Chapter 65
There was still one more thing that had to be done.
By the time we returned to the patio, my brothers had gone off to do their own thing. I left Bianca with Alessandra and Dario and went into the house to track down the people I needed to see.
I found them in the parlor discussing something.
When I walked up, Massimo and Lars stopped talking and looked over at me.
“Hey,” I said.
“What’s up,” Lars said.
Massimo didn’t say anything.
“I owe you an apology,” I said to Lars. “You’re not a hired gun – you’re family. You’ve been as much of a brother to Dario as any of us when you had his back in prison. I was out of line, and you were right. There are going to be a lot of high-stakes situations, and I can’t go shooting off at the mouth every time I get pissed. I’m sorry.”
I held out my hand to him.
Lars looked at it coolly, then stared into my eyes.
I thought to myself, He’s really not going to accept my apology, is he?
But this time, I didn’t get mad.
I just accepted that I deserved it.
I put my hand down and nodded. “I get it. I don’t just get to say I’m sorry and have it be okay, I’ve got to – ”
Then Lars surprised me.
He reached over –
Grabbed me –
And hugged me.
Then slapped my back once and pulled back. And smiled.
“It’s all good,” he said quietly.
I smiled gratefully and nodded.
Things were okay between us again.
Then I looked over at Massimo.
He was staring at me darkly.
“…I shouldn’t have hit you,” I said.
He stood there for a long moment…
Then frowned.
“That’s it?! Lars gets a five fuckin’ minute-long speech and I get, ‘I shouldn’t’ve hit you’?!”
I shrugged. “Well, I shouldn’t have.”
Massimo paused…
Then shook his head. “Dick.”
“Asshole.”
We stared at each other grimly –
And then burst out grinning at the same time.
Suddenly he wrapped his arm around my neck and tried to give me a noogie.
“I think I’ll just take it out of your hide,” he laughed as I struggled to get away from him.
“Fuckin’ stronzo, ” I half-snarled, half-laughed as I broke out of his grasp. “I oughta pop a cap in your ass – ”
“Just try it,” he laughed as he came at me again.
“Well, I did already bitch-slap you, so – ”
“OH – I think somebody’s askin’ for a wedgie – ”
“Don’t you fuckin’ – ”
Massimo tackled me and we went to floor, wrestling like we did when we were kids.
Lars sighed, but this time with a smile, as he watched us roll around.
“Idiots,” he said affectionally.