The Tyrant (Banker 3)

I escorted him into the other room and introduced him to everyone. Then I put my apron back on. “Everything is just about ready.”

Chiara looked at me with an appalled look. “Are you cooking?”

“Yep,” Bates said. “They gave Giovanni the day off.”

“Do you need any help, dear?” Chiara asked. “A pregnant woman should be relaxing.”

“I’m fine,” I said with a laugh. “I’m not disabled. But you can carry the stuffing to the table. Bates, could you put these sides in the microwave for two minutes each? And Cato, could you carve the turkey?”

Cato opened the door to the oven. “Sure, baby.” He carried it to the counter and started to slice the meat.

Chiara stared at her son with a knowing look, but he was too focused to catch it.

The five of us worked together to get everything on the table. We gathered around, and Chiara made a toast. She held up her glass. “I’m very lucky to have two incredible sons who take such good care of me. Soon, I’ll have a granddaughter, and hopefully more grandchildren to add to the family.” She turned to me. “And I’m grateful to have Siena in our lives, to make my son into a good man and fill this home with happiness. There’s a tree in the entryway, the staff got the day off, and you prepared this beautiful meal. You’re a wonderful woman. And to Landon, Siena’s brother, we’re all family here.” She raised her glass and tapped it against mine. “Merry Christmas.”

“Merry Christmas.” The rest of us did the same.

Cato stared at his mother for a while but didn’t say anything. He seemed annoyed with her words rather than pleased.

But maybe I was reading too much into it.

After dinner, gifts were exchanged. Bates handed Cato the present he’d brought in earlier. “Open it.” He practically tossed it at him.

Cato ripped open the box and found a blue watch inside he. He turned it over and saw the engraving in the metal on the back. “To my big brother. Merry Xmas.”

I smiled, touched by the gesture Bates had made.

Cato patted his brother on the shoulder. “Thanks, man. I love it.”

“I got you these too.” He pulled out a box of Cubans. “Best of the best.”

Cato took off the watch he was wearing and put his brother’s on instead. “It’s a good fit. And thanks for the cigars.”

I’d noticed Cato smelled like smoke from time to time, but I didn’t realize he smoked on a daily basis. It was something I would have to ask him about later. The father of my child wasn’t going to die ten years too soon because of a disgusting habit.

“What did you get me?” Bates asked, extending his hand.

“I’ll go get it.” He walked to the tree, grabbed the gift, and returned.

I thought it was interesting that the two men argued most of the time, but they put their disagreements to the side and showed each other love—in discreet ways. I’d also noticed that Bates wasn’t nearly as vicious to me as he usually was. He was actually pleasant. Maybe that was because their mother was right there.

Cato handed it over. “I think you’ll like it.”

Bates ripped off the wrapping then admired the remote-control helicopter. It looked like a child’s toy, and when Bates’s face lit up, he looked like a child meeting Santa Claus. “This thing looks sick.”

“It has a pretty good radius too,” Cato said. “I’ve got some batteries in the drawer.”

“Awesome,” Bates said. “Can’t wait to fly this thing. Thanks, man.”

Chiara smiled as she watched her two sons. “They’re so ornery sometimes, but they show their love when it matters most.” She turned to me, and her eyes focused on my bracelet. “That’s beautiful. What do these letters mean?”

“Cato got it for me,” I explained. “C is his initial. S is mine. And M is for Martina.”

“Is that what you decided to name her?” she asked with a smile. “That’s an adorable name.”

“Thank you. He gave the bracelet to me this morning.”

“That was so thoughtful.” She gave Cato a look full of consideration. “Very thoughtful.”

Cato drank his wine in response.

I moved my wrist to Landon so he could admire it.

He didn’t care about things like that, but he was polite enough to give me a compliment. “Nice.”

After we finished drinking and spending the evening together, the men cleaned up. Landon did the dishes while Cato and Bates packed up the leftover food and made room in the fridge. Bates grabbed a plastic container and opened the lid. “Dump some turkey and stuffing in here. Oh, and some potatoes. I’ll even take that asparagus.”

Cato shoveled the food into the container with a grin on his face. “You liked my woman’s cooking, huh?”

Bates made a sour face.

“Guess you don’t miss Giovanni that much.” Cato scooped the potatoes into another container.