A Love Restored

Chapter 143

For the longest time, I’d wanted what Sienna had.

The first memory I have of her is from when I was seventeen. Julian and Sierma had come to our tattoo shop together.

I am laying on my stomach on a couch in the shop while Papa does someone’s tattoo. I’m reading The Bell Jar, It’s my summer reading for senior year.

“Ginevra.” I hear someone calling my name, I flip around. It’s Julian.

“Hi, Capo Bastone.” I squeak. He has a woman with him. She’s pretty. Very tall, looks kind of mixed race, and she s voluptuous in the sense that the man getting a tattoo checks him out.

un for a a second.

My father greets Julian and he chats him up

This is my fance, Sienna Julian introduces the woman to us. “Ginevra, we want to get tattoos, together.”

Oh wow. I feel like someone has punched me in the boob, Twice.

“Oh, um, of course. What would you want to get?” I run across the room and hand them a booklet. “Choose any design you like. Or have you already thought of something?”

Sienna smiles down at me. She’s very tall. And I’ve barely hit a good height. Maybe I’ll grow taller by the time I graduate. “Nice pigtails. She comments. I don’t know if she means it. I hate her instantly.

Julian grabs her hand, interlacing their fingers. “We ve already decided.” He says, “Just two dandelions on our ankles.”

“Very minimalistic,” Sienna puts in. “Dante always brings me dandelions, whenever we

meet. It’s our thing.”

1 give her a fake smile. “How sweet. Capo Bastone, I’ll do your tattoo.” I look at Julian. “Papa will see to the Capa.”

I choke on the word. Capa. Id always dreamed I’d be called that one day. Knowing that someone else is going to have this title for the rest of my life hurts so bad

He nods, and I make him sit down on a chair and do his tattoo. Once Papa is done with his customer’s, he does Capa’s.

When they leave, he kisses her softly as soon as they’re outside. I see it from the window.

I vow to myself to someday have julian kiss me like that.

Julian and Nico are coming over to have dinner. My father and Gabriel have gone to see a baseball match, so we will have the house to ourselves.

I’ve made a salad, a rice dish, and broccolini. There’s wine for Julian, and beer for Nico. For dessert there’s brownie. And I’ve asked Julian to get ice cream on his way over.

The doorbell rings while I’m just prepping my hair, and I rush over to answer it. It’s probably Nico. He’s never late. I open the door. It’s Julian. He’s holding a small bouquet of petunias. He hands them to me, then kisses me softly. I love flowers. Especially petunias, I never told him that.

“I have something for you.” He tells me, grabbing my hand and taking me to my room, making me sit down in front of the mirror.

Julian and reaches into his pocket and produces a small box.

“Lift your hair.” He instructs, I do. He puts a thin chain around my neck. It has a moon pendant. I touch it lightly. The tribal moon. The symbol of the Capo Bastone.

It looks like white gold. The design of the moon is very intricate, and the maker has captured it beautifully. “It’s beautiful, Julian.” I say softly. “Thank you.”

He smiles, bending down to lightly kiss my neck. “It’s my symbol.” He says. As if I don’t already know. “You’re mine, darlin. Never take it off”

I nod. “I won’t.” Oh God. I’ve always wanted this. I always imagined a tattoo, but this is almost equally important to me. I will cherish it forever.

ngs again. This time it has to be Niw

Lush over to the door. It’s Nico. And beside him there’s Julio?

hilo? Lask “What are you doing here?

Doing my duty, glie. I’m your boshyguand

Nice steps in

inside. “He wouldn’t fucking leave me alone till I gave him a

“He grunts. “What the fuck kind of bosdyguard did Dante give you?”

Jaho pouts. “Now, pumpkin. He ruffles Nico’s hair, who ducks and moves on to the living room. Don’t be like that. Julio runs past me, right behind Nico. “Hey, do you want to go out?”

I take a deep breath and move inside. Its going to be a long night.

In the living room, Julian and Nico are having a stare donen. Nico has got me a small bunch of the columbines. He grows them in his balcony, Julian is looking at him like – My bouquet is bigger than yours, dipshit. Julio has tumed on the TV and is watching Peppa Pig. I roll my eyes at the testosterone match that is going on.

I’m do you guys

you guys want a drink?” I ask slowly,

“Yeah” Nico mutters, breaking the state down. “I fucking want a drink.”

While he goes to the kitchen, I glare at Julian. “You have to apologise to him.

“The sns, nonchalantly. “Let’s eat. I’m starving.”

Julian lays the table while I reheat the food. It’s nice. Homeb

When we sit down, both Julian and Nico want the same seat. It’s both funny and exhausting to see them fight a cold war,

I say grace, and we begin eating. A silence Inoms. Julio is just staring at his food.

“Don’t you like this? I can make something else.”

He grins at me. “Can I have a Pln]?”

I blink at him. “Sure,” Julio and I go the kitchen to make his sandwich.

I can hear Nico and Julian talking.

“You’ve given her a kid for a bodyguard.” Nico says shortly. “Real responsible of you, Dante.”

“Julio is a trained assassin. Julian’s reply is equally clipped. “Plus, Ginevra knows karate.”

“I taught her.” Nico says. He sounds so proud.

“Girlie,” Julio sighs from beside me, “If I had those two beefcakes fighting over me, I’d just go on and have sex with both of them.

“They aren’t fighting over me. Nico is just…protective. And Julian is…possessive.”

“Whatever you say. Do you have fruit loops?” Thand a box over to him, and Julio crushes some then dumps them in his sandwich.

To say the least, he’s quirky. But I like him

“Youre a fucking asshole.” Nico yells outside.

Iugh. “Come on, lets go out before they kill each other.”