The Art of Discipline: Running Toward Trouble (The Mockingbird Chronicles) (10 page)

“You don’t have to go…”

“I’m not letting you go without me,” Emma cut her off. “If it’s true, I want this for you, if it’s something else, I’m not… I’m not letting you out of my sight. I just can’t believe that he’s trying to kill me.”

“Sampson,” Dani said his name like a curse. “I think he’s just trying to scare you into paying him off. He’s getting desperate.”

“Men like my father are never as dangerous as they are when they are desperate,” Emma countered.

Dani was quiet for a moment. “It does make me feel better that Frankie says he’s been watching my condo and the bookstore. It has to be more helpful than the police.”

“The police aren’t doing a bad job, they can only do so much,” Emma defended.

Dani shrugged. “It’s not enough. Maybe we should look into some personal security.”

“What, like a bodyguard?” Emma chuckled, sobering when Dani didn’t join her. “No. I don’t think that’s a good idea.”

Dani frowned. She didn’t think that Emma would go for that, but it was worth a try. Maybe if she got a chance, she’d talk about other options with Frankie on Sunday. Until then she wasn’t planning on letting Emma out of her sight either. Deciding to think about other options later, she turned to Emma and asked, “You tired?”

“A little,” Emma admitted.

“Just a little?” Dani smirked, sitting up so she could meet Emma’s eyes.

“Brat,” Emma shook her head. “You gonna make it worth my while?”

“Depends.” Dani’s eyes sparkled. “You gonna make it worth mine?”

“That sounds like a challenge.”

“Oh, you bet it is.” Dani moved so she was straddling Emma’s hips.

Emma smirked, reaching back and grabbing Dani’s backside with both hands. “You’re still warm,” she teased as Dani winced.

“And you have too many clothes on,” Dani easily countered.

“Brat,” Emma repeated, giggling as Dani leaned forward and started to kiss her neck.

Rocking back, Dani used her long arms and fingers to her advantage as she unbuttoned Emma’s shirt, pulling the woman toward her as it opened, exposing Emma’s bra. Kissing her redhead, Dani helped Emma out of her shirt and then pushed her back onto the bed. As their tongues intertwined, they only broke the kiss when the need for air became too great and their hunger for each other moved on to more interesting targets.

Chapter Five

Sunday morning came all too quickly. Emma and Dani had had a wonderful time the day before at the Patils’ wedding, where they were welcomed as guests rather than just the event coordinator. They had danced the night away, while enjoying ethnic foods and the splendor of a culture neither of them were particularly knowledgeable about. Emma had given props to Dani for trying a number of the dishes, including a couple of things that she wasn’t so sure on trying herself. Dani had come a long way in the short time Emma had known her, and although Dani still wasn’t overly adventurous when it came to her food choices, at least she was willing to try.

“Do I look okay?” Dani asked for the millionth time that morning.

“You look wonderful, Dani,” Emma answered. “I love the way the blue in the sweater brings out your eyes.”

“Should I maybe wear a skirt or dress instead?”

Emma placed a firm hand on Dani’s arm and led her to the couch. “You are just fine the way you are, sweetie, now try to relax.”

Dani snuggled against Emma, leaning her head on her shoulder. “I’m trying, but I can’t figure out why I don’t remember them. I mean, I was old enough not to forget them.”

“Maybe you did it to protect yourself,” Emma answered softly, as their cozy moment was interrupted by Dani’s intercom buzzing.

Getting up, Dani walked to the door and pressed the button. “Yes?”

“There’s a car here from Frankie Zitti to pick you up, Ms. Ryan.”

“Thanks, Jackson, we’ll be right down.” Taking a deep breath, Dani turned and took Emma’s hand. “Ready to go?”

Emma squeezed Dani’s hand. “I am, let’s not keep the driver waiting any longer,” she said, closing the door behind them and heading downstairs.

The ride out of the city and toward the North Shore was quiet. Emma spent the thirty minutes it took to get to Winnetka watching the scenery pass while Dani spent the time holding Emma’s hand, seemingly lost in her own thoughts. When the car finally slowed and pulled into a long gravel drive, both women were amazed at what they saw. The old wrought-iron gates were open and the long driveway, surrounded on both sides by lush grass and imposing trees, almost looked like something out of a movie. The house itself wasn’t any less impressive. It was a stately French provincial, complete with a reflection fountain in the middle of large expanse of grass that balanced the center of the circular drive.

“Dani, it’s beautiful,” Emma stated as they carefully stepped out of the car.

Thanking the driver, they clasped hands again and slowly walked toward the house. They didn’t get very far, however, before the front door was thrown open and a tall woman with light brown hair, wearing jeans and a striking red sweater, flew from the house. “My Dani, you’re back!” she exclaimed, pulling her into a hug.

“And you must be Emma,” she noted, pulling Emma into a hug as well.

“
Zia
Toni?” Dani asked.

“
Si, bella
,” Toni cried, her eyes misting over. “Frankie told me to let you come inside on your own, but I couldn’t wait after seeing you. You remind me so much of your mama and papa.”

Linking arms with Dani, she began to lead her toward the house. “Come on, Dani, your cousins are dying to meet you.”

“My cousins?”

Toni grinned. “Our children; Nick, Vinnie, and Giuliana Danielle.”

Dani stopped just shy of the door. “You gave her my name?”

Toni released Dani’s arm and turned to look at her, before putting her hands on either side of Dani’s face. “Yes,
piccolina
, we did. Our hearts were broken when you left us and we wanted to honor you. Oh, baby, don’t you know how much we still love you?”

Feeling Emma’s hand on her back, Dani smiled shyly and allowed Toni to lead her into the house.

Emma and Dani gave their coats to Toni, who added them to a hall closet before leading them farther into the house. As they went, they couldn’t help but gawk at the surroundings. The interior was just as splendid and daunting as the exterior, but still held a home-like feel. It was not only inviting but also comforting. The rich colors and plush furniture pulled them in and made the home a place of life rather than the showcase they’d both been expecting.

Being led into the kitchen, Emma squeezed Dani’s hand as Frankie caught up with them and pulled them both into one of his signature bone-crunching hugs.

“Danielle, Emma,” Frankie smiled. “Look, Giuliana, your namesake is finally here; Uncle Liam and Aunt Charlotte’s girl, Danielle.”

A lanky girl with dark eyes and dark hair smiled shyly at them. “Nice to meet you, Danielle, I’ve heard so much about you.” She then turned, extending her hand to Emma. “And you must be Emma. Pop told us you were going to be joining us for Sunday dinner as well.”

“That’s me, nice to meet you too, Giuliana,” Emma replied, shaking the offered hand.

“Those vegetables chopped already, Giuliana?” Toni demanded as she re-entered the kitchen followed by her sons. “Dani, Emma, these two knuckleheads are Vinnie and Nick. Boys, say hello to your cousin, Dani, and her friend, Emma.”

The boys waved and grinned, moving away from their mother’s wooden spoon quickly. “A proper hello, boys. Frankie, have you taught these boys nothing?” she demanded playfully.

Grinning, Emma took the seat offered to her next to Dani at the kitchen bar. “So which one of you owns the restaurant?”

“Guilty as charged,” the tall young man with bright green eyes and short brown hair answered as he stepped forward. “I’m Nick and that joker is Vinnie. He’s still got two years left at Northwestern and Giuliana is a sophomore in high school.”

“Providing she passes math,” Vinnie teased as his sister stuck her tongue out at him.

“Boys, stop teasing your sister,” Toni responded automatically. “Okay, gentlemen, get outta my kitchen, it’s time for us girls to get busy or you won’t be eating today.”

“Come on, Ma, I’m starved already.”

“Vinnie, you heard your mother, out,” Frankie directed as he herded his sons out of the kitchen.

Toni opened a drawer and pulled out two aprons. “Come on, you two, time to earn your keep. Dani, you’re in charge of the meatballs…”

“In charge how?” Dani interrupted. “I don’t really cook.”

A string of words flew from Toni’s mouth and her daughter chuckled. “Such language, Ma. I can’t believe what you expose me to.”

“Keep chopping, Giuliana,” Toni directed before turning back to Dani.

“All you need to do is put the pans in the oven when the buzzer sounds. Then time them for 30 minutes. Take them out and add them to the pot of gravy on the stove, okay?”

“Gravy, but it smells like spaghetti sauce in here,” Dani protested.

Taking a deep breath, Toni led her to the stove and lifted the lid on a large pot of tomato sauce. “Dani, meet the gravy; gravy, this is Dani.”

Giggling, Emma walked over to the stove as well. “What do you want me to do, Mrs. Zitti?”

Toni turned and stared down at the redhead. “The first thing you do is call me
Zia
Toni; a little respect here, Emma,” she smiled at her. “And second, I need your help making the eggplant. Think you can do that?”

“Sure, I’m the one who cooks.”

Giuliana giggled. “Maybe we should ask Nick to help us and let Dani go play pool with Pop and Vinnie. She already looks confused.”

Sticking her tongue out at the girl, Dani smirked, “I’ll be just fine, Giuliana. I can run my own business; there’s no reason I can’t bake a few meatballs.”

The kitchen fell into an easy silence as each woman concentrated on the task at hand. It was an odd, yet comfortable feeling. Dani felt almost at home, yet something in the back of her mind kept reminding her that these were strangers. So lost in her thoughts, she didn’t notice the smoke coming from the oven until it was too late.

“Dani!” Toni exclaimed, grabbing an oven mitt and extracting the ruined meatballs.

Giuliana grabbed a carrot and took a bite before giggling again. “I told you we should have let her go play pool. How on earth did she make them explode?”

“Hush, Giuliana,” Toni scolded, turning toward Dani, who seemed to be at a loss for words and on the verge of tears. “It’s okay,
piccolina
, I have some meatballs in the freezer. We’ll just thaw them and add them to the sauce.”

“I’m so sorry, I don’t know what happened.” Dani shook her head. “I told you I wasn’t good in the kitchen.”

“It’s okay, Dani. You have skills in many other places,” Emma smirked, causing Dani to blush. “Hey!” Emma yelped as Dani made a sudden grab for her.

“Now, none of that, Dani,” Toni teased, getting in the middle of the two and waving her wooden spoon threateningly. “You leave her alone. I need her alive to help finish the eggplant.”

Protected, Emma giggled as Dani scowled and moved to sit next to her teenage cousin. “Is it always like this around here?” she asked.

“On Sundays, yes,” Giuliana explained, pointing to a picture on the wall behind them. “That’s the whole family; wait until Christmas this year, talk about crazy.”

“Christmas?”

Giuliana shook her head. “Yes, Christmas, you know the holiday where we all go to Mass, celebrate Jesus’ birth, and then wake up to make sure Santa came?”

“I’m familiar with the holiday, but what did you mean by me waiting to see it?”

Giuliana knocked against Dani’s forehead. “Seriously, anybody in there? You’re family, and family gets together at Christmas.” The teen paused and watched as her mother showed Emma how to add just the right amount of seasonings. “I haven’t seen them this happy in a long time. They are thrilled to have you back.”

“You knew about me?”

“Of course, every time they told me why they chose Danielle as my middle name I’d be reminded of you and your folks. I wish I had met them, they sound like great people.”

Dani shrugged. “I don’t remember.”

“Nobody ever told you about them?”

Dani shook her head. “Up until Friday, I had never even seen a picture of me with them.”

“What kind of monsters raised you?” the girl asked, pulling Dani into a hug. “Not sharing her own parents with her.” Pulling back, she pointed to the family portrait again. “Well, you have a family now, Dani, and you’re stuck with us.”

* * *

Dani laughed again, digging once more into her eggplant. She had no idea she’d actually like such a strange vegetable, but it was quickly becoming a favorite. Looking around the table, Dani was amazed at how quickly she and Emma had been accepted into this family. She paused, briefly wondering what her life would have been like had her parents lived.

“So Dani, you dating anyone?” Vinnie’s voice brought her out of her thoughts.

Looking at him, she shrugged. “What was the question?”

“I asked if you were seeing anyone.”

“Yeah, a very special someone,” Dani happily replied.

“Well, when do we get to meet him?” Giuliana piped up.

“Hey now, Dani will share in her own time,” Frankie chimed in.

“It’s okay,
Zio
Frankie,” Dani put her fork down and took Emma’s hand. “You have met her already. I’m dating Emma.”

“What a waste.” Vinnie jumped as his brother punched him in the shoulder. “What? Both of them are beautiful, but what are you gonna do?” He winked and shrugged as his mother glared at him.

Emma laughed. “Thanks for the compliment, Vinnie, I think.”

Vinnie smiled. “It’s what I do.”

“What? Annoy everyone around you?” Giuliana weighed in. “Geesh.” Rolling her eyes, she took a bite of bread. “I can’t believe you said that.”

“I can,” Nick laughed. “That’s our Vinnie, moves his mouth before his brain catches up.”

Shaking his head, Frankie leaned over and squeezed Dani’s hand. “No worries,
bambina,
your
zia
and I think you made a wise choice.”