Sold To the Grizzly Don (Alcee and Bruno) novel Chapter 124

Chapter 124

you up on my lap?”

When Antero was standing next to his chair Torq smiled at him, “can I lift you up

Antero nodded and held his arms out for Torn

Torn to lif

lin him onto his lap.

*1 am sorry I didn’t take the time to look at your picture. I was so busy making sure our security to dinner was perfect I forgot what I was doing it for. From now on, you can tell me when I haven’t done the right thing for you. It’s okay for you to say, hey Dad, you’re ignoring me.”

say that?”

“I can say

“Yes. Do you think Mommy hesitates to tell me when I’m messing up?”

“No. She was mad at you in the car,” Antero made wide eyes, “she said the eff word three times and her face was getting red.”

“Uh–huh. In our house, we’re allowed to say the things we feel. We can’t do things to purposefully hurt another person’s feelings, but you are allowed to say what you are feeling. If you feel I am not being a good Dad, you can tell me.”

“Okay,”

“I am sorry, Antero for being a jerk in the car. You are right. I don’t like when everyone stares. It makes my skin itch.”

Alcee’s lips trembled at the quiet conversation, and she was sure the entire room was hanging off every word and yet Torq was treating Antero like they were the only two people here.

“It makes my stomach feel weird,” Antern was staring into his father’s eyes. “Like the time Mom pushed me too high on the swing and my penis tingled. I did not like it at all.”

Torg met her eyes with a shocked and amused expression, “good to know. I should never let your mom push me on the swings if it’s going to happen.”

“Sometimes it happens when I’m on the top of the playground and I need to jump. It feels strange.” He shifted on Torq’s lap. “Dad. I like you again.”

mys like you even when you are angry at me.”

Torq kissed his forehead, “I will always

“Mom says that too. I got mad once and said I didn’t love her, and she said she would love me no matter what. I asked her if I stabbed her a hundred times if she would still love me and she said yes but then she said I’m not allowed to stab anyone because it’s not nice.”

“It’s not nice. You can’t stab mommy, ever. However, when you’re older,”

“Torg, finish that sentence I dare you.” Alce shot him a glare.

“I was only going to say when he is older, I will teach him how to properly use a knife.” The entire room chuckled at the words, and they realized people were listening. He lifted a roll from a breadbasket on the table and held it out to Antero, “do you want the butter on it?”

“Is there peanut butter? Antero asked.

“I don’t think so,” Torq commented seriously.

bag filled with peanut butter packets. “From when

“I got you,” Amal said from across the table and dug through her bag and pulled out a plastic bag we went on our last picnic, Ant. I keep forgetting to take them out of my purse.”

“Thank you!” Antero exclaimed excitedly.

You keep peanut butter in your bag for your godson?” Tito asked with a st

71 do.”

“You are going to be such a wonderful mother to our children.”

10

Chapter 124

my money in my account and we’ll talk.” She pushed him and shook her head, “put the dowry money

Alcee gaped at her friend. They’d not really found a chance to talk since their girl’s night and evidently things were progressing along in the time since then. She snickered to herself when Amal caught her eyes and held her hands apart on the table a good distance and then dipped her head towards Tito

Alcee struggled to contain her laughter at the action. Tito caught Amal’s movement and boldly pulled her hands another couple inches wider. This set Alcee off, and she was giggling like a fool, grateful her friend new exactly how to snap her out of her funk and Tito joined right in.

expression Torq and Antero were ripping into packs of peanut butter and Torq was even letting Antero lick the knife. The man who was in the car e his opinion on the boy wearing headphones in a restaurant was now letting the boy use atrocious table manners in a room of over sixty people.

She ignored it and looked at Bastiano sitting beside Antero’s now empty seat. “Did you get the condo all set up the way you wanted?”

“It’s liveable.”

“Where is Genevra?”

“She is sitting with Susana and her family.”

“Gosh, I didn’t even see Susana when I came in.”

He nodded across the room to where the Bianchi family were taking up three tables and Susana and Genevra to her with big grins.

a were side by side. They both waved

“Where’s Kylen?”

“Don’t even mention his name around her right now,” Bastiano made a face. “She mentioned earlier something about using a dull knife to carve out his spleen. Torq told her if she meant it, he’d teach her how to do such things.”

“What did Kylen say to such a threat?” she giggled as she looked to Torq who was smearing more peanut butter on another roll. Both him and Antero were eating an entire breadbasket to themselves

“Kylen fussed but Torq reminded him he could survive without a spleen if it was done correctly and Torq was only offering in a bid to save his

She laughed again. “Where is he, though, for real?”

“He and Tank are sitting behind us at another table across the room from Geneva, so their fighting doesn’t disrupt the flow of the evening. Tank is also in Lorita’s direct line of sight. He didn’t want to sit at this table but promised to stay where he could be seen. He had the option to avoid the fishbowl feeling and he took it.”

“Because he knows he’s mine and if even one of these bitches in the room,” she waved around to some of the wives and daughters of the guests, “tries to make a play for him, I’ll show them why I’m the daughter of Cicciu and sister of Torquato Lozano.” Lorita griped angrily and made a show of staring at a girl who must have been looking at Tank earlier.

“Oh, stop it. You needed me to cut your steak for you only last week,” Brunella rolled her eyes at Lorita. “The clearest way you are related to either of these men is you chew with your mouth open as they do.”

The easy banter was lifting Alcee’s spirits, and she was starting to relax,

“I raised my son with far better manners. It’s the difference between raising them in the barn and raising them in a home.”

And just like that Cianna once again had the entire room looki