Chapter 233: Family Surprises
- RORY -
"I talked to dad," Raya says, squinting at me while we sit around the pool.
"Oh yeah?" My attention stays where Luciano is standing across the pool, engaged in a discussion with the woman who greeted us when we arrived, Xeni.
Dex just got up to go join the conversation. I’m sure they’re talking about security and things of that nature, but the girl who seems to be Xeni’s shadow is watching Luci intently, gaze drifting down to his body.
Who can blame her? He’s like an Italian god—dark and fierce and sculpted perfectly. But for some strange reason it’s his scars being on display that creates this unfamiliar stab of jealousy right in my gut. Like those scars are mine. I don’t know why. It’s definitely not something I was expecting.
Mine. Luci said he’s mine. Tendrils of warmth sprout in my chest at the memory, and the stabbing feeling eases.
"You’ve got nothing to worry about, Roar," Raya says by my side.
"What?" I turn to her, playing dumb about her meaning like I wasn’t just glaring at the girl across the way.
"You know what," she chuckles, gaze shifting to where both of our men are now. "He has been all about you from the moment he saw you. It was obvious to everyone."
I shake my head, shrugging it off.
"I didn’t think you’d end up being into him, though. Didn’t you say something yesterday about how it would be ’the worst thing’?"
"Yeah," I smile. "I sure did, didn’t I? It’s crazy how things can change so quickly like that. I mean, I have liked him. We’ve been friends. I just didn’t want to admit there was more to it."
I didn’t want to admit that the one reason I was looking forward to waking up in the morning was to see the texts from him. That I would stare at the weird, rare, unbloomed cactus flower he sent and feel comforted and understood on some level that I hadn’t before.
I take a drink of one of the cocktails sitting between Raya and I. It’s fruity and refreshing. The sun is hot. The water is sparkling, casting dazzling rays of light all over the place. The beach and ocean are visible from here, and there are only a few curious monkeys hanging around the pool with us. It’s beautiful.
"You’re different with Luciano," Raya says with a small grin. "I’ve never seen you like this."
"He’s different than anyone else I’ve been with," I chuckle, glancing back his way.
"No kidding," she giggles. "Westin would run the other way if he saw him."
"Dad is afraid of him," I tell her with a wry smile. It was obvious that was the case when they met. "And he will be very disapproving, I’m sure."
Raya doesn’t seem to find that as amusing as I do. She looks at the water, becoming lost in thought.
"So what did Dad say when you talked?" I ask.
"He and Patty are excited to come," she shrugs.
"This will be very interesting," I muse. "I’m half expecting there to be some kind of huge surprise when we finally meet her."
"Like what?"
"Like she’s really young," I offer on a sigh. "Around our age. And that’s why it happened so fast between them. That’s why we haven’t met her."
Raya groans. "God I hope not. I doubt it. Dad? Really?"
"He’s not a bad looking guy," I say with a shrug. "Or maybe Patty is actually from the same generation as him but she’s a mad scientist of some kind, plotting our family’s eventual demise."
"Plotting our family’s demise?" Raya repeats, glowering at me now. "Hasn’t it already been demised?"
"No. There’s you and me, kid." I lift my glass to toast her.
"You’re the kid. I’m older," Raya says, clinking my glass.
She doesn’t think I notice the way she watches me carefully when I take a drink like she’s making mental notes about how much alcohol I’m consuming.
"I’m fine, Raya," I groan.
"What?" Her eyes widen innocently.
"You’re worried about me drinking obviously. And I know you told Luciano about my heart condition the other night."
"I was just worried," she says quickly. "You seemed so tired..."
"I know," I interrupt. "It’s okay. I just wish you would stop watching me like I might break."
"I don’t watch you like that," she frowns.
When I bat my lashes and take a long drink from the glass until it’s almost gone, she sighs.
"Do you really blame me for worrying?" She says softly, her joy visibly retreating like a cloud passing over the sun. "You’re hurt after all, and we’ve only been here how long?"
"That was an accident." I glance down at my hand. I wonder if I’m supposed to stay out of the pool. Maybe Burt is around here somewhere and I can ask.
"You know, I’m sure with everything that has happened, Dad just didn’t feel it was the best time to make introductions," Raya says, changing the subject. It’s obviously bothering her that I’ve speculated about Patty’s age. "These haven’t exactly been the most uneventful months."
"Maybe you’re right," I sigh. "It will be nice to see him. I hope we get to actually spend some time with him while he’s here."
"They’ll be at the wedding for sure," she smiles, and I see the joy come back.
"Yeah, it will be great," I decide, assuring her. I’m not going to let my negativity about our father cast anymore shadows over Raya’s happiness. "I’m glad he’s coming, Ray. It’s going to be fun."
"Yeah," she says. "Fun and heavily patrolled by the mafia."
We both laugh and return to watching Dex and Luci. How are we laughing so light-heartedly about the mafia? It’s crazy.
"Who would have thought we’d be with cousins?" I chuckle.
"It’s cool," she says with a smile. "We’re going to spend a lot of time together."
"I hope so. I would like that."
"You’re going to love Luciano’s family, too. His mom is really sweet."
I think about how she came to the car window to introduce herself, and I can’t help but smile.
"I wonder if Luciano said something to her," I mumble.
"To his mom? About what?" She asks, turning to me again.
"I don’t know," I shrug, suddenly embarrassed. "But it seems like she really wanted to meet me."
