Chapter 6: Christmas With My Real Family

Jay When I hung up with grandpa Charles, I called Derena, to wish her a Merry Christmas. She is thankfully on a tropical island with her family for the holidays. I am glad she won’t get caught up in this mess. I haven't told her that I am a Moretti yet. I don’t want her in danger. But I will have to tell her when she gets back. I hate keeping secrets from her. Just before lunchtime, mom walked into the den with a very handsome, very gay man, who immediately engulfed me in a hug. This must be Vinny. “Sei bella tanto quanto tua madre.” [You are just as beautiful as your mother.] he says when he holds me at arms length and I just smile. I have no idea what he said, but I know the last word means mother. “Jay, this is Vincenzo Romano, my stylist and childhood friend. Vinny, this is my beautiful baby girl, Jay Moretti,” Mom says in introduction. “Merry Christmas Vinny. It is a pleasure to meet you.” “Merry Christmas Jay, likewise. You have grown into a beautiful woman.” “Thank you,” I say, and he smiles and then hugs Marcello and my dad. Vinny is a hoot and very over the top. Marcello was spot on when he described him. But I honestly like him already. He has this way about him that makes him easy to like. The meal was lovely, and the company even better. After lunch, he wanted to do my makeover, but I refused. “I can’t have you working on Christmas. Enjoy the day with us. You can swing by tomorrow for that,” I said, and he agreed. I am not going anywhere today, and I can wait. I slipped away for a bit and went to the study to check on my plans. I logged into my laptop and checked the footage from the house I shared with Alfonso. I wanted to make sure he got my first gift. I replay the footage and see that he only came home after breakfast looking hungover. It was comical watching him run around the house looking for my things. He did find the note and the ring, and he was in a state. He was on the phone most of the time, trying to find me. I have a new number now, and he is the last person I would give it to. “Merry Christmas, hubby.” I say softly as I close the software. I have someone watching Anne and Alfonso, so that I can know exactly what they are up to. I was busy getting the email ready to send off for tomorrow’s gift, when Marcello walked into the study with a very handsome, very toned man I had never met before. Something about him feels familiar though. I just can’t place it. “Hey sis, what are you up to?” Marcello asks as he kisses the top of my head, so I close my laptop and put it down. “Just checking that Alfonso got the gift I left him. It's day one of my twelve days of Christmas, remember,” I say, and he laughs. “I would feel sorry for him, but he deserves everything coming to him and then some,” he says and sits down. “Pardon my manners, sis. You may not remember him, but this is my best friend, Enzo Romano,” he adds. Enzo takes my hand and kisses it and bows his head, before he speaks. “Merry Christmas, Juliana. It’s good to see you again. I never thought I would get the chance to,” he says and sits down on my other side. “Merry Christmas to you too. It’s just Jay now. I am sorry I don’t remember you. But it’s a pleasure to meet you, Enzo,” I say with a smile. He is so hot. I can’t wait to tell Dee about him. He is smiling at me and God those dimples are so cute. He has dark brown silky hair, hazel eyes and a very chiseled jaw. He looks like a model if I must be honest. It should be illegal for any man to be this hot. His clothes do nothing to hide his obviously toned body. I bet he has an eight pack. I would really like to see it. Wait? What the f**k? I can’t believe I am checking him out? What the hell is wrong with me? Then I see the resemblance he has to Vinny. “Wait, are you related to Vinny?” I ask and he laughs. God, even his laugh is sexy. “Vinny is my uncle.” “I can see the resemblance. I love Vinny, he is something else.” “He is something alright,” Enzo answered, and he and Marcello laughed. “Do you not like him because he is gay?” I asked the two of them. “No, God, no. I love Vinny. His s****l preference is his own. We don’t judge. We are very open-minded,” Enzo says with a look I can’t decipher. “Enzo is right. We have no problem with him or anyone being gay. He is just a bit much at times. He makes me tired,” Marcello says, and I giggle. “And he is very forceful. He doesn’t even allow us to shop for our own clothes. He handles everything fashion-related,” Enzo adds. I can see by the way they dress that they have style. But now I know it’s Vinny that ensures they always look hot. "Well, he is doing a good job then. You both look handsome.” “Just handsome?” Enzo asked with a smirk. “Really dude? This is my baby sister,” Marcello says, glaring at him and he laughs. “Your baby sister and the girl I married when I was eight. So that makes her my wife, doesn’t it? You were the officiant after all,” Enzo says, and Marcello laughs. “We were silly kids, weren't we?” he answers, and they laugh. They see my confusion so they tell me the story and I have to laugh. That is beyond cute, and I hate that I can’t remember. Apparently, we wrote our own vows and everything. “Well, my life would've been so much better if I had stayed play-married to you,” I say, and he gives me a sexy smile and a wink. “So what did I get in the divorce?” I ask. “Scruffy, his dog,” Marcello says, laughing. “I never agreed to a divorce, so that still makes you mine. Scruffy willingly chose to go with you,” Enzo says, folding his arms and I have to laugh at the look on his face. He is clearly still upset about Scruffy. Marcello’s phone rings and he sighs. “Excuse me, I have to take this,” he says and answers as he walks out of the study, leaving me alone with my hot, pretend husband I apparently married when I was six. “Marcello told me what you have been through. I vowed to protect you, but I let you down. I am just glad that we have you back now. I will spend the rest of my life making it up to you. On my honor,” Enzo says, taking my hand and looking into my eyes. “We were all just kids. You owe me nothing. But I would like to get to know you again. Any friend of Marcello’s is a friend of mine.” “And what if I don’t want your friendship?” he asks, tucking my hair behind my ear. He is way too close to me now, and his touch is sending pleasant shivers through me. “Then that’s okay. I will never force my friendship on you,” I say, moving away. “That isn't what I meant. What if I want more than friendship?” he asks, catching me off guard. “What do you mean?” I ask, a little confused. Is he hitting on me? I am not sure right now. “You are my wife, even if it was just pretend. I take my vows very seriously,” he says and I laugh. “Well, I absolve you of them.” “I don’t want to be absolved. Now that I have you back in my life, we can pick up where we left off,” he says with a smirk. Even when he smirks, he is hot. “Are you f*****g with me?” “Not yet, but very soon,” he says, rubbing circles over the hand he is still holding. “Enzo, I just got divorced, and I do not want a replay of that spectacle.” “I am nothing like that stronza you just divorced.” [asshole] he says, clearly offended. “I have no doubt about that. I am just not in the right space right now to start a relationship with anyone. My divorce isn't even finalized yet. And I have a few things I need to handle before I can move on,” I say and he smirks. “I am a patient man, Jay. I waited fifteen years to find you again, and I will wait as long as you need. I must warn you, principessa, I will not make it easy for you to ignore me. I am a determined man that goes after what he wants. And right now, that is you. And I always get what I want,” [princess] he says, tracing his finger over my lips. I gulped as I stared into his eyes. I can feel his touch all the way down to my core. I am definitely getting turned on. Why would I react so strongly to him? It’s just a simple touch. The door to the study opened, so I quickly moved away from him. Marcello walks back in, breaking the spell Enzo had me in. I take a deep breath to calm myself and look up at my brother. “Sorry sis, I will be back soon. Then I will help you with whatever you need. We have to bounce, Enzo. You two can catch up later,” Marcello says, not even looking at us. He is busy sending a message to someone. “Remember what I said, principessa. Oh, and I left your Christmas gift in your room,” Enzo whispers, before he winks at me and gets up. “Let's roll. Is that the call we were waiting on?” Enzo asks now all business. No more flirting and driving me crazy. “Yes. Jay, stay inside and take some men with you if you leave. We have an important matter to settle,” Marcello says as he comes over and kisses me on the top of my head.” “On Christmas day?” I ask, frowning. “Sorry princess, but there is always work to be done,” he answers as he walks away. “Okay, I understand. Be safe, both of you,” I say. “We always are,” Marcello answers as he heads to the door with Enzo following behind him. Enzo gives me one last sexy smile, before he leaves. What the f**k was that? I fan my face with a book, because I suddenly feel very hot. f**k that man is so sexy. He is a complication I did not account for. I have to get him to back off. How am I supposed to get my revenge when I don’t have a clear mind? No, I need to focus on the task at hand. And so far, things are going perfectly. Maybe I can examine my reaction to him after the twelve days of Christmas are over.