Page 61 of Dante

My cock twitches.

I have the impulse to bend Gina over the kitchen island and take her again. Just when I’m about to tell Ciro to leave, I turn to find him serving Gina breakfast.

“Ah, you remembered,” she says as Ciro sets a small silver tray before her. It contains a cereal bowl, an elegant glass pitcher of milk, and a miniature box of Lucky Charms.

“Moving up in the world of breakfast cereal, I see.”

I’m unable to suppress my smile.

She blushes. “Yesterday Ciro surprised me with the variety pack. All my favorites.”

I look at her over the rim of my espresso, keeping my expression serious. “Which charm is your favorite?”

“The shamrock, of course.”

“Good choice.”

Gina shoots me a surprised look. “You know Lucky Charms?”

I shrug. “I was once a child.”

She tilts her head. “Hard to believe. I can’t imagine you were ever one of those kids I see in supermarkets, screaming for their favorite cereal.”

“Screaming was never my style, not even then.” I set down my cup. “What will you be wearing to the museum exhibition tonight?”

“You’re taking an interest in fashion?” Gina asks, her voice a tease.

“Only when it comes to you. The VIPs of the family and our city connections will be present tonight. It’s important.”

“You don’t trust my sense of style?”

“Judging by your preference for bunny rabbit PJs and choice of breakfast cereal, no.”

We both laugh.

“To answer your question, I’ll be wearing a dress Antoine chose for me. Quite proper I assure you.”

Gina takes a spoonful of cereal and fishes out a red, heart-shaped marshmallow.

“But I don’t quite understand why the Museum of the City of New York is honoring your ancestor. Wasn’t Salvatore Ricci rumored to be the biggest mobster of his time?”

“Not rumor. Fact.”

“Even more perplexing,” says Gina, looking up at me. “As far as I know, cities don’t honor their gangsters. At least in America.”

“Choose your words carefully, wife.” My voice drops. “Salvatore Ricci wasn’t a gangster any more than America’s founding fathers were gangsters. It’s all in the way history paints them.”

Other women would not question me further.

But Gina persists.

“With due respect, it’s odd to think of a museum exhibition celebrating crime.”

“You’re giving it the wrong frame. The exhibition celebrates innovation. Without Salvatore and men like him, entire industries wouldn’t exist in this city today.”

I watch her process this.

“Salvatore brought organization to chaos. He gave thousands of immigrants work, protection, and a future when no one else would.”