by Chelle Bliss
“My children and grandchildren will never know what it means to be alone, and for that, I’m thankful. Even though I had to go through the hurt, I’m okay with taking that if it means I’ve shielded them from the same pain.”
“You have, Ma,” Daphne says and wraps her arms around her mother’s waist. “We will never be alone, and neither will you.”
There are heavy footsteps behind us, and I turn, catching the men, our men, standing near the doorway to the kitchen. They’re watching us, eyes roaming around the room, taking in the teary-eyed faces of their women.
“Do you need us to give you time?” Angelo asks, but he’s not asking me; he’s asking his mother.
She shakes her head. “No, sweetheart, but can you boys set the table? The food is just about ready.”
Angelo nods and makes his way into the room and toward me. “You okay?” he whispers as he leans forward to kiss me.
“Perfect, baby.” I smile, moving into him and wanting that kiss.
It’s sweet and short, soft and warm, but as he pulls away, his eyes search mine. “You sure you’re okay?”
I nod and smile. “I couldn’t be better.”
“I love you,” he whispers.
“I love you too,” I whisper back.
And I couldn’t be better. I have everything I ever wanted. A great husband, loving children, parents, sisters and brothers, and most of all, love. I’ll never know the pain of being alone again like I felt after my parents died. I knew sadness, but in this moment, I am certain I’ll never be alone again. I am part of something bigger, a family that has taken me in like I have been there my entire life, and for that, I’ll be forever thankful.
22
Tilly
ONE YEAR LATER
Suzy’s the first one to me, with her arms outstretched, waiting just beyond security at the Tampa airport. “Lemme see those cheeks.”
I turn my face, making a joke, because I know she isn’t talking about me. “They’ve grown since the last time you saw me.”
She waves her hand at me with a giggle and reaches for the wide-eyed baby in my arms. “I’m a sucker for a chubby baby.”
I hand my son to Suzy and am thankful to give my arms a break. “Well, Mason most certainly is that.”
“Oh, he’s a heavy little thing.” Suzy cradles him in her arms, running her nose along his head, getting the great baby smell I’ve grown all too fond of myself.
“Mommy,” Brax says at my side, yanking on my top when I don’t react fast enough.
“Yes, sweetheart?”
“Carry me,” he says and raises his arms in the air, wiggling them for effect. “Please.”
I lift Brax, who is almost too big to be carried, especially by me, but the transition with the new baby hasn’t been easy on the kids. They’ve taken it in stride, each day growing fonder of the little guy who keeps waking them up in the middle of the night. “Sure, baby.” I kiss his cheek.
Tate’s in Angelo’s arms, where she usually is now that Mason has arrived. When she isn’t in his arms, she’s pretending to be Mason’s mommy, which is adorable. She’s been such a good helper the last two months.
I take a moment to look around as I settle Brax on my hip, ready for the long haul to baggage claim. The entire Gallo family is standing in the middle of the main terminal, holding signs, flowers, and balloons, welcoming us to Florida.
Before they left Chicago, they made us promise we’d come to Tampa to attend Gigi’s graduation and spend a little time in their world like they did in ours.
It is a much-needed break after a long and gloomy Chicago winter. I’ve missed the thick, damp air of the South and the endless streams of sunshine.
“Hand her over, kid,” Izzy says to Bianca, taking Amelia from her arms without hesitation. “God, this almost makes me sad I’ll never have another little one.”
James pulls his wife closer, staring down at the doe-eyed little bundle in Izzy’s arms. “We can try for another. Maybe the next one will be a girl.”
Izzy’s face tips upward to her husband, and she narrows her eyes. “Don’t get any ideas. I’m way beyond the baby stage, and I’m not about to start over. Plus, we both know I’m cursed to forever have boys, but at least I have nieces to spoil.”
“It’s always better when it’s someone else’s kid.” James laughs and kisses Izzy’s cheek before turning his attention to the dark-haired beauty in his wife’s arms. “She’s absolutely perfect.”
The put-together Vinnie and Bianca have vanished. The months of not sleeping and parenthood have taken their toll on the young couple.
“You can keep her for a few nights,” Vinnie says to Izzy. “I could use some rest and time alone with my woman.”
Izzy looks to James, and he nods. “That’s a deal. Only a few nights so you kids can sleep,” she tells them.
“Oh, thank God. I’m so tired from traveling, and I’m not sure I could take another sleepless night,” Vinnie says, running his fingers through his already messy hair.
I’m thankful for Angelo. Although I’m a first-time mother and worry about every little thing, he’s calm, cool, and collected with this being his third child. The family has rallied around Vinnie and Bianca, helping in every way we can, but I can see the wear and tear on their faces.
Everyone’s busy hugging and kissing, the usual Gallo family hello that I’ve grown accustomed to. I would expect nothing less.
“Let’s get the bags and head back,” Uncle Sal says, corralling us all toward the escalators.
Lucio and Delilah walk in front of me. Lulu’s in Lucio’s arms, playing with his cheeks, and Zoe’s in Delilah’s arms with her head on her mom’s shoulder, fast asleep.
Leo’s carrying Nino as he clutches his teddy bear tight to his body, and Daphne’s walking at their side. I hold Angelo’s hand as we descend the escalators to a busy baggage claim area, and I’m thankful the family has come here to help with the kids and the mountain of luggage, car seats, and strollers we checked back in Chicago.
Thirty minutes later, we’re out of the airport and piled into their SUVs. “I can’t thank you enough for getting us,” I say to Suzy as we make our way down the highway toward their town.
“We wouldn’t miss this for the world,” she says, turning around in her seat to face me. “It’s been too long since we’ve seen each other.”
“You sure you guys don’t want to stay with us?” Joe asks, glancing in the rearview mirror as he follows the entourage of cars in front of us.
“I’m sure. You have enough going on, and it’s not easy with infants. We’ll be fine at the hotel. Thankfully, they had suites, so we won’t be jammed into a little space.”
“I’m thinking we can do the beach tomorrow,” Suzy says, changing the subject.
I grimace at the thought of putting on a bathing suit because I haven’t been able to shake all my baby weight. “I don’t know.”
Her gaze follows my hands as I cover my stomach. “Oh no, you don’t. Your body is kick-ass. And let me let you in on a little secret—this isn’t Baywatch.”
“What?” I giggle.
“It’s not all tight bodies, big tits, and hot guys. This is Florida. You have a better chance of seeing an old man with a beer gut wearing a Speedo on the beach than some hot young thing.”
“You’re really selling me here, Suzy.”
I remember vacationing in the Panhandle as a kid with my parents. They loved the beach, and it was only a few hours’ drive from home. We went every year to the same hotel and sat on the same stretch of sand, watching the waves from the Gulf of Mexico.
“You’ll see. We have a few big portable canopies for the kids to play under, so they don’t get burned, and another one for the adults, especially those of you who haven’t seen sunshine in months.”
“I’m getting really sick of the cold and snow. This trip couldn’t have come at a better time.” I smile and grab Angelo’s hand. “We needed this.”
“You should just mo
ve here,” Joe says like it’s a simple thing to do.
“It’s not that easy,” Angelo says. But I can see it in his eyes; he’s as sick of the shitty, gray winters of the North as I am.
“You guys can sell the bar and open one down here if you need something to do. I’m sure after a week in the sunshine, no one’s going to want to go back.”
“You’re probably right.” Angelo squeezes my hand.
“Your parents are getting older, and before the kids get too old, it’s an easier move.”
Suzy’s practically buzzing in her seat. “Oh my God. That would be the best thing in the world. Imagine all the Sunday dinners and the holidays… What could be more perfect?”
Angelo and I have talked about moving south, giving our kids a better quality of life outside the big city. I’d love our kids to have something I never did—a big family to spoil them and shower them with love.
“It’s something we’ve discussed. I’m sure it won’t take too much convincing to get everyone to move here,” Angelo tells Joe.
I stare out the windows, watching the endless green grass pass by us in a blur and the palm trees swaying in the breeze. There’re no tall buildings and cement for as far as the eye can see like in Chicago.
“It’s really beautiful here,” I say as we get farther away from the airport and more into the country.
“Life is slower here,” Joe says. “I don’t miss the rat race in Chicago.”
“I’ve missed the South,” I say softly, unable to take my eyes off the landscape.
Joe and Angelo talk most of the way home as I stare out the window, thinking about what it would be like to live here, surrounded by the Gallos. I can’t imagine anything better, and I want that for our children.
An hour later, our luggage is dropped off at the hotel, and we’re driving down the driveway to Joe and Suzy’s place. My mouth drops open as soon as I see what looks like a mansion nestled in the woods.
“You live here?” I whisper in disbelief with my face between the two front seats, unable to tear my gaze away from its beauty.
“Yes, living here is so much cheaper than Chicago. You could probably get something like this with how much your place is worth up there.”
There’re lush trees and green grass everywhere surrounding the grand structure that looks like it was plucked from a mountaintop.
“You’ve done well for yourself, cousin,” Angelo says.
I turn to look at him, and I can see the awe on his face as I mouth oh my God. “How many acres do you have?”
“Fifteen and the place next to us is for sale, which I think is about ten acres. And the house is even more spectacular,” Joe says, but the hint isn’t subtle.
“I’m sure everyone is starving and ready for a cold drink,” Suzy says as the SUV comes to a slow stop.
“Sweet tea?” I’m hopeful. Although Chicago is known for their cuisine, the sweet tea there is nothing like the real Southern version.
“Of course.” She giggles. “I fresh brewed some just for you.”
“I’ve died and gone to heaven.” I’m being overdramatic, but I don’t care.
I’m happy as hell to be in the South, in the sun, and among family again.
Everyone’s out of the cars quickly, the kids running around the yard as Aunt Maria and Aunt Fran stand on the front porch, watching over the kids.
“This place is crazy,” Lucio says to us as he grabs Lulu from the car seat and sets her on the ground. “Did they tell you we should move here?”
Angelo nods. “There were words.”
“I think we should do it. We’ll be too old soon to drop everything and head south.”
“But what about the bar?” Angelo asks as we walk up the driveway.
“We can sell the bar.” Lucio shrugs. “Do you really want to be a bartender your entire life?”
“We have Vinnie and Leo to consider,” Angelo replies.
My shoulders slump a little because we can’t leave them behind, and I’m not sure Vinnie could easily move now that he’s the franchise player in Chicago. Then there’s Leo and his hotel empire, which has its headquarters in Chicago.
“Vinnie doesn’t work the entire year, and most of the players don’t actually live in Chicago anyway. Leo, he’s the boss, the headquarters can move with him, or he can do most of his work remotely. He’s often out of town anyway. His life wouldn’t change all that much,” Lucio says.
“Let’s talk about this later as a family,” I tell the boys because this is a decision we must make together.
That’s what I’ve learned about the Gallos. They don’t make big decisions as individuals. They’re a package deal.
Where one goes, they all follow.
23
Angelo
I crawl under the thin sheets, curling my body into my girl. “Are the kids asleep?” she asks.
My hand is around her waist, just below her breasts. “They are,” I say against her neck before running my tongue along her soft skin and sliding my thumb underneath the swell of her breast.
“What if they wake up?” Her voice is all breathy and wanton as she pushes her ass into my hard-on.
“They didn’t nap, and with all the travel and excitement, no one will wake up for a little while.”
She moves onto her back, staring up at me in the faint glow from the television. “What if they catch us?”
“Baby.” I smirk, loving this woman so damn much. “We can live dangerously.” My gaze drops to her lush lips as she bites the bottom one, working the soft skin between her teeth. “Let go a little bit. Stop thinking so much,” I tell her.
“They could wake up and see something.”
I’m out of the bed and at the door that separates our room from the living room, where our three kids are fast asleep. I close it quietly and lock it before turning around, catching Tilly checking out my bare ass.
“You seriously have an amazing ass. It’s so not fair.”
“You got the more impressive set of tits, so let’s not complain who got the better end of that deal,” I tell her as I slide back into the bed next to her, pulling the sheet down to expose her body.
She shakes her breasts right in my face, knowing exactly what she’s doing and how she affects me. “You’d look funny with these.”
Grabbing her around the waist, I pull her closer to my side. I run a finger down the space between her breasts, slowly raking it back and forth as I stare into her eyes. “They’re mine. Make no doubt about that.”
“Sweetheart,” Tilly says, reaching down and fisting my cock. “I need you inside me.”
My body jerks with each stroke, and I need to be inside her too. “Don’t you want to take it slow?” I graze my fingertip over her nipple, and her eyes darken as her grip tightens.
“I want you between my thighs.”
And being a good husband, I go there. Sliding between her thighs, hovering over her naked skin, and staring down at her. “Better?” I ask, taunting her with my cock just out of reach.
The look in her eyes is anything but amused. “Angelo.”
“Baby,” I reply, but as soon as her mouth opens to complain, I lean forward and pull her nipple between my lips, silencing her.
Her fingers are in my hair, nails against my scalp, making my skin break out in goose bumps. She moans as I suck harder, drawing the stiff peak deeper into my mouth. I love the way she says my name and claws at my skin when I’m loving her.
She wraps her legs around my body and sticks her heels into my ass. “Fuck me,” she whispers.
I’m done playing games. Done playing around. When you have three sleeping kids in the next room, there isn’t time for any bullshit but getting busy and making love to my woman.
With a small thrust of my hips, her legs fall away, spreading for me. Inch by inch, I slide inside her until there’s no more left to give. She pulls my face forward, pressing her lips to mine, and kisses me deeply. Not just deep, but with so much hunger and need, I can tas
te the sweetness on her tongue.
My movements are slow but powerful, careful not to make too much noise, because if any of the kids wake up right now, everything will be ruined. I can’t risk it. There’s not enough space between us and them. The walls aren’t thick enough to really pound my wife, but I take things slow and gentle.
With one hand in my hair and the other on my ass, she pulls me forward every time I pull out, forcing me back in. Thrust after thrust, we’re both covered in a fine sheen of sweat and panting into each other’s mouth and right on the edge of ecstasy. Then I thrust harder, forcing her body upward with the movement just like she likes it. But it’s wrong. It’s not enough to get her off. I know her body well enough to know when she’s in the groove and I’m hitting the right spot, and I’m not.
The bed isn’t right. The need to be quiet isn’t right, and that leaves only one thing to do. I slide my arm behind her back and move toward the floor, carrying her against me with our mouths still locked.
She’s in my lap, my cock still buried deep when I murmur against her lips. “Ride me, baby. Ride me hard.”
There’s no need to be soft and gentle when we’re on the floor. There’s no squeaky headboard or loud mattress, setting off an alarm to the kids that it’s time to interrupt our pleasure before it’s finished.
Those words are all Tilly needs to hear before she arches her back and she’s riding me like she’s at a rodeo on the wildest bull in the ring. Her lips aren’t on mine anymore. Her mouth’s open, gasping for air as she pounds into me, riding my cock so hard, I can’t do anything but stare at her beauty and enjoy the ride.
My ass aches from the thin carpet and cement, but there’s no way I’m stopping what she’s doing. The pleasure on my cock outweighs any pain in my ass. And within minutes, she’s moaning with her mouth closed as my lips close around her nipple and tip her over the edge. I’m with her, shaking with the orgasm and fighting for breath. She drops her head forward onto my shoulder, and I wrap my arms around her, holding our sticky bodies together tightly. I don’t know how long we sit like this, skin-on-skin, wet, heaving, but it’s long enough that my legs have gone numb, though you won’t find my ass complaining.