“Okay.” Now I do pick up my fork and take the last bite of tiramisu. Yep, worth it. The delicious flavors spread across my tongue and I close my eyes for just a second, really enjoying them.
“That’s why we’d like to offer you a job.”
“A job?” I have a momentary mental image of me wearing a tiny skirt and apron and tottering around their house on heels while I serve them and all of their important friends drinks and snacks, and I raise an eyebrow. It’s not exactly what I want to be doing again. Ever.
“We’re looking for a new lawyer,” he continues, like he and everyone else at the table hadn’t just been able to perfectly read what was written all over my face. “We need someone to help with the books for the family and to help if there are every any…scrapes that we get into, and Roque thought that you would be perfect.”
Roque thought that? I glance over at him for confirmation and he gives me a small nod.
A job.
Doing what I love.
For the mafia?
Honestly, that’s the part that gives me a little pause. I think about what all of my old stuffy lawyer friends would say if they knew, and a thrill runs through me. I think about working with Roque every single day and the breaks that we could take when we need to clear our heads.
Now I have to shift position on my seat to try to ignore the throbbing in between my legs. That happens every damn time I think about Roque, which could make working with him a little complicated.
Or amazing.
Everyone at the table is staring at me, and I realize with a start that I’d be the only woman allowed to help with the business. The other wives, even Ma, are mostly kept out of it. Do I want that responsibility?
Then I think about how much I loved practicing law and how much I hate my ex for taking that from me. I think about Roque and how willing he was to take care of me by taking care of David. How he and the family would do anything they needed to do in order to protect me.
“We’ll pay you, of course. What did you make when you were practicing before?” Pops’ voice pulls me from my thoughts and I tell him what I made.
It was a lot. Like, an embarrassing amount for me to be willing to walk away from.
He nods. “We’ll double it.”
I sputter. “Double it? Are you sure? Exactly how much money does the family make?”
This makes Roque’s eyes grow wide, but Pops just laughs and leans over to pat my hand. “Listen, Eva, if you’re going to be our lawyer or a part of our family, you need to know the rules. The first one is that you don’t ask questions.”
I nod. “No questions.”
“That’s it. Stick with that rule and I know that you won’t fuck up, you got it.”
I got it. Now I’m so nervous that I wipe my hands on my dress, ignoring the fact that I’m going to have to wash it as soon as we get home. A new job.
Just a few weeks ago I wouldn’t have told you that this would be happening. I was honestly more afraid that the family was going to kill me, not take me in. Picking up my wine, I raise it into the air.
“To family,” I tell them, looking around the table.
Everyone smiles and picks their glasses up, raising them back at me. “Family!”
Epilogue
“You said that you wanted to talk to me?” Pops and Ma are leaning against my doorframe. She looks nervous, but he looks totally relaxed. I guess when you’re the don of the family, nothing really fazes you.
“We both did.” Roque gets up from the seat opposite my desk and gestures at them for his parents to come in and sit. They do, both of them looking at me curiously.
I have to admit, it feels good to be in a place of power. Even though I’m the official lawyer for the Torenti family and thereby offered all of the protection that they can provide, I still know my place in the family. Right now, though both Pops and Ma are looking to me to hear what I have to say.
It hits me that they think there’s something wrong with the family or one of the companies we operate, and I feel bad for a moment. I don’t want them to be nervous about why I called them here. It’s all good news.
“Is everything okay?” Of course it’s Pops who speaks up. Ma knows not to ask questions.
That’s rule one.
“Things are fine. They’re great, actually,” I say, looking over at Roque. My fiancé. That’s not the news we called them here to tell them, though. I’ve been wearing this rock on my finger since the Mother’s Day lunch when I was finally approved by the whole family.
Roque couldn’t get it on my finger fast enough, and there’s nothing in the world that could get me to take it off. I can’t believe that I love him as much as I do, and I honestly can’t wait to marry him. We were planning to get married in a few months, once I got settled into my role as the family’s lawyer, but we may speed things up now.
“We’re pregnant. You’re going to be grandparents.” I can’t help myself. I know that Roque probably wants to be the one to give them the good news, but I’m just so excited. I don’ have anyone but his family to share my joy with, and I want them to know how happy I am that I’m pregnant with their son.
“Pregnant?” Ma’s eyes light up and she leans forward, reaching across my desk to grab my hand. “Really? That’s the best news! A baby! When are you due?” She looks so happy and I squeeze her hand, reveling in her
