The Woman at the Docks - Jessica Gadziala Page 0,86

how to make his favorites too."

To that, the women shared a warm look, and I got the feeling that they liked what I was saying, that it meant something to them that I wanted to take care of Luca in an old-fashioned sort of way. These were modern women with old-fashioned values. They took pride in being wives and mothers, in serving up hard work to their loved ones. Some of them had professions. Just as many took care of the home and their families. But every last one of them was a strong, confident, interesting woman. And, I think it went without saying that they were all incredible badasses in their own way. Seeing as all of the married ones were with men belonging to this family. Which meant they lived with all the uncertainty and fear for their husband's safety and freedom as I knew I would one day have to learn to accept.

As I stood there and listened to them talk about recipes, discuss their children, their grandchildren, their husbands, I had a feeling there was a lot I could learn from, there was a lot of love I could gain from them.

I'd lost my closest relatives.

I was still coming to grips with Celenia, with my role in her death.

And there had been a hole inside, a family-sized space hollowed out and left empty.

As one of Luca's other aunts gave me a one-armed hug and complimented my antipasto rolls, I realized that these people—should they have me—could start filling in that space.

Hell, I was pretty sure they could make it overflow.

Every day that passed, I found more and more reasons to look forward to a future with Luca.

"How are you holding up?" Luca asked when I was shooed out of the kitchen an hour later, but only because there was nothing else for me to help with, and the ladies had this very quick and efficient way of reheating everything, plating it, and getting it out into the dining room all hot at the same time. And I didn't want to stand in the way of all that.

"I learned how to make you sausage lasagna," I told him, feeling pretty proud of that knowledge.

"Yeah?" he asked, eyes warm. "I can't wait for that."

"Well, you won't have to wait since they're serving it tonight."

"I can't wait for you to make it for me in our place," he clarified, wrapping an arm around me.

"I can do that. And I can make antipasto rolls too. I am half an Italian cook already," I boasted, even though I clearly had a lot to learn still.

"Did they grill you in there? I have no idea what it is like in that kitchen. No men are allowed," he told me, fingers absentmindedly stroking my hip. "For all we know, they are running a black market diamond business in there."

To that, I laughed, but only half because it was ridiculous, the other half was because I could actually see that group of women pulling something like that off.

"They were really nice. They were all really worried about you. And they are happy you found someone who can cook."

"They show their love with food in this family," he told me, leaning down to press a kiss to my lips.

"I like that," I admitted. "I want to learn it."

"You already do it, sweetheart," he told me, giving me a squeeze.

Did he mean that the way I was taking it?

That he knew I loved him?

There was no denying it anymore. Even if I wanted to, it wouldn't be even halfway believable.

I loved him.

With everything I had.

"Do I?" I asked, hoping to get more from him.

"Say it, Romy," he demanded, pulling me closer. "I know you feel it. I want to hear you say it."

I had said it.

Over and over and over.

To him in the hospital after he fell asleep. In the late nights when bad dreams woke me up and I found him still sleeping soundly. To the door right after he left to go out for a few minutes to run some work errands.

I said it in my head a million times a day.

But I had been so worried it was too soon to say it to his face.

But there was no use denying him if he was explicitly asking it of me.

"I love you, Luca," I told him, voice a little breathless.

"Yeah? One more time," he demanded, eyes going soft, gushy.

"I love you," I told him, voice louder, more sure.

"I love you back," he told me, wrapping me up tight. "I was sure I wasn't going to make it out in that parking lot," he told me, surprising me. We hadn't done much talking about that night, at least not about the getting shot part. We discussed Celenia, the rest of her crew, Bishop Blake, the hospital afterward. But not about how we felt right before and right after getting shot. "And as I felt myself drifting off, I remember thinking that if I had to go, at least I got to have you as my last sight."

"Luca..."

"I love you, Romy. More than I ever thought I was capable. And I am going to spend the rest of my life showing you just how much."

My heart felt close to bursting.

My mouth opened to say something, only to be cut off by Adrian.

"Okay okay," Adrian called out the back door a few minutes later. "Dinner!" she told everyone. "Wait wait, Luca and his girl first," she insisted, holding the door open for us. "We have a real treat from Romy tonight," she told everyone as they filed into the massive dining room with a sideboard that ran along the whole room for the sole purpose of laying out the impressive amounts of food served at a family dinner. "Make sure everyone gets some."

"Might have missed it," Lucky said, moving between Luca and me, "but that was my ma's stamp of approval," he told me, making my heart swell.

Luca kissed my temple. "Welcome to the family, Romy."

A Note to Readers

This book is a completely standalone novel.

But once upon a time, a town called Navesink Bank was founded. It was full of outlaw bikers, loan sharks, fixers, hired muscle, paramilitary survivalists, and the mob.

All those people have books.

If you read this book, and then decide you want to read those other stories, there is a list of titles on the next page.

<3 Jessica

Also by Jessica Gadziala

If you liked this book, check out these other series and titles in the NAVESINK BANK UNIVERSE:

The Henchmen MC

Reign

Cash

Wolf

Repo

Duke

Renny

Lazarus

Pagan

Cyrus

Edison

Reeve

Sugar

The Fall of V

Adler

Roderick

Virgin

Roan

Camden

West

The Savages

Monster

Killer

Savior

Mallick Brothers

For A Good Time, Call

Shane

Ryan

Mark

Eli

Charlie & Helen: Back to the Beginning

Investigators

367 Days

14 Weeks

4 Months

Dark

Dark Mysteries

Dark Secrets

Dark Horse

Professionals

The Fixer

The Ghost

The Messenger

The General

The Babysitter

The Negotiator

Rivers Brothers

Lift You Up

Lock You Down

STANDALONES WITHIN NAVESINK BANK:

Vigilante

Grudge Match

The Rise of Ferryn

Counterfeit Love

OTHER SERIES AND STANDALONES:

Stars Landing

What The Heart Needs

What The Heart Wants

What The Heart Finds

What The Heart Knows

The Stars Landing Deviant

What The Heart Learns

Surrogate

The Sex Surrogate

Dr. Chase Hudson

The Green Series

Into the Green

Escape from the Green

DEBT

Dissent

Stuffed: A Thanksgiving Romance

Unwrapped

Peace, Love, & Macarons

A Navesink Bank Christmas

Don't Come

Fix It Up

N.Y.E.

faire l'amour

About the Author

Jessica Gadziala is a full-time writer, parrot enthusiast, and coffee drinker who enjoys short rides to the bookstore, sad songs, and cold weather, and has developed an unhealthy obsession with acquiring houseplants. She lives in New Jersey with her three dogs, seven parrots, and six chickens.

She is a strong believer in snark, strong secondary characters, and badass women.

Stalk Her!

Connect with Jessica:

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/JessicaGadziala/

Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/314540025563403/

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/13800950.Jessica_Gadziala

Bookbub: https://www.bookbub.com/profile/jessica-gadziala

Twitter: @JessicaGadziala

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jessicagadziala/

JessicaGadziala.com

<3/ Jessica