“It’s unfair,” I whispered desperately.
Remo downed the remaining rum. “Life’s fucking unfair. It wants to crush you, but you can’t let the bitch win. You’ve got to force her to play by your rules.”
“You make it sound so easy, but for me it’s not. You are strong. Nobody could ever force you to do anything.”
Remo leaned forward, squeezing my ankle. “Do you know how many people dare to tell me the truth to my face? How many don’t shit their pants when they’re alone with me?”
I shook my head. I guessed there weren’t many. Serafina, his brothers and Fabiano … even Leona was still wary around the Camorra Capo.
“You are strong in your own way, Kiara. And you are Falcone. The world’s yours. If you want a kid, you’ll get one.”
I laughed. “I know you are powerful, but some things are out of your control. You can’t kidnap one.”
“If Nino’s shooting blanks you can have my sperm to get you pregnant.”
I choked. “Are you being serious?”
He cocked an eyebrow.
I shook my head. “You’re really being serious. You think Fina would be okay with you being a sperm donor?”
“We’re all family. I want you and Nino to get your wish, and Serafina would understand.”
“That won’t work if it’s me.”
“There’s all kind of shit doctors can do nowadays. You and Nino should have a check-up. Once you know what’s the problem, you can find a solution.”
“Maybe there’s no solution.”
“There always is. You can adopt. Might not be the worst idea anyway considering how messed-up Nino and I are.”
“That’s because of your childhood.”
“Trust me, part of it is inherited.” His mouth curled as if he remembered all the things they’d done over the years.
“I’ve been thinking about adoption.” I looked at Remo. “But I don’t want the kids to be less because they aren’t blood relatives.”
“The only blood I give a fuck about is that of the fuckers who’ll treat your kids less for some shitty DNA bullshit, and only because I’ll bathe in it after I slit their throats.”
I crossed the small space between us and hugged Remo for the first time in my life. “Thank you,” I whispered. “You are how I wish my brothers could have been. I don’t care what people say about you, I love you like a brother.”
Remo froze, then he lightly touched my back but didn’t say anything in return—not that I had expected him to.
I pulled away, clearing my throat and wiping my eyes. Remo got to his feet and held out his hand. “Come on. Let’s join the others at the pool.”
I took his hand and allowed him to pull me up.
“I’m not wearing a bikini.”
“Then go change. I’ll go see if Adamo’s in the mood to stop his sulk.”
He regarded me a moment longer then picked up the discarded pregnancy test and walked away.
I released a long breath, feeling slightly better. Remo was right. There was no use pitying myself.
Ten minutes later I arrived at the pool, dressed in my red bikini and a summer dress over it. Seraina and Leona were in the water, each of them pushing the twins around the pool in small unicorn floats that Serafina had ordered for them. Savio was stretched out lazily on one of the sunchairs, his swim trunks pulled down dangerously low, showing off the upper half of that obnoxious bull tattoo.
Savio inched his sunglasses up with a smirk. “Can’t take your eyes off my minotaur, can you?”
I grimaced. “I still can’t believe you let Nino ink that thing into your skin.”
Savio looked down his six-pack then lifted his waistband, peering beneath it. “You should see the rest. I think you’d change your mind.”
My cheeks flushed. A wet ball flew toward Savio’s head and he blocked it with his forearm. “Hey!”
“Behave,” Serafina warned.
Savio crossed his arms behind his head, looking entirely too pleased with himself.
“You love to rile us up, right?” I said with a small laugh.
“It’s more fun than I expected.”
I got out of my dress and quickly lowered myself into the pool, uncomfortable in my tiny bikini around men other than Nino.
Savio pushed his sunglasses back down. “How about you bake us some of those delicious white chocolate-macadamia cookies?”
“I thought you’d get rid of that sweet tooth at some point. How can you stuff your face with all that sugary shit?” Remo said as he strode toward the pool in swim trunks. There was no sign of Adamo.
Savio shrugged. “I need it so I can give the ladies some sugar.”
I snorted as I made my way over to Leona, Serafina and the twins. “You are absolutely impossible. Do those pick-up lines actually work?”
“No,” Remo said at the same time as Savio said, “Yes.”
Remo waved him off. “Whatever. I’m surprised you didn’t get a fucking lollipop instead of that bull inked above your dick. Would send a clear message.”