The Vendetti Coward - Sapphire Knight Page 0,3

comes to business, yet somehow turns it off for his daughter. I wish I could do the same. “I’m lost. I’m learning, but not fast enough it seems, when it comes to her.”

“I think I have something in mind.” He shifts a few papers over on his desk, finding his planner. “Violet and I had been considering bringing on another nanny, and a distant cousin of ours was interested. I’ll touch base with her father and see if she’s still available.”

My tense frame finally begins to relax a bit with his words. “Grazie. I can use the help.”

“We’ll get it figured out. You’re looking good. You still feel okay otherwise?”

“As well as can be expected, according to my sponsor.”

“You’ll let me know if that changes?”

I nod, even though I don’t want to. It’s embarrassing. My famiglia is right in the middle of my sobriety, but this is the way it has to be. If I don’t hold myself accountable with them, the deception can worm its way back in.

Matteo stands, a smirk gracing his normally serious face. Coming to stand beside me, he claps my shoulder and squeezes affectionately. “I’m not used to you being so filled out. It suits you. I’m proud of you, Sal. Seriously, you’re doing it.”

I clench my teeth and tilt my head, not allowing myself to get choked up at his words. Him being proud of me is the last thing I’d expect from any of my brothers. Coming from him, though, it means the most. “Taking it day by day.”

“That’s all you can do. Care for your daughter and yourself. We’re here for you, fratello. We’re your famiglia.”

“You’ll let me know what you find out about the girl?”

“Si, of course. If she’s already spoken for, I’ll find another. Either way, we’ll get someone here and get this all worked out. You need anything else, let me know.” He draws me in for a quick hug. Violet has certainly pulled out a side of humanity my brother seemed to lack prior to her being in the picture. I’m grateful for it. He deserves to be happy, and by no means does it make him weak in any way. If anything, it’s the opposite. Matteo is obsessively protective where his famiglia is concerned.

“Grazie,” I murmur again as Valentino strolls into Matteo’s office. It’s my cue to leave, as I don’t want my issues to become the famiglia’s topic of conversation again today. It seems like we discuss my shit every day. I’ve only been home a week, but seven days is plenty of time to go over my sobriety, my issues I’m facing, and my plan to get through it all. I understand they’re interested because they care, but it overwhelms me, dredging up my shortcomings.

“Sal!” he exclaims.

“Hey, Tino.”

“How’s it going? Good day today?”

Of course, it’s not a good day. This is still the beginning of my sobriety. I literally have to fight myself all fucking day to not give in and erase all the progress I’ve made over the past six and a half months.

Matteo speaks up, “Of course it’s good. We’ve got famiglia.”

“Si,” I easily agree.

Valentino lightly punches me in my bicep, grinning. “It’s good to have you back, fratello. It wasn’t the same around here with you and Dante both gone.”

“And Cris? Have you two settled whatever was going on between you two? It was getting tense for a while. Even I could sense it.”

He releases a sigh, admitting, “I pushed him. I wanted to draw him out of his comfort zone, and when Arianna came into the picture, it was the perfect opportunity. I knew the bastardo loved her the moment I saw how he stared at her.”

Matteo grumbles, “He’s a man in love, and still young. We’re fortunate he’s got his head on straight or he’d have shot you. The last thing we need to be doing is fighting amongst our famiglia. We have far too many enemies out there to not have each other’s backs at all times.”

Valentino’s arms raise in surrender. “Hey, I get it now. He’s sensitive where she’s concerned.”

“One day you’ll understand. At least I hope so,” Matteo responds.

I meet my brother’s easygoing gaze. Valentino and I are in the same boat where love is concerned. It’s always been the furthest thing from our minds. Matteo and Cristiano, however, have that in common, both being hopelessly in love with their women. Not that they needed anything else to link them together. They’re probably closest to each other