They all saw joy. I saw responsibility.
Metteo Alessio Ricci. Salvatore Luca Ricci.
Two names. Two boys. Two futures I’d die to protect.
GreenLee looked at me like I’d given her the world. Truth is, she gave me mine. I held Metteo first, felt the weight of my grandfather’s name settle into my arms like a vow. Defender. That’s what Alessio means. I’d never understood it until now.
Then Salvatore. Her uncle’s name. My own. That one hit harder. Legacy isn’t just about blood—it’s about choice. And GreenLee chose me. Chose us.
The room was still buzzing, but I was somewhere else. Back in the alley behind Nonna’s bakery, where Gio and I first learned how to throw a punch. Back in the chapel where I swore I’d never let this life touch the people I loved.
Now I had two sons. And a woman who
