Marco clarified he didn’t want me to instigate a fight between Romeao and I. So even as we pulled into his driveway an hour later, he repeated himself about not causing a fight. 

“For the third time, Marco, I understand.”

“Do you, because you have this look, and I would call it a scheming one, but I’m not positive that’s what it is?”

“You have next to nothing to worry about. I know how to behave.”

While he was in the room, at least. Marco let me into the house in front of him and gave me a look. Romeao came out from the kitchen and they spoke in Italian. whatever he was saying too, was making Marco heated. Without thinking about it twice, I touched Marco’s hand. That seemed to reel back some of his anger with Romeao. 

“Wren’s in the kitchen. I just finished preparing lunch. Help yourself.” Romeao said politely, and I got the hint. He wanted me to get lost.  

Looking Marco up and down and seeing he was calm again, I said I would behave, so I went to the kitchen. I didn’t like it though, I would have much rather stayed and told Romeao what I thought about his comments. 

Wren was giggling in the high chair, playing with a set of plastic keys. Romeao had food set aside on a plate for him, clearly cooling off. I sat in the chair closest to Wren and watched him play. This kid did things to my heart. He was adorable.

Marco and Romeao returned, and things looked good between them for the moment. Marco grabbed plates for us all and Romeao filled them with a pasta mix. 

“Would you like to sit with Wren?” I asked, going to stand up. 

“No, you’re alright where you are.” Marce replied. 

Romeao gave Wren his food when we all sat down to eat. Wren didn’t eat it, though. He was just playing with his food, and it was alright until he shoved the pasta off the side of the tray onto the floor. Romeao didn’t pay him any attention, rather he ignored him and continued his conversation with Marco. 

Putting a noodle on the end of my fork, I blew on it before holding it out for Wren to take. He put the noodle in his mouth and made quick work of it. 

“Guess he wasn’t into plain pasta.” Marco said, standing up and coming to clean up the pasta on the floor.

Passing Wren another sauce covered noodle, he took it and held onto it for a few moments before he put it in his mouth and chewed. 

“I’ll get him some covered noodles. You eat yours.” Romeao said, standing up.

“We are fine, thank you.” I said politely, though there was some bite to it. 

Marco looked at me, and I smiled back softly. 

“I see you’re still not over my comment.” Romeao said, as he sat back down. 

“Glad you’re aware.” I gave Wren another noodle and ate a few bites while I waited for Wren to want another noodle. 

“We both only want what’s best for Marco.” He said, before taking a bite of pasta. 

“Best for Marco, or best for your best interests, Romeao?”

“Marco’s best interests are mine.”

“If you say so.”

“Ambrose—-”

“No, It’s alright Marco. Ambrose is free to express his thoughts and feelings, regardless if we agree or not.” 

“You tried to push me away from Marco. You had no right to do so.”

Wren screamed at me, and I passed him another noodle. Marco looked uncomfortable at the end of the table. 

“Yes, I did. But as for rights, his behaviour comes back to me, Ambrose. I’m sure you can understand that Marco is a pivotal player in my family.”

“Pivotal player or not, mafia boss or not, let me tell you in the nicest and politest way I know how. Keep your option out of my relationship with your underboss. It might not end well for both of us, but get involved like you did before, and the veiled threat you gave me at breakfast a few weeks ago won’t even be my starting point.”

“Ambrose, I asked you to—--”

“Quiet Marco.” Romeao said, softly. His eyes locked with mine and his words were surprisingly gentle given I threatened him. 

“I will do my best to let you figure things out with Marco then, but only because you have the guts to threaten me. I could make you disappear, Ambrose Grayson, don’t threaten me again because you got away with it this time.”

My appetite was gone. Marco and Romeao finished their meals in silence, and I fed as much of mine as I could to Wren, who accepted the offering. 

As soon as Romeao left after putting Wren down for a nap, the sound of the door clicking closed, Marco crossed his arms and sighed. 

“Whatever posturing you were doing with Romeao is bad. That is the behaviour that will get you killed Ambrose. Surely you don’t act that way with Maddox. What the hell are you thinking?”

“You think I interact with Maddox?”

“Do you not?”

“Occasionally, but never more than a few words. And as my father said, it’s not Romeao I have to watch out for, it’s his underboss, and I’m pretty sure I know how to stop that.” I muttered. 

“You got under his skin, Ambrose, and that takes a lot. You are aware he carries a weapon on him, yes?”

“I figured.”

“Never again, understood.”

“Arguing with him? Or threatening him?”

“Threatening him, Ambrose. Fuck.”

“I survived, so relax.”

“Relax? Thank god, you’re an EMT. You can administer medical attention when you give me a bloody stroke.”

“Paramedic, actually, there is a difference in schooling and activities the job requires. But yes, I can administer medical attention to you.”

Marco cursed at me in Italian, and I snorted. Even annoyed and mad at me, Marco was still attractive. 

“I take it your Ex-husband had no issues with Romeao.”

“Issues, no. They were close.”

“Right, so someone already stacked the playing field against me.”

“I don’t believe it’s anything like that. If it was, I doubt he would have backed off.”

“He didn’t at first.”

“The air in there was tense and uncomfortable. I would much prefer if you don’t do that again, for both your safety and my sanity. Even though you threatened him, he wasn’t that upset about it. He made a comment to me in Italian before he left.”

“Did he?”

“Yes, he said he was glad to have someone who would put me in my place.” Marco said, pulling a hand through his dark hair, and narrowing his eyes on me. “Is that what you intend to do, Ambrose? Put me in my place?”

“When I know what place best suits you, perhaps I will.” I chucked, stepping into his personal space, and giving the man a gentle hug.

“What are you doing?”

“Self soothing, with your body.”

He wrapped his arms around me. 

“Were you even scared that he might harm you?”

“Yes, truthfully, yes, I was.”

Marco sighed. 

“I have a few hours before I have to handle some things for Romeao. He will most likely be back to handle Wren, but regardless, stay here, wait for me to get back.”

“I can watch Wren tonight. I have the weekend off. I don’t work again until Monday night, but I will have to head home in the morning to feed my cat.”

“I will take you tomorrow to feed the cat, then I implore you to come back for the night again.”

“Where was this behaviour when I was trying to find a place?” I said, snorting, meaning it as a joke. 

“If they bother you too much, let me know. I can deal with it.” Marco said, suddenly. 

“No, thank you. When you deal with things, you yell and they hide in the lobby.” I chuckled. 

“Last night wasn’t a good night for either of us.”

“Working nights isn’t all bad. I’ve slowly been getting used to it, but you’re right, last night wasn’t a good one.”

“Working nights are clearly taking a toll on you, Ambrose.”

“That was only last night. Some nights, I still have energy.”

“Good to know.”

“As I said, I can watch Wren.”

“He sleeps most of the night, so it’s mostly just being here in case he wakes up. You’re welcome to use the guest bed.”

“Is he allergic to anything?”

“No.”

“Good, are you?”

“No, not that I know of.”

I nodded and stepped back out of Marco’s arms. The scent of his cologne leaving my nose. 

“Enough self soothing?”

“Yes, my tank is full again.”

“Good. Let me go check on Wren.”

I sat on the couch in the living room, and Marco came back with a grumpy-looking baby. He wailed when Marco set him on the floor. Marco didn’t even seem fazed, he just let Wren scream his feelings out.

“Did you wake him?”

“No, he was awake.”

“He looks miserable.”

“Can confirm that. He bit me when I grabbed him out of the crib.”

“What?” I said laughing.

“He grabbed my hand and bit it.”

“He’s got your attitude.”

“I fucking hope not.” Marco hissed. 

“At least he’s cute.”

Wren was still upset. He butt scooted all the way to the couch and stuck his hands up. Marco gave him a soother, but did not pick him up.

“He can have some floor time, much to his dislike.”

He pulled out the soother, dropping it and screamed. Marco was clearly breaking with each scream that Wren was making, but I broke first and picked grumpy up off the floor. Marco retrieved his soother and wiped it off before giving it back to him. He was quiet now, and inched closer to Marco, until he was lying on Marco’s chest.

“He always wants to be glued to me when he is miserable.”

“Of course he does. You’re his father, and you comfort him.”

“He comforts me, too.” Marco said softly, rubbing Wren’s tiny back. Within a few minutes, he was back to sleep and his little hand was bunched in Marco’s t-shirt.