Faked A Dark Mafia Romance - Vanessa Waltz Page 0,77
in miniature form—camera-shy, sweet, and introverted. He blew out the candles as my husband cradled our newborn, Vincent.
Josh grinned toothily as the house erupted in cheers, and I scanned the table, grinning at the people who filled my heart. Michael hugged Josh, and helped him cut slices of cake as his four-year-old, Luke, clung to his legs. Carmela passed out paper plates, beaming. Carmela's pixie-like sister clapped her hands, radiant beside her tanned husband, Alessio. Queenie and Vitale ignored the noise as they cozied up in a corner, kissing. My law school buddies clinked their champagne flutes with the few Vinn counted as his friends.
Since we married, Vinn and I had left Boston to the beach home for a month-long vacation every summer. Then we started inviting Michael's family and his in-laws. It was too crowded, so we built extensions to fit everyone. Eventually, it became a base for barbecues, holidays, and birthdays.
A bottomless peace settled into my soul whenever I stepped inside this place. I exhaled a deep sigh as Vinn slid his arm around my waist. Warmth tingled my cheeks as he kissed the shell of my ear. His thumb stroked the round, circular scar from the gunshot wound.
The recovery had been difficult, especially with a baby on the way. A media firestorm had lit up the local news until Alessio Salvatore threw enough dollars at the CEOs who pushed the articles out of the circuit. It'd been handled quietly. Vinn had kept the details from me, but the police investigation dropped shortly after Killian went 'missing.'
A faint line creased Vinn’s forehead, his gaze riveted to my face before it moved over my body. My heart jolted as his fingers grazed my thigh.
“Your mom’s watching the kids tonight. Let’s sneak off later and fuck.”
His velvety voice dipped heat in my chest.
I drank in the comfort of his closeness, the very air electrified as he nipped my skin. “You sure my brother won’t walk in on us?”
I referenced the incident involving an unlocked door and Michael drunkenly wandering in the wrong bedroom while Vinn and I were preoccupied.
Vinn laughed loudly, something he’d slowly learned to do during our marriage. The best part of my life with him was Vinn blossoming into a devoted father who hosted playdates and always managed a small, tentative smile. The kids had softened his harsh edges. He was still a don, but, at least in private, he was my gentle giant.
“Joshie, hold on,” Vinn barked, detaching to grab our son. “You need sunscreen.”
Vinn slathered the stuff on Josh’s body. Michael corralled the children and ushered them outside, where a cloudless sky mirrored the water. Vinn fitted our son with a lifejacket before he brought Josh to the water. They played in the waves before Josh decided to build sandcastles with his cousin, Luke. Michael’s older kids raced the beach.
Vinn’s hawk-like gaze zeroed on his son as he settled in a chair. “Where’s Vincent?”
“Mom has him.”
He pulled me onto his lap, and a delicious shudder heated my body. Wrapped in his arms was my favorite place. My heart hammered as I scanned the coast.
“I’m not seeing a lot of places we could get away with being naked.”
“Use your imagination, sweetheart.” He pressed his mouth into my ear, jolting my skin. “I’ve already scouted an area and left supplies.”
“Supplies?”
“A couple towels…and toys. We’ll have fun, provided nobody finds my stash.”
“Oh my God, Vinny.” A wicked laugh tore from my throat as I pictured two teenagers stumbling upon a bag of lube and vibrators. “You’re insane.”
“It’s not the worst we’ve done.”
My cheeks flared as he scooped up my hand and kissed the knuckle with the wedding ring. I’d hired a jeweler to craft a rose gold band with scalloped seashells among the diamonds.
He caressed the jagged line before finding the necklace. Guilt nagged at me when he locked eyes on it and sighed. I removed it and bundled it into his fist.
I’d released the old Vinny ages ago. It took a while to admit I'd never really known him. I’d worshipped a fantasy, not a real, flawed human being.
“I give you permission to throw it in the sea.”
He chuckled. “You have no idea how often I’ve fantasized about that.”
“Do it.”
He played with it, fingers rotating the shell.
“Nah,” he murmured after a long silence. “I only hated it because I thought you loved someone else. It reminds me of the man I was, the hope, the lightness in my chest before everything went dark. I don't ever want