ANGELOS POV.

"Dominick, Matteo, blueberry pancakes are over there. Stephen, chocolate chip pancakes are right next to them. Gino, blueberry chocolate chip pancakes are right here." Mercury handed him a plate.

"Thanks niece."

"Thanks little boss." The rest of them said in unison.

"No problem guys. Angelo, where the hell are- there you are." She handed me a bowl of fruit. "Here you go you healthy little bastard."

"Thank you." I bent down and kissed her cheek before I noticed Violet.

Fuck.

"Why the hell are you in here?"

"Woah, easy. I come in peace Mr. L." She held her hands up.

"Don't call me that."

"Anyways," she quickly brushed off my comment. "I'm just apologizing for being-,"

"A bitch." Mercury finished her sentence.

Nice job Mer.

Violet caught back an eye roll before responding. "For being a bitch, yes." She sighed.

I looked at Mercury.

"Cosa ne pensi?"

She was getting very good at Italian, so it was interesting testing her in front of whoever we were talking about.

She thought about it for a moment.

"Devo essere amica di lei?"

"Diavolo no non lo fai."

"Molto bene allora."

I turned back to Violet.

"Stay clear of us, we'll stay clear of you."

She nodded slowly. "Ok. I can live with that." She turned to leave. "However, I just have like one question."

Oh god.

"What now?" I rolled my eyes.

"Any of you guys have teenage sons?"

"No and get out."

She raised her hands in defense again. "Just wanted to cover all my bases."

She left fairly quickly after that.

"Look at you." I turned back to Mercury, eyeing her with pride.

"Was that good?" She smiled.

"Are you kidding me? I'd say you're already bilingual." I bent down and kissed her cheek again.

"Ew Angelo, you're still sweaty."

It's too easy at this point.

"Oh shit, sorry about that. Didn't even notice." Mercury was now trapped in between my arms.

"No! You're sweaty and disgusting!" She struggled against me as I continued to kiss her cheek. "Ugh! Now I have to take another shower." She whined after I let go of her.

I'm my mothers son, what can I say?

"Get used to it babe. Go take one now, you smell as bad as I do."

"Ah jeez." She groaned, walking out of the kitchen.

I waited until I knew that she was out of hearing range to talk again.

Though I thoroughly, thoroughly enjoyed pissing her off and, of course, giving her any form of affection whenever I had the chance to get away with it, I had a reason to do it this time.

"Boys." I announced. "Tonight at midnight, we've got a couple of stops to make."

"What kind of stops boss?" Dominick asked.

"Don't wear anything that stains easily."

I was still a mafia lord.

I still had to hurt people. I still had to kill people.

But almost every night, I would still come home, and I would still act as if I weren't deranged.

Although, it does seem like everyone already knows it.

"Ah, I remember my first time taking a hit out as if it were yesterday." Gino sighed as if his topic was nothing, leaning against the counter. "I was nineteen, and I immediately threw up, then cried, then threw up again."

    "It wasn't even a messy one." I shrugged.

"Yeah yeah, whatever. Anyways big bro, speaking of first times, what if I told you that the girl I'm seeing casually had a twin?" He slung an arm around my shoulder.

    "What the hell does that have to do with first times?"

     "Think about it. We could be those brothers."

Jesus.

"No."

"Why not?" He looked genuinely surprised by answer. "You've never wanted to be with twins? Twins?"

     "Who said I haven't already?"

"You haven't. Have you?" He had a mix between jealousy and admiration on his face.

    I shrugged. "I don't know. Have I?"

Gino glared before rolling his eyes. "Whatever. I don't even think you know the answer to that question."

    I shrugged again. "Maybe I do, maybe I don't."

I really am a prick, aren't I?

   "Stop doing that. Consider this a favor man. I haven't seen you with a girl on your arm since Mercury popped up."

    "First, because it's not my arm that I keep them on. And second, I don't have anyone in the house while Mercury is here, so if I catch you with some blonde- Big dog in this house, I'll kill you." I did my best to change my words, Mercury walking back into the kitchen catching me off guard.

   "Why are you threatening Gino over a dog?" She tilted her head.

"Uncle Gi just needed a warning, that's all." I looked at him, his clear warning written in my eyes. "I thought you were going to take a shower." I looked back down at my child.

"I was, but then I realized I forgot to tell you that Pen called. She wants to do the Christmas card pictures tomorrow." She looked at Gino and I.

"Damn it." We both groaned.

"Hey, she originally wanted them done today, but I talked her out of it to give you two a heads up." She poked the both of us in the chest.

"Thank you." We said in unison.

Just a break. Just one break.