By Virtue I Fall (Sins of the Fathers #3)(100)

Mom and Dad barred my view of the entryway and Santino. I approached them to make sure they didn’t give him a too hard time. My eyes widened in surprise when I saw Mom accepting a gorgeous flower bouquet from Santino who gave her a charming smile before he handed Dad a bottle of what looked like a very fine bottle of Barolo. I stifled a smile. Mom finally stepped back so I could take her place. She rubbed my back with a knowing smile.

My eyes met Santino’s and he quickly scanned my outfit. It was a dress I’d worn in Saint Tropez. I’d had to modify my outfit for the colder fall weather in Chicago though, and added a cropped blazer and over-knee boots.

“Saint Tropez,” Santino said without hesitation, then threw a glance at my dad, who raised one eyebrow.

“Remembering gives you bonus points, but where are my flowers?” I asked with a teasing smile.

Dad shook his head with a small smile before he bestowed another warning look on Santino.

“I knew you’d ask,” Santino said and bent down to pick up another beautiful bouquet of flowers, roses and another beautiful flower with many small petals that I didn’t know in reds and oranges. I took the flowers from him, resisting the urge to kiss him. I didn’t want Dad to see it.

He was still angry at Santino, and probably would have punished him harshly if it wasn’t for the fact that I loved him. Santino was on a sort of probation so to speak, with a possible punishment still hovering over his head, and he could no longer work as my bodyguard. His dad had taken the job for now until Dad had found a suitable replacement for Santino.

Steps rang out and Leonas appeared, dress in a black dress shirt, black pants and black Budapest shoes.

My face fell. “Oh no. Don’t tell me he’s going to be our chaperone.”

“Indeed, sis,” Leonas said. “And I’ll take my job seriously.”

I gave Dad a disbelieving look. “Dad.”

“Santino isn’t the only one who has to regain lost trust. I expect you back at home at eleven.”

“Eleven?” It was already seven. “Dad, I’m twenty-two.”

Dad tilted his head. “And Santino is a man you’re not married to, so you and him shouldn’t be going on a date at all.”

I pressed my lips together. Mom and Dad weren’t very conservative. He did this as a sort of punishment for me.

I took a deep breath and stood on my tiptoes to kiss his cheeks. “Thanks for allowing us to spend time together.”

He nodded then exchanged a look with Leonas before he disappeared from view. I turned to Santino with a smile, unable to hold it back. I had missed him so much in the last few weeks. But now that nothing stood in our way, not a coma, a wedding or Dad’s word, I wanted to spend every second with him. My mind and body yearned for him. I only needed to figure out a way to get rid of Leonas so Santino and I could really enjoy each other in every sense of the word.





I didn’t have to be a mind reader to know what Anna was thinking. It was probably the same thing I’d been thinking the moment I’d seen her in the tight dress and boots. Fuck, I’d missed her so much. My injuries still hurt like hell but I sure as hell wouldn’t let that stop me from taking Anna tonight.

What might, however, stop me was Leonas. His shit-eating smirk didn’t bode well.

“So where are you taking us for dinner?” he asked. “I hope I’m not underdressed for the occasion.”

As if he and his parents didn’t know exactly where I was going to take Anna. Dante wanted to know every detail of our date to anticipate how the press and the Outfit would find out and might react. I didn’t mind, or rather I wouldn’t disagree. I was already more than grateful that he hadn’t put a bullet in my head the moment he’d found out about Anna and me. I supposed me almost dying for Anna had made the difference. Or maybe the ring I’d give Anna later.

I gave Leonas a hard smile. “I should have given you a good thrashing years ago.”

Leonas opened his arms. “You can try to give me one now.”

I extended my hand for Anna to take and led her toward my Camaro. After I’d helped her into the passenger seat, I turned to Leonas once more. “I’d rather stay far away from your ass.”

“Works for me.”

I got in behind the steering wheel and took Anna’s hand before I started the engine.

“This is the first time I have ridden in your Camaro.”

“It’s taken way too long.” I brought her hand to my lips and kissed it.

Leonas made a buzzer noise. “I have to remind you that my duty as chaperone for the evening will be to limit your public displays of affection, so don’t use them all up now.”

“This isn’t public,” Anna hissed.

“You should also reconsider your tone toward the person who might decide to have a very long cigarette break later today.”

I shook my head with a chuckle. “What is it with you Cavallaros and blackmail?”

“It’s in our DNA,” Leonas said.

Anna laughed. “Oh shut up. Let me at least pretend you aren’t here.”

Anna and I ate at a fine dining restaurant that was owned by the Outfit and that served traditional cuisine from Roma. Leonas did indeed give us some space and settled at the bar to chat with the owner while Anna and I settled in a cozy nook. The staff had been briefed about our appearance so it didn’t come as a shock, but some of the guests threw us curious looks. Our dinner would make the rounds and be the main gossip in the next few weeks, but it wasn’t as if there hadn’t already been certain speculations. My reputation as a sort of Casanova was widely known among the women in the Outfit.