My speech went on for another six minutes. When I said the last word, my heart was ready to explode. I refused to look at the Luciano brothers. So I focused on Enzo and Angelina. They’d worked for my family for years and were like my parents.
At least they were here.
Bella was with her dad, Anthony Parisi. I wondered if people in the crowd recognized him or the Lucianos. It wasn’t every day you saw members of an organized crime family attending the graduation of a girl they barely knew.
Not like you could miss them.
After graduation ended, I walked through the crowd to meet my dad. The Lucianos hovered around him like fucking hornets.
Angelina noticed me first.
She was well into her sixties with dark brown hair and kind eyes. Whenever she looked at me, she had a smile on her face.
“I’m so proud of you,mi amore.” She wrapped her arms around me and kissed my cheek. “The things you said about your father. So beautiful.”
“Thanks, Ang.” I hugged her back. “I was so nervous. Could you tell?”
She released her hold on me and shook her head. “Not at all. You’re a natural on stage.”
Enzo moved beside me and pulled me into his arms. “Our girl is a college graduate. We’re so proud of you.”
When I was a child, my father was rarely home. I spent most of my time with Enzo and Angelina. So it was a relief to have them here, especially with the Lucianos standing a few feet away.
“Why are they here?” I whispered into Enzo’s ear.
He stiffened, then breathed through his nose. “Mi dispiace, stellina.”
I’m sorry, little star.
His nickname for me.
That was all I got before my dad yanked me out of Enzo’s arms, steering me toward the Lucianos.
Salvatore wore an expensive black suit with gold cufflinks. He shoved a hand through his black hair and then leaned down and kissed each of my cheeks. “Congratulazioni. We’re all so proud of you.”
When the Don spoke, it was on behalf of his family.
For them.
His sons.
They stared at me like they were trying to memorize every inch of my face. I smiled at Nico, who almost seemed out of place beside his brothers. He had the same complexion but stuck out with his blond hair and blue eyes.
I knew meeting Nico wasn’t a coincidence. We hadn’t seen each other since the night at Pete’s apartment. I thought about our dance and how good his muscular body felt against mine for days.
Dante stood with the twins on each side. They had their father’s black hair and golden brown eyes. Like Nico, they had a strong jaw and high cheekbones, making them even more beautiful.
The twins were identical, except for the scar that ran down the length of Angelo’s right cheek. It must have been a deep knife wound because it marred his skin, making it slightly discolored. But he was still gorgeous. The scar made him look more rugged and manly.
Angelo licked his lips as his eyes landed on me. Then he shocked me by wrapping one arm around me, dipping his head down to speak against the shell of my ear. “Congrats, college girl.”
A strange pulse shot through my body as he smacked a kiss on my cheek. Thankfully, my dad didn’t notice his hand slide down my back to grab my ass over the graduation gown. I squealed, but not too loud, and he smirked as he stepped back to look at me.
Were they all going to grope me?
Nico was next to pull me into his arms. “That was one hell of a speech,passerotta.” His lips brushed my cheek, and I relaxed in his arms as he held me for a moment.
I could have stayed like that all day. Nico was my first crush in middle school, and those old feelings were still there.