Page 155 of Alessio

When he was younger, Corrado used to love that, he thought as he headed for the mansion. Every single holiday had been a memorable experience with his family because his mother and father made sure of that, no exceptions.

Given the time of night, closer to nine, he suspected all the neighborhood kids had come and were long gone. The damn bylaws in the gated community made sure all the parents knew their kids had to be home by eight-thirty, sharp.

Now, given the cars in the driveway, and the music filtering out of the mansion, it was time for the adults—and older teens—to have their fun. The invitation went out to anyone who was a friend of the Guzzi family, and anyone in la famiglia.

Corrado tried not to miss it—or any big party his parents threw. This one hadn’t been quite the same, though, because the last thing he was in the mood for was to entertain other people when he could barely stand to look at himself in the mirror.

Yet, here he was.

Doing that.

And why?

Corrado wasn’t sure. Maybe because he was trying to be a little less selfish for one—God knew it had been pointed out more than enough to him over the last while that he could be a self-serving prick when he wanted to be, and this party was about his parents and family. So, he could show up for them, right? Put on a suit, because he was not wearing a costume, a smile, and be the good son for an hour or two.

Or maybe it was because this was the only place Alessio seemed to be willing to meet him, and so Corrado had to do what he had to do.

End of.

At least, tonight, he would get one person he wanted. The other? Well, Corrado was refusing to even let himself think about Ginevra at this point.

It was easier.

“You look really pleased to be here, yeah?”

Corrado’s walk came to an abrupt start, and his fucking heart was ready to explode in his goddamn chest at the same time. That voice. All calm, cool, and unbothered. Like it didn’t bother him at all he hadn’t seen Corrado in two weeks, and nothing had changed at all.

He turned his head, finding Alessio standing under a canopy of fake spider web hanging from the largest maple tree on the property. He wasn’t sure what it was about those specific trees, but they were Les’s favorite.

“Waiting for me?” Corrado asked.

“Or I stepped out for a smoke—it doesn’t have to be about you.”

Yeah.

Right back to normal.

Corrado smirked, giving a pointed look at Alessio’s hand. “Except there’s no cigarette, and we both know you only smoke here with Bene or Beni.”

“You can’t ever just let me have a moment, can you?”

“Where’s the fun in that, Les?”

Alessio shrugged, stuffing his hands in the pockets of his black jeans. The leather jacket he’d thrown on was new—different from the last one Corrado saw him wearing. This one had a dozen buckles, and small, silver spikes on the shoulders.

Very … Alessio.

And he looked good.

Too good, really.

“Why are you smiling like that?” Corrado asked.

Alessio’s sly grin drifted away. “Like what?”

“Where have you been the last couple of days? I knew when you got back, and you just … fucking took off. You couldn’t call me, or—”

“I had things to handle.”