“Fine.Then I hopemybrother will be on his best behavior,” he mutters.“I’m surprised he was all right with the idea of your family coming for dinner.”
“He’s not all right with it,” I remind him.Neither is Emilia, who respectfully but firmly announced she would sit this one out and visit with her parents tonight instead.I can’t blame her, and it breaks my heart to know it was my brother who hurt her.
“How about I keep an eye on my brother, and you keep an eye on yours?”I suggest while standing on my tiptoes to kiss Dante’s smooth cheek while he finishes straightening his shirt collar.He’s looking dangerously sexy in a black button-down, the top two buttons popped, and charcoal pants.It kind of makes me wish we could go back to bed.
But then we have the rest of our lives for that, don’t we?Tonight, we’re supposedly going to broker peace once and for all.Rocco needs to know he can trust my brother now that he’s back in the States, and I know it means a lot to Dad to prove our family can be trusted.
As far as I’m concerned, Alessandro has already gone a long way toward that, flying back to protect me when he knew I was in trouble.Even I didn’t know, but he did, and he didn’t have to expose himself like that.The Santoros could just as easily have killed him on sight after what he did to them.There was no way for him to know.
“Everything will be great,” I predict, taking Dante’s hand once we are on the front porch.
The big house is all aglow, and the effect is breathtaking as we approach, with so many windows lit up against an inky sky.Lightning bugs flicker here and there while cricket chirps dance on the soft evening breeze.On a night like this, it’s easy to believe everything will be okay, and we will all get a happy ending.
I hear Dad inside before I see him, laughing a little too loudly in the dining room.
“Here we go,” Dante whispers, squeezing my hand once more before we set off in that direction.
I hear Rocco as we draw closer, then Isabella’s soft laughter mingling with Mom’s.Really, the last thing I feel like doing is seeing them, but these are the things we do for family when it means keeping the peace.
From the doorway, I see the table is all decked out with candles, flowers, and crystal.There are bottles of wine, platters of meat, cheeses, and breads.It’s almost like the dinner we had the night we met, although I might actually enjoy this one a little more.
That is, if Luca would stop staring daggers at my brother from across the table.He’s not bothering to hide how sour he feels over all of this.I know he has to resent Alessandro being here, especially if it means Emilia can’t be.
“Hi!”Guilia practically skips our way down the hall, looking bright and cheerful in a flower-print dress with a flared skirt that skims her knees.“Ready for the carnage?”Dante scowls, but I can’t help a soft giggle.She calls it like she sees it.
“No carnage,” I whisper, holding up my crossed fingers before the three of us walk into the room.
“There’s my girl.”Wow, Mom can be very affectionate and maternal when she hasn’t seen me since my wedding day.Maybe my abduction woke up something in her, or maybe she’s putting on a show.Who am I kidding?That’s exactly what she’s doing.
But if Luca can keep from leaning across the table and jamming a knife into my brother’s neck, I can play the part of an appreciative daughter, accepting Mom’s brief hug like either of us means it.“Have you lost weight?”I ask her because she is predictable enough that I know exactly what will make her perk up.
“Let’s all sit down and feast,” Rocco urges as he rounds the table, stopping to pat my cheek before draping an arm around his daughter’s shoulders and ending the long, silent look between her and my brother.I’m not sure if Rocco noticed them noticing each other or not.At least, not until he speaks through a smile that’s more like a tight grimace.“Alessandro, my daughter Guilia.”Funny how he can manage to sound both friendly and menacing at the same time.Pull any of your bullshit with her, and I will end you.When Alessandro gives her a short nod, I know he got the message, while Guilia looks at the floor.
“We kept tonight’s dinner limited to close family,” Isabella explains in her usual gentle way.“It means a great deal to us that any lingering bad blood between our families be cleared up.We want to focus on the happy things, like grandbabies.”She can’t resist the hint any more than she can resist winking at me.
“That’s very nice…” Rocco agrees, “… but there are other matters to discuss.Such as how we’re going to balance the scales.I understand, Alessandro, you intend to stay in the area now that you’ve returned?”
Straight to the tough questions.
The way Luca straightens shows he’s paying closer attention than ever, while my brother sets his wineglass down.
“That’s right,” he confirms.“I do intend to stay here.And for the sake of unity between our families, I’m eager to do anything I can to earn your trust.”
“I don’t know if you’ll live long enough,” Luca murmurs.
“Could you not?”Dante mutters, staring daggers from across the table.
“That wasn’t a threat,” Luca retorts.“I’m just saying, nobody has that many years in them.”
Alessandro smirks slightly.“I’ll do what I can.”
I’m sort of proud of my brother for keeping his cool, though at the same time, I get the feeling Dad is behind it, just like Rocco and Dante are behind Luca behaving himself.
“I’m very glad to hear you say that.”Rocco exchanges a look with Dad that makes the hair on the back of my neck rise.Something is up.“Because your father and I have come to an arrangement.Since you have agreed that your actions resulted in you forfeiting a position in your family, I am offering you a job in mine.”
“Excuse me?”Luca mutters, lowering his brow at his father.
“There is always room for extra security around here,” Rocco explains, ignoring Luca in favor of holding my brother’s gaze without blinking.Again, there is something steely and almost threatening under his jovial attitude.“And I’m sure you have more than enough experience to be a great asset.Your father agrees with me.”
