Leo could not wait for the flight attendant to let him know he could turn on his cell phone. He knew Max was up by now and had seen the ring he left on her finger. He was anxious to hear her response, although he wasn't too confident she would say yes. He had bought the ring in Italy, but the time never seemed right to propose until their conversation before he left. In fact it was Max who mentioned marriage first, saying she would rather be a widow than a divorcee. He had spoken to Antonio and had received his blessing with pretty much the same warning. His parents were also pleased at the prospect of Max joining the family in a more permanent way. Leo's stomach did a flip as he was allowed to turn on his phone. He indeed had a message from Max.
"Hey hun, lil' man apparently knows you're not here. He has been fussing more than usual so when you get this message call so he could hear your voice."
"Fuck," Leo cursed under his breath.
She did not mention the ring or give a response. Did she not see it? Of course she did, that sapphire was no joke. What are you up to Max?
Leo knew Max's crazy streak, and she could do anything when she felt cornered. Like take their kid and run to Colombia. He wanted to call and tell her never mind about the proposal, but decided against it. If Max was not going to mention the ring then he wasn't going to either.
"Hello, Luca, it's daddy." Leo never tired of addressing himself as daddy. "Remember I told you I was going away for some days. Don't give your mother a hard time. I'll see you in two weeks."
"Hey Leo, I want you to take note that your son not only ruined my girlish figure, he is sucking the life out of my breasts. He's going on soy soon if he keeps this up."
Leo shifted uncomfortably in his seat as his cock jumped at the vision of his naked Max breast feeding their son. "Luca, those breasts are just on loan to you. They belong to me, so handle with care. And Max there was nothing girlish about your figure, you are all woman babe. By the way did you use that cream for your breasts when you woke up? I had a good go at them and now Luca, so you must be extra sore." Leo had learned some new stuff since the birth of his son. Weird shit, but he was glad to learn. It made him feel proud and a part of them. After not being there the first few months of Max's pregnancy he was not going to be left out of any more experiences. He realized that to his core he was a family man, and although Max was not asking him to, he was seriously considering a new occupation.
Max wanted to laugh at hearing the concern in Leo's voice, but it was no laughing matter. To her he sounded so domesticated. She wondered if family life would make him lose his edge. It would be her worst fear brought to life.
"Max? You still there babe?" Leo hated it when Max went silent on him. That meant she was thinking about something that most likely he did not want to hear.
"Yeah I'm here. I just want you to know that as soon as the plane hits that tarmac you better have your game face on."
"I got ya. It'll be fine. I was doing this long before I met you."
Max cut him off, "Yeah yeah yeah, and you will be doing it long after me."
"Oh hell no Max you're never leaving me!" Leo laughed realizing he might have said that a little too loudly, as the neighboring passengers gave him queer looks. His voice got very serious and low, "Max, I'm coming back to you."
"I got ya." Max replied with his favorite response. "I love you. We'll chat when you get home." Max felt very strange as the words slipped past her lips but she meant them.
******
With Luca tucked in and down for the night Max had time to think about the ring on her finger. A ring she was not sure she wanted yet, but still had not taken off. As tumultuous as their relationship had been so far, she knew Leo was her match. If they got married it would be a forever deal, nothing short of death could end it.
She tucked the marriage thoughts away to offer a silent prayer for Leo. Max had every right to be worried about Leo. She had been overhearing snips and bits when Leo was talking to Pauley, and gathered that trouble was brewing. Last night during their nightly talk Leo told her what was going down in New York.
A couple of bosses were arrested the day Luca was born and chaos had broken out in a massive power grab. Voids needed to be filled and Carmine, being the peacekeeper, was pulled in to keep the bloodshed to a minimum. Leo was going back to maintain the peace in his districts and help Pauley with his. He was upfront with Max about how dangerous some of this undertaking would be. It was not his intention to worry her, but prepare her just in case it all went to shit. He also informed her that in the event of his death she and Luca would inherit everything. It was a difficult conversation to have but necessary.
******
Pauley was waiting patiently for Leo's flight to land in Newark, NJ. In order to keep a low profile for awhile they decided it would be best for Leo to fly into EWR. When they saw each other they double kissed and hugged.
"Cuz it is good to have you back. Your pop's been holding on for as long as he could without you, but the pressure is mounting."
"What about your situation?"
"It is stable for the time being, no more encroaching, but we need to push back. Hard."
"Ok, anything else I need to know?"
"Nah. How's you know who and you know who?" Pauley asked cautiously. No one outside their family knew Leo had a kid and it was agreed to keep it that way until the dust settled.
"Well. All is well on that front. And it might get better if I get a yes."
"You seriously want to do that? You know there is no taming one like her?"
Leo laughed at Pauley. "You have no idea. But she is mine."
As they approached the car Leo handed Pauley a little electronic device for sweeping for bugs.
"This is new? A gift from your
friend
?"
"You know it." It was one of the many gadgets that Max kept in her "playroom" as she called it. After their conversation about what was going down in New York Max gave him full access to her toys, and taught him how to read and write coded messages just incase. Leo smiled as he remembered the first night Max took him into her inner sanctum.
******
"Max what is in the room with the coded lock?" Leo was terribly curious about what was behind that door. He had seen Max and her father go in and out of it. He knew it used to be the third bedroom, but what Max had beyond those doors was a mystery.
"My playroom."
"Your what? Is that some kind of S&M thing?"
"Wanna see it?" Max led Leo into her gun room. Leo looked around amazed. He had never seen a private collection of that size. He had his own assortment of weapons, but Max's impressed and concerned him at the same time. Aside from all the guns he appreciated the room as quintessentially Max; tough, feminine, private. Her armory was mounted against pink French toile wallpaper. All the woodwork was black. In the center of the room there was a square display case that contained her antique firearms.
Max looked at Leo's awe struck face and giggled. "You do remember me telling you, I like guns and weapons?"
"Yeah, but I really thought maybe it boiled down to a few hand guns and a subscription to Guns & Ammo."
"That is so lightweight."
He looked at her beaming face and playfully admonished. "Max, you might need therapy."
******
Leo and Pauley's first stop was at Leo's parents' house. Isabella, Carmine and Salvatore, Pauley father, were waiting for the boys to arrive. Isabella cooked a big meal, more out of nervousness than really expecting Leo to be hungry.
"How's your lot?" Isabelle inquired.
"Good. I'm waiting for it to get better." Leo winked at his mother.
"It will. Now eat up before it goes cold. Pauley you too." Isabelle retired to her bedroom to give the men a chance to talk.
Leo took out another one of Max's devices from his bag, and placed in on the table. It jammed all electronic signals, coming in and out of the house including cell phones. The men proceeded to discuss business, and strategize how to get things under control.
******
Max took a picture of her hand with the ring on it and sent it to Laney. She needed a sounding board.
"Is that what I think it is? I am coming over."
Laney was in shock. She had had the opportunity to observe Leo over the past few weeks and was quite impressed with his fathering skills. He was even less intense with Max, except now with this ring thing. Leo sure was one determined fella.
"Hey girl come join me let us reason this thing out," Max said patting the bed. She was glad her friend was home and came over immediately.
Laney snuggled down next to her friend. "Two questions before we begin. One, are these clean sheets, I know you and Leo must have had some good good-bye sex this evening," she said scrunching up her face. "Two, am I going to be replacing Leo by sleeping with you until he comes back."
Max laughed and wacked her friend with a pillow. "These sheets are fresh, take a whiff. And oh please don't act like you have not missed sleeping with me."
