“Iquite like it,” Luciano added. “For whatever that says about me.” He chuckled genially.
Mrs. Valli did not join in, but Serenaalmostsmiled.
By the time they got to dessert, Luciano got the impression that Mrs. Valli had drank more than her fill. She spoke a bit overloud and enthusiastically, which only seemed to make Serena shrink in on herself even more. That hint of her old self was a fleeting thing he wished he could find a way to tease out again.
Mrs. Valli let out a loud sigh that had Serena flinching—her first outward reaction since the beginning of the evening.
“Let us drop these niceties,” she said, leaning forward so that she met his gaze. “I know you are no doubt a skilled actor, Luciano, but do you really think you can get the public to believe you’re interested in Serena?”
For a moment, the words didn’t fully penetrate. They were so different than anything he’d expected to hear that he did not know how to absorb her meaning. “I beg your pardon.”
“It seems very obvious this is some sort of business ploy. And while I commend you for having that kind of…spirit about you, you don’t honestly think people will fall for it? Aside from Serena, of course.”
There were so many insults in those few words, Luciano could scarcely understand them all. Especially with Serena sitting rightthereand not offering any kind of fiery or icy rebuttal like she would have if he’d said these things.
But she did not say anything. She was nothing but bloodless ice. No, not even ice. Just…dull, gray rock.
He, on the other hand, felt like all the blood had rushed to his head. In anger and outrage. Some of it misplaced, he knew. Some of Mrs. Valli’s behavior felt far too familiar. It was just usually aimed at him, not someone else.
Still, this was about Serena. And her mother. So he cleared his throat and attempted to speak carefully. Not letting his own issues bleed into this. “Mrs. Valli, I think it is very obvious tome, you misunderstand much. There is no…trick I’m trying to pull over on Serena. Surely you know your daughter better than that.”
But it was clear from this evening that she did not. And it was so odd, because he saw so many echoes of how his father had treated him in the ways Serena’s mother treated her—and even more shockingly, so many similarities in how Serena got through it. For every insult against her looks, her animals, her house, she seemed to latch on to them all the harder. Just as he had to every barb that he was stupid, useless and lazy.
While he was happy to play down to any negative interpretations ofhim, he found he could not with determined, brilliant, beautiful Serena. And so he decided to play Mrs. Valli’s game for this round. Rudeness wrapped in fake concern.
“You must have loved your ex-husband very much.”
She blinked, reared back almost as if she’d been struck. “What?”
“I know the marriage ended before his demise, but it is the only way I can fathom misrepresenting your daughter in such a way. She followed his business footsteps and this hurts you in some way because you loved him and it did not work out, so you do not allow yourself to see past it.” He went so far as to tut compassionately. “Losing him twice must have been quite the blow.”
“Blow?” Her eyes narrowed icily. He should have seen Serena in them. They were the same shape, the same color, but there was a lack of warmth in the layers of brown and green. “I celebrated the day that useless failure of a man left this earth. I only wished he’d done it earlier.”
“Mrs. Valli. That is no way to speak of the dead, or your daughter’s father.” And so Luciano got to his feet. “I’m afraid I cannot allow this evening to continue. I do not care for the whole of how you’ve treated my soon-to-be wife this evening. There will be no more invitations until you can assure me that you will be pleasant and positive toward youronly child.”
He looked briefly at Serena, who was staring at him wide-eyed and stunned. Luciano gestured to the butler. “Eduardo? Would you see Mrs. Valli out? I’m afraid Serena and I are indisposed and cannot walk her to her car ourselves.”
“Serena!”
“I’m afraid this is Luciano’s place, Mother,” Serena said quietly. Her eyes were oddly shiny. “As polite guests, we must abide by what he says.” She did not rise from her seat, so Mrs. Valli whirled on Luciano even as Eduardo came forward.
“Are you…? Do you think you’re kicking me out? Do you really think—”
“Ithinkit is in all of our best interests to take a pause.” Luciano commended himself for his calm demeanor. Working in a club for so long had certainly taught him how to deal with the ridiculously entitled. “When you’ve taken a break, I hope you will come to the conclusion that you have behaved poorly, and you owe your daughter an apology. Once that is issued, I hope we can move forward more pleasantly.” He managed a patient smile.
Mrs. Valli made a noise of fury. “Perhaps you both deserve each other,” she ground out before jerking away from Eduardo’s proffered arm and marching toward the exit herself.
Luciano tried to calm himself with a deep breath. Bullies were a dime a dozen and no doubt both he and Serena had seen their fair share. Their business was rife with them, and her father had been one just as his father had.
But something about the way her own mother had spoken of her. Like a childish adolescent trying to tear down someone who got even a scrap of attention. It was infuriating, but moreover, it was like holding up a mirror to his own adolescence and forcing him to see it through an adult lens.
Had his father really thought all those terrible things about him? Or had Luciano simply existed, soaking up attention and interest that his father preferred only on him.
He did not wish to consider it, so he turned to deal with Serena.
She stood, still as a statue and perhaps just as remote, bracketed by one floor-to-ceiling window. She watched the world outside—a soft, pastel sunset. “You did not need to stand up for me,” she said after a few beats of quiet.
She sounded very…tired. Her expression was blank. A careful mask. She did notactas though her mother’s behavior hurt her, and yet Luciano could not shake the idea that this was how Serena would react to hurt. Cold and stony.
