“He also insulted your wife tonight.”
“Yes, he did. A poor decision on top of stealing from us,” I say darkly before punching the pillow on the sofa.
“So, what’s the story?”
“Let me sleep.”
But, my friend is too clever and too curious to let it drop that easily now. “You’re in trouble with wifey, aren’t you? Married less than forty-eight hours and already banished to Sofa City.”
“I swear I will kill you if you don’t shut up, Armando.”
“You and your swearing, I’m still breathing.” This fucker, he’s right. “I would’ve shared the blonde with you earlier.”
“Did I ever suggest I wanted to share the goddamn blonde with you? You know I won’t touch any of them. What would your dear old dad say about you fucking whores when he wants you to settle down and be a proper husband, I wonder?”
“Don’t turn this around on me. Pop knows I’m not marrying yet. But, if you were going to get kicked out of your own bedroom, you may as well have done something to deserve it.”
“I need a heavy object to throw at your head before I just start shooting.”
“Speaking of blondes, Sofia was out of bed very late. I caught her creeping back to the nursery on my way here not too long ago.”
That gets my attention. “Tell me more.”
Five minutes later, I’m knocking on her bedroom door. Sofia opens it with red-rimmed eyes and swollen lips. She’s beencrying and she’s been kissed. There’s a half-eaten pint of ice cream in her hands, too. I push my way past her.
“You shouldn’t be out of your room so late with so many men loitering around the grounds tonight. Who am I killing? Or, did you jump the gun on your wedding night with Carlo?”
Her chin quivers like Caterina’s did earlier when she suspected me of cheating. “I willneversleep with him. I hope he dies. I need you to convince Dad to call off the wedding.”
Jesus, this girl is always so dramatic. She’s a lot like her mother, beautiful and vain. But, while if Bibi was on fire I wouldn’t even bother pissing on her, Sofia has a sweetness to her beneath the vanity that Bibi lacks.
“Explain that. Now.”
“I went to get ice cream earlier and… I saw him down by the pool.”
“The pool is far from the kitchen.” She rolls her eyes, and I decide not to point out the layout of our mansion any further. “Let me guess… you saw him with a woman.” His player reputation is well-known even if Sofia’s been wearing a blindfold by choice.
“With two of them!” she wails, clearly disgusted. “They were… he was… He’s a pig! I can’t marry him!” She bursts into tears at that point, and my very limited patience has already reached its limit for tonight after my wife held me at knifepoint.
But, I manage to hand her a tissue and give her a pat on the head before making a suggestion. “Go share your ice cream with my wife and let me sleep here.”
She gives me a questioning look. “Have you already fought with Caterina? Oh, Alessio…”
“Don’t even think of lecturing me, Sofia. Go share your ice cream with my wife before I ask who the fuck you’ve been kissing.”
She pales. “I never-”
“Don’t fucking lie to me. It’s obvious someone devoured your mouth if nothing else a short while ago and it sounds like it wasn’t Carlo. Tell me who it was or go to Caterina.Now.”
She hurries out of the room with her half-eaten pint, leaving me alone in her pink princess haven. “Fuck’s sake,” I grumble, collapsing on the bed.
I should probably find out who kissed Sofia. That man will be very, very sorry for daring to touch her once I do. The wedding with Carlo will go on either way. Bibi has spoiled her, but Sofia must learn to deal with the hand she’s been dealt like Gia had to. That’s the way it is with us. Divorce is not an option. Only death ends a marriage, or a marriage pact, in the Trio.
It would be better if I could bring some harmony to my own marriage if I don’t want to crash in other people’s bedrooms every night. I just have to figure out how to keep my wife from trying to kill me.
16
Caterina
