’t want to share his friend,” I said.
Dad gently untangled himself from my hold and got up. “I’ll have a talk with Savio before he picks you up.”
“Dad—”
“No,” Dad said firmly, and I snapped my mouth shut, knowing when to retreat. I decided to switch the topic quickly so Dad didn’t reconsider his decision.
“Can Toni come over tonight? I miss her so much.”
“She’s back home?” Mom asked as she stepped into the kitchen.
I nodded. “Came home yesterday.”
Nonna clucked her tongue. “Growing up the way she does, no good will come of that.”
Dad chuckled. “Antonia is a good girl. She can’t help her upbringing.”
Heat washed over me. “Toni’s dad tries to raise her as well as he can.”
“He lets her spend too much time in the Arena. Nothing a girl should see.”
“So, can she come over?”
“Of course,” Dad said.
Nonna frowned, but she wouldn’t argue with Dad, at least not in front of us kids. He was the master of the house. Mom went over to Diego and righted his shirt. He pulled away with a grimace. “Mom, I’m old enough to dress myself.”
“Stop coddling him. He’s a soldier of the Camorra, Claudia.”
Mom sighed. “They grow up too fast.”
Dad walked up to her and kissed her temple then whispered something in her ear that had her swat his chest.
Diego groaned and walked out of the kitchen. I quickly left as well and ran up to my room. I took my secret mobile out of my desk and sent Toni a message.
“You aren’t supposed to have a cell,” Diego said.
I rolled over on my bed. He leaned against the doorframe, arms crossed over his chest. “Don’t tell on me.”
Diego had enough secrets of his own, and while I didn’t know all of them, I did some. Not that I would ever tell on him, no matter how infuriating he could be, and infuriating me was his favorite sport. He came in and closed the door before