Page 34 of Silent Snowfall

But as I thought about my nocturnal visitor, heat flooded my veins. I’d spent all day ignoring what happened last night, planning to grapple with it when I took a shower later. When I had a blessed minute alone to think! Because if left to its own devices, my body was already screaming that I belonged to that stranger in the dark. While my mind vehemently protested that what I had with Saint Nico was completely carnal. Physical. Barely more than two ships passing in the night.

I clamped down on the inner turmoil, forcing myself to listen to the conversation in front of me.

“I was hoping to see you out and about,” Lucian was saying. “I have an invitation for you and your granddaughter to our family’s Christmas dinner.”

“Oh! How thoughtful.” Nonna accepted the envelope he held out. It was that thick, expensive paper with an honest to goodness wax seal. “Rosetta and I would be honored.”

And then the sinfully good-looking man chose that moment to shift his gaze to me.

Yep, I definitely wanted to die. I was so not the kind of woman who went to fancy famiglia dinners. I didn’t exist in the flashy, exotic circles in which Made Men played.

The smooth cadence of his voice unsettled me. “Perfect.”

No…no, it most definitely was not my mystery visitor in the ski mask. The voice was all wrong.

And it was even worse when he spoke again. “It is we who would be honored, signora.”

Well, if that didn’t sound like a slap in the face.

“I’m sorry, I won’t be able to go,” I said quickly.

The don’s right eye twitched. “Is something wrong?”

I gulped and gestured to the twins, who were oddly silent during this exchange. “Someone has to watch them.”

“Nonsense,” Nonna huffed. “They’re perfectly capable of taking care of themselves for an evening.”

A protest built in my chest, but I took too long taking a breath deep enough to expel it.

“Perfect, it’s settled then.” Lucian took one last look at me, nodded to my grandmother, and continued walking down the aisle of the grocery store.

It most certainly was not settled.

“Nonna, a word,” I hissed when the don was out of earshot.

My grandmother arched a brow. “Yes?”

“Boys, go find some milk,” I urged, jerking my chin.

“But Mom!” Oli crossed his arms over his chest.

Mat was quicker to the punch, knowing exactly what I was going to say. “We can stay home alone!”

“No, you can’t!” I said firmly. Switching to Italian, which was rusty, I explained sternly to my grandmother that she was the grandma and I was the mom. I wasn’t comfortable with the boys being alone, since they were prone to kill one another or blow something up.

Nonna winced. “We really should speak Italian at home.”

I croaked. “What? Why—what?”

She chuckled, reached up, and patted my cheek. “Your verbs were all wrong, plus you used half-made up words. But don’t worry, I understood you well enough.”

“Oh, well, good.” I gave her a clipped nod.

“Yes, and while I respect your position, I’m overruling you on this. The invitation is for both of us, so we’re going.” Nonna turned on her heel and began marching toward the dairy section.

“Nonna!” I jogged after her, wondering how she moved so quickly in kitten heels and that skirt. “I can’t go.”

My grandmother tutted. “When the don makes such a small request, it’s the right thing to do to obey.”