“Are our presents in there?” Nevio asked, pointing at the bag. That seemed to pique the curiosity of the two other boys as well and they swarmed in on Adamo.
Adamo shrugged. “That depends on your behavior.”
“Nevio, Alessio, Massimo!” a woman shouted, her impatience ringing loudly in her voice. The boys turned on their heels and dashed back inside, leaving Adamo and me alone.
I let out a laugh. “Will the rest of your family give me a similar welcome?”
Adamo linked our hands again. “The kids aren’t used to strangers visiting the mansion. Remo doesn’t usually allow visitors. He’s very protective.”
I nodded, realizing what Adamo was telling me. That Remo welcomed me into his home was a big deal. “He trusts your judgment of me.”
Nino strolled over to us where we waited on the porch. “Won’t you come in?”
“I wanted to give Dinara the chance to change her mind after the rude welcome from Nevio.”
Nino gave me a halfway welcoming nod before he turned to Adamo once more. “What did he do?”
“He demanded to know who she is. Didn’t you tell the kids?”
Nino shook his head. “We told them you’d be bringing your girlfriend along. It caused quite the stir because you never presented someone before.”
Adamo had mentioned that he’d never been serious enough about anyone to submit them to his family’s presence. That he trusted me enough to take me filled me with warmth.
“Let’s go,” Nino said. “Kiara prepared dinner. We don’t want it to become cold.”
Adamo and I followed Nino through a long corridor into a huge room that seemed to serve as the common area of the mansion. Adamo had mentioned that every brother had his own wing where they lived with their wife and kids. Even Adamo still had his own wing even though he lived in camp most of the year.
The common area was already crowded with the Falcone clan. Half a dozen kids buzzed about, creating an impressive noise level. Three boys and two girls. Everyone turned to us as we stepped into the room. Adamo had showed me photos of his family but I wasn’t sure I’d be able to keep the names of the kids straight. At least the adults were easy to remember. The third dark-haired man had to be Adamo’s brother Savio and beside him his sex bomb of a wife, Gemma. I was happy with my body but even I felt a flicker of inadequacy upon seeing her curves. Part of her family had been killed by Bratva so her hesitant expression didn’t come as a surprise. I met her gaze and gave her a tense smile. I wouldn’t feel guilty for something I wasn’t responsible for. My father had assured me that he hadn’t had a hand in the attack. But even if he had, I wasn’t part of his business. That our families would never sit around a table and play happy family had been clear from the very start.
“Welcome to our home,” Remo said. Even his body language was different from our previous meetings. A hint of tension in his limbs spoke of his protectiveness and caution. I wasn’t a threat in his eyes or I wouldn’t be here but trust wasn’t part of our relationship yet. Adamo squeezed my hand and tugged me closer to his family. The table was already set but no one had taken their respective seats yet.
Remo’s wife, who reminded me a bit of Grace Kelly, sent her son Nevio a warning look before she came toward me and smiled. The first completely friendly gesture of my visit, not that I had reason to complain. After all, my father almost killed Adamo.
“Hi Dinara, it’s wonderful to finally meet you. We almost gave up hope that Adamo would bring you here. He’s been very secretive about his relationship with you,” Serafina said.
“We needed time to figure things out for ourselves before we told others details,” I said with a smile of my own.
“That makes sense,” Leona, the wife of Fabiano, the Camorra Enforcer and not-blood-related brother of the Falcones, said.
“Dinner is ready!” a dark-haired woman said as she headed our way. I recognized her as Nino’s wife, Kiara. For some reason, I felt my cheeks heat when I remembered Adamo’s suggestion to talk to her about my past. It still didn’t sit well with me that he thought a similar past of abuse meant Kiara and I could give each other life advice. Every person had a unique way of coping with trauma. She seemed to have found her safe haven in her family, living a traditional role of providing for her huge family. I wasn’t someone who wanted safety and continuity to deal with my past. I wanted thrill and adventure. Kiara made a beeline for me and gave me a bright smile. She looked genuinely happy to see me. She pulled me into a hug. I stiffened at first because I hadn’t expected it. My family was more reserved. We rarely hugged, especially not people we barely knew.