Free 9781618857835FrozenFuryBeckNC by Paloma Beck Page A

and brought her to his side as he moved to his parents.
    His
father knelt onto one knee in front of Amelia and took her hand from him. He
hadn’t expected his father to do this so immediately when they entered. Shit,
now he was thinking that he should’ve warned her. He should’ve prepared her for
this.
    “Che
bella donna ,” his father spoke as he looked into her
eyes. “I welcome you into our family. We are blessed to have our final son with
such a remarkable mate.”
    Amelia
smiled and nodded at his father though she spoke no words. Gage had never seen
her so docile. He wished he could wrap her up in his arms and ease the
discomfort she was feeling. Instead, he gathered her hand back from his father
as he stood again.
    “Thank
you,” Amelia finally responded. Gage suspected she was just as emotional about
the formal acceptance as he was.
    “I
know you’ve already met Amelia through her sisters but I wanted to formally
introduce her today as part of our family. This is my father, Valentino and my
mother, Adelina.”
    “It
is an honor, Amelia, quite an honor,” his father spoke in his broken Italian
accent.
    “Yes.
It is good to finally have you join us. Gage has been squirreling you away in
his home,” his mother added as she glared an icy look in his direction.
    “Mamma,
she has been recovering and adjusting. I’ve not been hiding her,” Gage defended
himself against the accusation.
    “Hush,
now. Let’s not speak of those unfortunate events,” Adelina chastised him as she
swept her arm towards the table. He’d already been admonished in private over
his actions that first night in the lab. Thank the Goddess his mamma seemed to
be allowing that to rest in the past. “Come. Let’s sit to eat. It might only be
us. Layla hasn’t been up to breakfast in a few weeks now as the baby draws nearer.”
    “And
Lucas?” Gage asked. He’d hoped they would all be here.
    “He
already flew out this morning. His team has to be in position when yours arrives.”
Papa explained what Gage should’ve known had he read the morning’s mission
update.
    “No
more business. This meal is in honor of our newest daughter, Amelia,” Mamma
raised her glass of mimosa in toast. Everyone at the table followed suit and
looked towards Amelia who wore a beautiful blush across her cheeks.
    “Thank
you, Mrs. Santucci.” Amelia smiled.
    “No
more of this Mrs. Santucci. Someday you will call me Mamma. Today please call
me Adelina,” she paused as Papa pulled out her chair and then took her seat as
noise from the foyer caught their attention. “Here is another to join us.” Mamma
looked up and smiled, “Davina, darling child, come to Mamma.”
    After
a kiss on the cheek, his sister sat beside Mamma and turned to Amelia as their
mother spoke. “Meet my daughter, Davina. I do not think you have met except a
passing by at one of the Pronouncements. Davina is the baby in our family.”
    “Mamma,”
Davina rolled her eyes at their mother and then smiled towards Amelia. “It’s
nice to see you. The message from Gage that you’d be at breakfast was a
surprise. We weren’t sure we’d meet you until a little later.”
    Gage
interrupted. “Actually, we’ve decided to move forward with plans for the
Pronouncement.”
    “What’s
the hurry?” Davina asked.
    Gage
sat forward, preparing to answer, but Amelia stopped him with a hand on his
arm. Quietly but still with confidence, she responded to Davina. “We think it
will help with my soul sin. I have been cursed with Anger and it doesn’t seem
to be leaving me so easily. It’s made uhm, well, things, difficult.”
    Blushing,
Amelia took a sip of water to ward off any further questions. Understanding
seemed to dawn on Davina’s face. She winked at Amelia.
    “It
is settled then.” Adelina clapped her hands, unphased. “We will begin right
away planning for your Pronouncement. We’ve become pros at this. Even with just
family, it will be quite the event.”
    “Be
mindful