Marissa fiddles with the radio on the way. I like how comfortable she’s getting with me. There’s more ease between us than ever. I just have to be patient with her. Prove I’m worthy.
I can do that.
When we get to her grandparents’ place, she gets nervous again. I grab her hand on the way up the sidewalk and it’s clammy.
I almost want to tell her she doesn’t have to do this. If bringing me home makes her uncomfortable, it’s not worth it. But this is a baby step. We need this.
“Lori, Mia, I’m home!” she calls out when we step inside.
Her aunt bustles out. “Oh good, I was just won—” She breaks off when she catches sight of me and freezes in the middle of putting an earring in. “Ah… um…”
“You know Gio, right? From the cafe?”
Her aunt’s mouth hangs open. “Um, yeah. Sure. Of course.” She shoots Marissa a questioning look as her daughter comes out, limping a little.
“Heyyy, you must be Mia,” I say, giving her a broad grin.
She sends me a shy smile. “Hi.”
I hold out my hand for a shake. “I’m Gio. I’m a friend of your cousin.”
“Boyfriend?” Mia asks, stepping forward hesitantly to put her smaller hand in mine.
I give it a little shake and drop it. “Yeah. Boyfriend.”
Lori lifts her brows at Marissa with a stunned look.
Marissa shrugs. “Yep.” She doesn’t quite manage nonchalance.
“Can I have a word with you?” Lori demands, jerking her head toward a bedroom.
Marissa follows her in and I hear their whispered fight. “You’re dating a Tacone? Are you freaking nuts? This is who you’ve been spending all that time with? Him?”
“So what? It’s my business.”
“Okay, even if that were true, what were you thinking bringing him here? Are you nuts? I mean, for one thing, Nonno would die of heart failure if he knew. For another—I don’t want him around my kid.”
I saunter to the doorway and lean my shoulder against it. “I don’t eat children,” I say mildly. “Contrary to popular belief.”
Lori gasps and her face goes pale. Cristo. I hate this feeling. It’s not new—I’ve been the bad guy in the neighborhood since I was a kid. I was raised to be proud of being the bad guy. Only it never felt right on me. Like deep down, I knew I wasn’t the bad guy. I was just pretending. Only that’s not how it works, is it? I have pulled the trigger before. On guys who deserved it—only on the wicked. I’ve used my fists to make a point or exact justice more times than can be counted. So yeah. I am the bad guy.
It’s just that with Marissa… I feel like something else. Like me. Maybe even something good.
“I would never harm anyone in this family. Lo prometo. You have my oath.” I take a breath, knowing it’s too soon, but also wanting it said. I say what I’ve been planning to say to Marissa’s grandparents. “I’m in love with your niece, Lori. Your family is important to me now. And I won’t let my family’s business ever affect you again.”
Lori lets out a little gust of air and swallows. I can tell she doesn’t believe me but is maybe too scared to argue.
Marissa’s gone pale, too, but I don’t think it’s from fear. There’s wonder mixed in her gaze, along with residual wariness.
“Just give me a chance, huh? Can I ask that much of you? I’ll prove to you I’m going to treat Marissa right. I’ll never hurt her.”
Marissa does that rapid blinking thing she does any time I do something nice for her.
Lori pinches her lips together but picks up her purse with a resigned sigh. She loops it over her shoulder and looks at Marissa, not me. “You are never going to sell this to Nonno. Never.” She walks out of the room, shaking her head.
Marissa turns her blue-green eyes on me, which are bright with unshed tears.
I open my arms. “Come here, angel. I’m sorry this is difficult. I really am.”
“No, I’m sorry,” she sniffs, letting me hold her. But she pulls it together almost immediately and pushes away from me. “Come on, Mia’s out there.”
We find Mia settled on the couch watching television.
I sit beside her. “What are you watching?”
“The Flash,” she tells me. “It’s on Netflix. I’ve already watched every episode, but I started over.”
“Flash, hmm? I haven’t heard of him. I guess he’s super fast?”
“Yep, super fast. He has to wear that suit or else he’ll get hurt by the friction.”
“Cool.”
Marissa moves around, straightening up, taking out the trash, working in the kitchen.
I lift my chin in the direction of the kitchen. “Is she always working?”
“Always, always,” Mia says. “My mom says she’s lucky she’s still young, but she’s going to burn out by the time she’s thirty.”
I rub my chin. Not on my fucking watch.