I’d turned into the street lawyer, the man everyone called when they needed a ‘get out of jail free’ card. Most days were spent offering legal advice to my father on his newly acquired properties or taking care of our guys’ legal troubles. Lately, we had the Feds breathing down our backs hard. The local and state police weren’t much better.
At the rate we were going, we’d end up like Al Capone and find ourselves locked up on something stupid like tax evasion. That’s why I spent hours on end tying up loose ends for the old man. We could never be too careful with so much heat on us.
Gia rested her hand over my heart and glanced up at me. “How was your day?”
“Too long.” I kissed her on the forehead and hugged her tighter. “I missed you and Faith. I hate spending this much time away from my girls.”
“Then don’t,” she hissed. “Make an effort to come home for dinner.”
“I tried.” I let out a frustrated sigh. “When you were having dinner with Sonny and Faith, I was sitting in a police station, waiting for one of our guys to get released on bail. I’m working my ass off. All I can tell you is I will try to make it home for dinner or bedtime. The only place I want to be is right here with Faith and you, but—”
“Your dad owns you,” she shot back, irritated.
“He doesn’t own me.”
“If that were true, you would tell him to fuck off and be here when you’re supposed to.”
“This isn’t a normal job, G. You know that. I’m not the kind of lawyer who goes into the office and works a set amount of hours.” I threaded my fingers between her curls to soothe her. She was all wound up when all I wanted to do was sleep. “Let’s get some rest. Close your eyes, beautiful.”
I heeded my own advice, attempting to drift off. But Gia wasn’t finished with our conversation.
“Sonny gave me the list today for our wedding reception. Can you explain to me why I have to invite the men who kidnapped me? I’m not okay with that, Angelo.” She peeled herself from my arms and sat up, folding one leg over the other. “You honestly expect me to shake the hands of the men who sold me on a private auction? How about the men who threw me into a creepy room with padded walls and no windows and left me there for who knows how long without food? When I was pregnant with your daughter.”
I pinched the bridge of my nose between my fingers and sighed. “C’mon, Gia. Not now. Can we do this in the morning?”
“It is morning, Angelo. I’ve been waiting to talk to you all day and night, but I have to wait my turn. Your father and his goons are more important than this family.”
Furious, I rolled over to face her and dug my fingers into her thigh. She didn’t even flinch. Gia was used to my rough touch. “Knock it off, G. No one is more important than this family.” I released my hold on her and relaxed at her side.
“Those are just words, Angelo.” Gia dragged out my name, sounding extra whiny on purpose. “Show me you mean it, and then we can talk.”
“My brothers and father are also my family. You seem to forget that. I have a job to do, one that requires me to be out at all times of the day and night. I can’t predict when someone will get arrested, which has been a lot lately. We don’t have the same protection from the law we had before. Our war with Enzo stirred up a lot of unresolved shit which has brought us a lot of attention.”
“What about my dad? Can’t he help out? He’ll be Mayor soon enough. That has to buy him enough pull to sway a few cops and politicians in your family’s favor.” Gia folded her arms across her chest, grinding her teeth together. She was angry all the time, and it was my fault.
“It’s not like my dad is legit,” she growled, her words harsh and almost too loud. “He’s not a real politician. He’ll never be a real mayor. He’s whatever the fuck your dad wants him to be, same as you and your brothers. Same as all of us. Do any of us have a choice? Do I? Does your daughter?”
Her voice grew louder with each word. So, I did what I had to do and covered her mouth with my hand. “Would you be quiet? Faith is sleeping.”
She peeled my fingers from her lips and shoved my hand away. “Dinner tonight. Be there. I don’t care if your dad’s house is on fire. You will not miss another night with your family.”
I took her hands and mine, and she settled down. “I love you, Gianna. You are my entire world. It’s not like I’m out with other women. I am working. Please be patient with me. This will all blow over soon enough.”
“There will always be the next thing,” she pointed out, and she was right. “You’re a criminal. All of your friends and relatives are criminals. We will always have police or federal agents coming to our house with warrants. Men will still try to kill us and take what we have because of who you are and what your name represents.”
I brushed my fingers along the top of her hand, caressing her soft skin. “Ever since I got into college, you wanted to believe I had a choice, and that one day we would finally be free. You know that will never happen, and yet you fight it every step of the way. When I would leave in the middle of class, you knew I was only there with you because my father allowed it. I was there for as long as I followed his orders. Do you think one day we will wake up and have normal lives? Become lawyers at a firm downtown and pretend as if none of this ever happened?”
“For such a strong man, sometimes you sound so fucking weak.” Her words pissed me off, but I didn’t stop her. She leaned forward, pulling me to her, our hands still intertwined. “You’re not a boy anymore, Angelo. You could have told your dad to go to hell years ago. But you’re loyal, which is part of the reason I love you so much. Even when you want to say no to your family, you run to their aid. But I need you to do that with our family, the one we are building together.”
“I would do anything for you and Faith. Just because I missed a few dinners and bedtimes doesn’t mean I would put them first. When it comes down to it, I will choose you and our daughter. Always. For the month you were gone, I couldn’t function. It was like I was held under water, trying to reach the surface and left gasping for air. That’s how I felt, and I never want to be without you again.”
“Sometimes, we take the things we love most for granted,” she told me, her voice firm. “I will always be here for you, but please don’t take me for granted. I am going to be your wife. I’m the mother of your child. I have been your partner in crime since we were kids. Let me in, Angelo. Don’t shut me out. That’s what bugs me the most. When I see you for an hour or two in passing and then you won’t tell me a thing, it drives me crazy. You know it does.”
I cupped her face in my hands and kissed her. “This is why you’re mad. Not because I haven’t been around much this week but because you feel left out.”
For as long as I had known Gia, she always wanted to be involved in every aspect of my life—criminal activities included. “Some things I don’t tell you because I don’t want you to know too much. The Feds could use that knowledge against you.”
“Spousal privilege,” she said, matter of fact.