“Don’t be smart.”
“It’s an honest question.” Not entirely. I’m not as obtuse as the men in this family would like to believe.
Our family is not the most powerful, a fact which caused more than one bruise to Marco’s already infected and inflamed ego. Before he goes back to Italy, my uncle must put someone in Marco’s place and make not only peace with the Volkovs but with others in the Italian mafia that this whole debacle has caused trouble for.
“Get to the table and don’t fuck this up.” He works his jaw from one side to the other, then disappears from the doorway.
“Well, isn’t he a joy,” Rosa says from behind us.
“You’ve told us what a jerk he is, but wow, he’s on an entirely different level. Marco must have learned his good manners from him.” Kara shuts the door.
I sigh, letting my shoulders drop. “If my father had lived, Marco might have been a different man.”
“If Marco had been given a soul at birth, he might have been a different man. But he wasn’t.” Kara rubs my back. “What do you need? How can we make today better?”
I laugh. “Better? You mean getting married to a man who obviously hates me isn’t the best way to spend the day?”
“Now, there’s that smartass thing your uncle just warned about.” Kara puts her hands on her hips and flashes me a mock motherly look, which only makes me laugh harder.
“Okay, okay. Let’s just get back out there. The sooner we get this part over with, the sooner I can crawl under the covers and dream about being anywhere but here.”
On the way back to the platform where my table for two awaits, Kara stops a waitress and asks her to bring a third chair and place setting.
“I’m not letting you sit up there all alone. If his attempt was to humiliate you, he’s not going to win.” Kara links arms with me on one side and Rosa grabs the other and three of us squeeze up to the intimate table together.
“Your uncle keeps looking at us,” Rosa says as the last of the dinner dishes are cleared away from our table.
“Let him.” Kara pours the last of the champagne into her glass. “We need more. I’ll be back.”
“She’s the only one drinking it.” Rosa shakes her head as we watch her jump down from the platform and wave the empty bottle at a bartender.
A hush spreads across the room.
“What’s going on?” Rosa leans over me to follow the glances of the guests who are turning toward the double doors.
“Look who decided to show up.”
Kaz walks into the room as though he’s entering a board meeting. His expression is fixed and emotionless as he makes his way through the tables, heading straight toward me.
“Don’t.” I grab hold of Rosa’s wrist when she starts to get up.
“It’s his seat,” she whispers.
I turn to her. “He gave up his seat when he decided to hand me over to his goons.”
With a worried gaze, she glances at him, then back to me. “Okay, I’ll stay at least until Kara gets back.”
“I’m here.” Kara announces breathlessly. I can only guess she sprinted through the room and leapt onto the platform.
He’s almost close enough to hear us talking.
“Sit down.” I mutter to Kara.
She takes her seat, still trying to catch her breath.
Kaz’s eyes narrow on us as he approaches. The tick in his jaw returns.
The entire room has their attention focused on us. What sort of a scene is going to play out before them?
