Soulless Devil (Sons of Valentino #3)(55)

Chapter Thirty





Livvy





I wipe my sweaty hands down the sides of my coat. I can’t stop fidgeting. I don’t recall ever being so nervous over anything.

“You look beautiful,” Romeo says for the millionth time. “You are going to be fine. I’m right here.”

“I know. I’m sorry. I just really want your family to like me.”

“Well, you’ll know if they don’t. Because you’ll end up with cement shoes at the bottom of the river.”

She gasps. Her mouth hangs open.

“Sorry, bad mafia joke.” I laugh.

Livvy tilts her head. “We’ve never actually had that conversation. Is this your way of confirming that the rumors are true? That your family really is part of the mafia?”

“Babe, you’re smart enough to know the answer without us having that conversation,” Romeo says.

I nod my head. I think I always knew there was something different about Romeo. I knew he was dangerous. Lethal. I also know that I love him anyway. “Okay, let’s do this.” I shrug my shoulders. We’ve been standing at the front door of his childhood home for a few minutes now. “No, wait! I just want to say that I’m sorry. If I screw this up or something, I’m sorry in advance.”

“Livvy, there is nothing you can say that will screw this up,” he assures me. “Actually, on second thought, let’s leave out the fact that your father’s a cop and you plan on becoming a district attorney.” He winks.

“I’m changing specialties. I want to do family law.”

“When did you decide that?”

“A few weeks ago. I’ve had a change of heart on how justice is served,” I tell him.

“Mmm, okay. Come on, let’s go before Theo eats everything.”

I follow him into the massive home. This is certainly not anything like how I grew up. This place exudes elegance. Money. I wonder what Romeo will think when I do take him to meet my family, who’ve been on my case to come home since Christmas.

“Mom?” Romeo calls out.

“In here.” A feminine voice calls back, in an Australian accent, and I automatically smile. I remember Romeo mentioning that his mom is Australian. I don’t know what it is about that accent, but I just love hearing it.

“Hey, this is Livvy. Livvy, my mom, Holly.” Romeo leans in and kisses his mom on the cheek.

“Hello, Mrs. Valentino, it’s a pleasure to meet you,” I greet her.

“Call me Holly. And welcome, sweetheart. I’m so excited that you’re here. Come on, all the girls are out back.” Holly takes my hand and leads me towards a hallway. I glance at Romeo, who is following behind me. “Romeo, your dad is in the den,” his mom says, without looking at him.

“Ah, yeah, I’ll say hello to everyone else first,” Romeo replies.

Holly halts midstep. “Romeo Luca Valentino. What on earth do you think I’m going to do with her?” His mother’s hand rests on her hip.

“Nothing, Ma. I just want to see my sisters-in-law.”

“Bullshit.” Holly laughs. “I know you, kid. Now, go see your father and brothers. Dinner will be ready in fifteen.”

Romeo looks to me. I know if I give him any indication that I need him right now, he’ll stay with me no matter what anyone says. I don’t want to come across as that needy. Even if I am. So, instead of begging him not to leave my side, I smile and nod my head slightly, pretending that I’m fine.

Romeo leans in to me. “I know that you’re pretending to be fine. I don’t fucking like it. Yell out if you need me. The walls in this house are surprisingly thin. I’ll hear you,” he says, kissing my forehead.

“Thank you.”

I turn back to look at Holly, who has unshed tears in her eyes. “I’m sorry. I’m just so happy he found you, sweetie.”

“You and me both.” I smile and Holly laughs.

After introducing me to Maddie, Lilah, and Savannah, Holly sits next to me at the small kitchen table everyone is gathered around and pulls out her phone. She video-calls someone and then places the screen in front of me on the table. “See, I told you she’s real,” Holly says to someone I can only assume is her twin sister. Romeo’s told me as much as he can about his family. There’s a lot of them to remember, but it’s pretty obvious by the mirror image of his mother that the lady on the phone is his Aunt Reilly.

“Oh, she’s beautiful. Did he kidnap her? How did Romeo manage to tie that one down?” the woman asks. My brows furrow. Are they seriously talking bad about Romeo right now? I don’t know if it’s family banter or not. It has to be. “I’m sorry, Livvy. It’s just that you’re way out of his league,” the woman continues.

“I’m really not. Romeo is… everything,” I say with a smile.

“Oh no, you’ve been bitten by that Valentino venom.” She laughs. “I’m Aunt Reilly, by the way.”

“What’s the Valentino venom?” I ask.

“All you girls sitting at that table are suffering from it,” she says.

“Ah, nope, not me,” Maddie’s sister yells out.

“Well, everyone but Lilah,” Reilly clarifies.