Chapter 17

"Family Dinner"

Lorenzo's POV

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It has been three weeks since the gala. Vee had been surprisingly cooperative. Let me tell you, she's so fucking smart. And she has slowly started to warm up me more.

Tonight the Moretti estate was buzzing with life as it always was when my family gathered. Mamma had outdone herself, of course, the dining table was decked out with enough food to feed a small army, the twins were already bouncing off the walls, and my father was loudly insisting that we all try the new wine he'd picked up.

I should've been focused on the potential business moves of the week or the ever-present threat of rival families. Instead, my attention was glued to one person.

Vee.

She stood at the edge of the chaos, her eyes scanning the room with a mix of curiosity and amusement. She looked at home in my family's loud, messy world, but there was still an edge to her, like she was ready to bolt at the first sign of trouble.

And then there was the fact that she looked stunning. Casual, sure—jeans and a simple top—but on her, it looked effortless. Like she hadn't even tried and still managed to steal the air from the room.

"Ren, stop staring," Dante muttered, nudging me as he passed by with a platter of breadsticks.

"I'm not staring," I replied automatically, even though I absolutely was.

"Uh-huh."

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The doorbell rang, and Vee's posture changed instantly. She didn't look tense, exactly—more like she was bracing herself for something.

"Expecting someone?" I asked, already knowing the answer.

Her lips twitched. "You'll see."

Mamma was already heading to the door, her face lighting up as she opened it to reveal Lily.

"Vee!" Lily's voice was a mixture of excitement and relief as she stepped inside, her wide eyes scanning the room before locking onto Vee.

And then, like a force of nature, she launched herself at her.

Vee's laughter filled the room as Lily wrapped her in a bear hug, babbling something about missing her and how worried she'd been. I couldn't help but smile at the way Vee softened, her usual sharp edges melting away in the presence of her best friend.

"You're alive!" Lily said dramatically, pulling back to look Vee up and down. "And you look... good. Why do you look so good? What's happening here?"

"Missed you too, Lil," Vee said, smirking. "And I look good because I've been eating actual food for once instead of whatever garbage I usually survive on."

"Actual food?" Lily's eyes widened as she glanced at the dining table. "Oh my God, is that lasagna?"

"It is," Mamma said warmly, stepping in to greet Lily with a hug. "And you're welcome to join us, sweetheart."

"Thank you so much!" Lily's face lit up, and I swore she looked like a kid in a candy store.

"Lily, sweetheart." Dante's smooth voice was like butter, drawing Lily's attention.

She froze, her cheeks instantly flushing a brilliant shade of pink. "Hi, Dante," she stammered, gripping the bouquet so tightly I thought she might crush it.

"Good to see you again," he said, flashing her a grin that had probably melted a dozen hearts that week alone. "Didn't expect to see you here tonight. You look lovely."

Lily's voice caught in her throat, and all she managed was a squeaky, "Thanks."

"Come on," Vee said, smirking as she looped an arm around Lily's shoulders and steered her toward the dining room. "Let's get you seated before you pass out."

"I'm not—" Lily began, but her voice cracked, and Vee burst into laughter.

"Don't worry," Dante called after them, his tone teasing. "I'll buy a croissant tomorrow."

Lily's face turned an even deeper shade of red, and Vee practically doubled over with laughter.

"I swear to God, Vee," Lily hissed as they disappeared into the dining room, "I'm going to kill you."

"You'll have to get past me first, sweetheart," Dante called back, clearly enjoying every second of it.

The twins giggled from their perch by the Lego table, and even Mamma looked amused as she shook her head at the antics.

"You're hopeless," I muttered to Dante, smirking as I watched him settle back against the wall with a satisfied look.

"Says you," he shot back. 

I sighed as I glanced at Vee, catching the way she was watching Lily, her eyes softer than I'd ever seen. It hit me then how much she'd missed this, missed her.

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Dinner was its usual chaos, though having Vee and Lily added a new layer of energy.

Dad was at the head of the table, regaling the twins with some story about his "wild" youth that Mamma kept interrupting with corrections.

"That's not how it happened, Luc," Mamma said, rolling her eyes as Dad exaggerated about how he'd once outrun three cops on a Vespa.

"It was two cops, and it wasn't a Vespa, it was a bicycle," Marco muttered, earning a laugh from the table.

"Details," Dad said, waving a hand dismissively before turning his attention to Vee. "So, Vee, how's the lasagna?"

Vee smirked. "Best I've ever had."

"Good answer," Dad said, grinning.

"Careful," I added, nudging her. "You're going to become his favorite at this rate."

"She already is," Dad said without hesitation, causing Vee to blink in surprise before laughing.

Meanwhile, the twins were grilling Lily with questions, ranging from "Can you bake a million cookies at once?" to "What's your favorite dinosaur?"

"You don't bake dinosaurs," Lily said, clearly overwhelmed but smiling anyway.

Leo frowned. "I know that. I just want to know if you like velociraptors."

"They're vicious," Luca chimed in, nodding seriously.

"I—uh—sure, velociraptors are cool," Lily said, giving Vee a helpless look.

Vee simply smirked as she stole a breadstick from Lily's plate.

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After dinner, while the others were in the living room, I found myself lingering in the kitchen with Mamma.

She was washing dishes, and I grabbed a towel to dry them, falling into an easy rhythm.

"She's good for you, you know," Mamma said without looking up.

I paused, caught off guard. "Who?"

"Don't play dumb, tesoro," she said, glancing at me with a knowing smile.

I didn't respond, unsure of how to put into words the mess of emotions I felt whenever Vee was around.

Mamma reached over, squeezing my hand. "Just be patient with her. She's got walls up for a reason."

"Yeah," I said quietly, my chest tightening. "I know."

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Back in the living room, the twins were sprawled across the floor, as they insisted on showing Lily their latest Lego creations. Vee sat on the couch beside me, her posture relaxed but her eyes still scanning the room like she couldn't quite believe she was here.

"Enjoying yourself?" I asked, keeping my tone casual.

She glanced at me, her lips curving into a smirk. "Maybe. Your family's not terrible."

"High praise coming from you."

She didn't respond, but I caught the way her gaze lingered on the twins, on Lily, on Sophia fussing over Marco like he was still a kid instead of a college student.

"You fit in here," I said quietly, and her smirk faltered for just a second.

"Don't get used to it," she said, but there was no bite in her voice.

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Later, as the evening wound down and Lily hugged Vee goodbye, I found myself watching her again. Watching the way she laughed, the way she let herself be vulnerable, even if only for a moment.

And for the first time in a long time, I felt... content.

Because Vee wasn't just fitting into my world. She was becoming a part of it.

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˗ˏˋ Author's note ˎˊ˗

Heyy (✿◡‿◡)

Sigh. I love Lucifer.

Please Vote and comment to make another insignificant human happy (^◕.◕^)

Question of chapter:

Call first thing in the morning or call in the middle of the night?

Neither! I freaking HATE calls. They are so exhausting! 

See you next Sunday!

Enough is a decision <3

*hug*

Byeeee

Izel

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