I turned and stalked out of the room, Golden close on my heels.
“Should we talk about what just happened?” he asked, closing the door to my dad’s office behind us.
“Later. I told you I’m hungry.”
“Sage.” He breathed out my name like a prayer. “Wait.”
I stopped and turned toward him, taking in the tightness of the muscles in his neck and throat, the tension in his face, the way he clenched and unclenched his fists at his sides.
“What?” I smirked.
He swallowed. “I need…need a minute.”
I jerked my head to the side, indicating the bathroom door. “You have five minutes to get yourself together, but you still don’t get to come.”
Golden groaned.
“I probably wouldn’t even touch it if I were you.” I stepped closer to Golden and dragged my nose against the underside of his chin, breathing him in. “Wouldn’t want to risk it.”
Golden huffed out a pained exhale and sidestepped into the bathroom, closing the door. I hesitated in the hallway, unsure of whether I wanted to follow my nose to the kitchen or go attend my father. Something sharp cut into my palm and I looked down, realizing the gold ring was clenched tight in my fist. I slipped the heirloom ring around my pinky, the only finger it fit, and strode back toward the office.
I opened the door without knocking just as my dad was hanging up the phone. He stood up quickly, hands raised in surrender and I cracked him one. A sharp backhand across his right cheek.
“I just wanted to keep you safe,” he apologized, blood trickling down his face.
I raised my hand to let him know I wanted to strike him again, but didn’t. “You’re in over your head and you’re done. This game is not for you,” I said.
He nodded and reached up to his cheek to check for blood.
“This conversation is not over,” I told him.
“I know.”
“I didn’t want this,” I reminded him, shaking my head. “Your carelessnessforcedthis onto me.”
I turned and left the office, passed the still closed bathroom door, and made my way into the dining room. My mom had set the table for four, candles in the center and two bottles of wine. She hummed to herself in the kitchen and that was where I found her, bent over the stove, stirring a pot of something that smelled like heaven.
“Mama.” I came up behind her and kissed the back of her head.
“Is everything okay, Peppino?” she asked.
I reached around and closed my hand around hers, helping her stir. She let out a small gasp when she saw the ring on my finger, the drops of blood trickling down the side.
“Everything is under control now,” I told her. “You understand?”
“Sandro,” she exhaled. Beneath my hand, hers started to shake.
“Don’t call me that.” I kissed the back of her head again and stepped away. She turned from the stove, clutching her hands together in front of her chest.
“My sweet Sage.” She smiled, and I rolled my eyes at her.
“Things are going to be different now, alright?”
She nodded and, behind her, something in the pot bubbled and popped. She startled, then quickly settled and turned her attention back to whatever she was cooking. Down the hall, the bathroom door opened and Golden appeared. He walked slowly down the hallway, looking like he had something shoved up his ass that made him want to come every time he breathed too hard.
Perfect.
“You all right?” I smirked.
