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I try to brush it off. “It’s nothing. Just couldn’t sleep.”
But Fee’s dark gaze is steady, her voice firm. “Don’t do that. Don’t shut me out. Please, let me in.”
It must be how tired and stressed I am, but her words, so sincere and caring, break through my defenses. I take a deep breath, turning to face her fully.
“I had a nightmare too,” I confess. “About the night I rescued Genesis from the fire.”
Fee’s eyes widen. “Is that how you met her?” she asks.
I nod.
She takes my hand, intertwining our fingers. “Tell me about it,” she says softly.
And so I do. I tell her about the flames, the heat, the fear. About hearing Genesis scream and knowing I had to save her. About the pain of the fire searing my skin.
As I speak, Fee listens intently, her thumb tracing soothing circles on my hand. When I finish, she reaches up, gently cupping my face.
“You’re incredibly brave, Angelo,” she whispers. “Thank you for sharing that with me.”
I lean into her touch, feeling a weight lift from my shoulders. “I still have the scars,” I admit. “On my back and shoulder.”
Fee’s mouth opens into a perfect ‘O’. “I wondered where those scars came from,” she murmurs. “I just didn’t want to ask.”
I shrug, feeling a little self-conscious. “Well, now you know.”
Fee nods, her eyes full of compassion. “We all have scars, some visible, some not.”
“What are yours?” I ask, realizing I want to know everything about her.
She takes a deep breath, her gaze dropping to our intertwined hands. “Well, there’s the physical ones from giving birth to Lou,” she starts. “But the deeper ones… they’re from Jonah, from my mother’s neglect, from years of struggling to keep Perfezione afloat.”
I listen as she opens up about her past, about the pain and loneliness she’s endured. About her fears for Lou, her worries about the future. With each word, I feel myself falling for her even more.
When she finishes, we stand in silence for a moment, the weight of our shared vulnerabilities hanging between us. Then, slowly, I pull her into my arms.
“Thank you,” I murmur into her hair. “For trusting me with this.”
Fee looks up at me, her eyes shining with unshed tears. “Thank you for trusting me too.”
In that moment, under the vast New York sky, I realize something profound. Our scars, our pasts… they’re notweaknesses. They’re proof of what we’ve survived, what we’ve overcome. And together, we’re stronger for it.
I lean down, capturing Fee’s lips in a tender kiss but pull back before I can deepen it. I smile softly at her. “Come on,” I tell her, tugging at her hand. “Let’s go back to bed.”
We’re a team, a family.
And nothing—not Jonah, not Gino, not our own fears—can tear that apart.
The next morning,Jimbo, Romero, and I meet to discuss business matters. I settle into my chair, Jimbo and Romero taking their usual seats across from me. The morning sunlight filters through the blinds, casting long shadows across my office.
“Alright, gentlemen,” I begin, cradling my cup of coffee, “what’s the latest on our shipments from Jersey?”
Jimbo clears his throat, his weathered face serious. “We’ve hit a snag, Boss. The longshoremen are demanding a bigger cut.”
Romero leans forward, his voice low and calm. “I could have a word with their union rep. Remind him of our… arrangement.”
I consider this for a moment, placing down my mug to drum my fingers against the gleaming desk. “Not yet. Let’s try negotiating first. We don’t want to ruffle too many feathers right now.”
Jimbo nods approvingly. “Wise choice, Angelo. Speaking of choices…” He pauses, a glint in his eye. “How are things going with Sofia and Lou?”
