His: Tony: The Sabatini Family by Fiona Murphy (sneezy the snowman read aloud TXT) 📕

“I planned on going back tomorrow evening after the funeral.” I frown at him leaving so quickly. “I can give it another week. Not long though. As much as I wish it was different, Gianni, my second isn’t as on top of things as I am. He’s new and still feeling it out. I didn’t pick him—Carlo did. He doesn’t have it in him to keep people in check and is squeamish when it comes to blood.”

I wish he needn’t have come to power and needed to rule so ruthlessly so young. Al had gotten shot in a war with a Mexican Cartel when Luca was only eighteen. Luca stepped up, taking on the cartel to retrieve their shipment, leaving several of them dead. He then made a better deal with a Columbian cartel. Even after Al got out of the hospital, Luca hadn’t given up the reins of power, and Al hadn’t challenged him. When Al died four years ago, Luca was named the head of Vegas for our family. I’m proud of all he’s done.

As I show him around my home, I can’t keep my eyes off him, wanting to commit every move he makes to memory.

He picks the guest bedroom across the hall. “Where’s the woman who redid the place?”

Good eye. He impresses me at every turn. Even if it’s the last damn question I want to answer. “Gone. I’ll let you get settled.”

“That’s not fair. You get to ask me ten thousand questions, and I don’t get to ask any.”

Smartass. I lean against the door frame as I study him. “It’s been almost five years now. She ran scared.”

A wince. “Sorry. I don’t know. This house, it’s obvious love went into the updates. I guess I thought she died or something like your wife.”

Shaking my head. “No. Trust me, there are times when I wish she had. It would have made things easier. I’m sorry about your wife.”

“I’m not. We were messed up kids. Getting married that young. I shouldn’t have agreed to marry Jackie. Mom and Al kept pushing; it was the mafia way. I needed to be settled if I was going to be respected. By the time she overdosed, I was so fucking relieved. For a long time, I hated myself and her for it. I’ll tell you now, it’s not happening again. Carlo has been mumbling about marriage the last few years. No. I’ll play the grieving widower to the fucking end, if I have to. No, to forever with anyone.” He cocks an eyebrow at me. “There are too many beautiful women in Vegas for that.”

I laugh. Damn, if he doesn’t remind me of myself.

***

Tony

It’s my last night in Vegas. I traveled out here a few days after Luca left Chicago. I’m not sure why a part of me is afraid the moment he’s out of my sight too long, I’ll never see him again. He’d barely been out of Chicago a day when I was antsy to talk to him, hear his voice.

I’m grateful he always answers when I call, something I’ve done every night. Not once has he sounded bothered by my call. A text comes through; it’s Luca asking if I’m still up.

We had parted after dinner, his girl moaning about the show he promised to take her to. I hadn’t wanted to be a third wheel, so I said I would retire early for the flight tomorrow. I respond to the text, telling him I am, that I’m out on the balcony.

Only minutes later, I hear him come into the suite he’d put me in. He’s in the penthouse of the hotel. It’s a nice place, run well. His people are happy and it’s clear he’s respected. He sits down across from me, a drink in his hand.

For a while, we simply sit. It’s nice and cool out here.

“I don’t mind when you call me,” he says quietly, his eyes on his drink.

“Good.” I sip to cover my smile. “Because I hadn’t planned on stopping.”

“Vegas is my home.”

An ache goes through me. I hadn’t been able to stop from voicing the suggestion he move to Chicago. He could take over my business. Dominic was more than fine with it. Now that he was underboss and would one day become Don, mine and his territory could become more cumbersome in all he would have to handle. Considering he was adamant he would father no children, one day the territory that had been Sabatini for over a hundred years would become someone else’s. I can’t lie and say it didn’t bother me.

“I understand. It would be a huge come down from this.” I motion around us to the city. “In the end, I want you to be where you are happiest. If you came to Chicago and you were miserable...” I shake my head. “I won’t ask that of you.”

“You couldn’t be more different from Mom if you tried. I tried not to hate her growing up. But in the last few weeks, the hate has grown more every day. She was there but not. Leaving me to my nanny, then resenting Marisa for being a mother in a way she wouldn’t be. It was like she couldn’t figure out what the hell she wanted to be. Then that bullshit suicide attempt when I was ten.” The growl is low in his throat as he remembers.

Fuck, I hate her for having done this to him.

Shaking his head, “Even as she lay down dying from the cancer five years ago. She couldn’t tell me about you. It was the last kindness she could have given me. Al and I didn’t have a relationship except business. I knew something wasn’t right about our relationship. Her weakness, her inability to just fucking be there...I’m glad she’s gone now.”

His bitterness causes a pang of guilt. I don’t want that for him, to resent his mother. “To say you would die for your children, for anyone. It’s bullshit. Dying, yeah, it’s scary. But it’s