∞∞∞
Stark white surfaces accented in gold gleamed in the sunlight that came through the windows as we walked through the entrance hall. The Moretti manor was as grand as I remembered it, although slightly less glamorous without the glitzy decorations that had covered the interiors at New Year.
Gabriel walked with confidence, not once glancing over his shoulder to check if I was following. It was hard to be disobedient with Franco right behind me ensuring I kept moving. We stepped out into the backyard, the sun so harsh that I shielded my eyes with my hand, to join what must have been at least a third of the congregation who milled around with sweating glasses in hand.
“Why are you doing this?” I asked, picking up my pace so I was beside rather than behind Gabe.
“You can’t hide forever.”
Even if that was the truth, I didn’t appreciate the way Gabe kept trying to create opportunities for himself by using me as a pawn. He had brought Xavier to the house, outed me to the family, and all I could do was grit my teeth and go along with each play because there was no alternative.
In the unforgiving heat of the day, I trailed Gabriel as he spoke to some familiar faces. The men he greeted took little interest in me beyond a curious glance. I wasn’t important, only a problem that was being sorted behind closed doors and didn’t need their assistance. Not yet anyway. They wouldn’t think twice if Xavier called them in to help get rid of me, but for now, they’d keep their hands clean. The assumption was clear; I was attached to Gabe in some way and Xavier hadn’t breathed a word against me, so whatever they thought had to be kept behind locked lips.
I huffed a breath and gazed over the yard before seeing Dante standing near the doors, watching me. As I caught his eye, he gave the smallest jerk of his chin, gesturing for me to follow him as he walked inside.
“Gabe,” I cut in during a break in the conversation. He looked down at me and I coated my tongue in as much sugar as I could muster. “I’m going to grab a glass of water. It’s so warm out here.” The expression on his face told me that he was about to decline the request. “It’s probably not best to be out in midday heat in my condition.” I brought a hand to my bump. “I’ll be two minutes.”
He wasn’t about to start snapping with Mauro Costa standing in front of us. That wouldn’t fit in with the fairytale narrative that Gabe wanted to spin for everyone. If he wanted to play games, I’d let him, but I could do the same. I might be pushing my luck, but it was better than being a sitting duck.
“Thank you.” I smiled brightly, showing gratitude to the permission he hadn’t even granted. Turning to Franco, I said, “No need for you to come with me. There’s nowhere safer than the Moretti household, surely?”
The muscles in Franco’s face tightened as I backed him into the corner, but I didn’t stay to enjoy the moment. Instead, I left as quickly as possible, making my way across the yard and into the house. Instantly, the coolness hit me, and I was grateful to be out of the sun and away from eyes. All I needed to do now was figure out where Dante had gotten to.
My steps were light as I walked through the empty space of the house toward the kitchen, which would be my first guess as to his location. A pair of voices floated from the room and I listened to women in the middle of a conversation.
“She’s been stuck to him all day.” Katia’s heavily accented voice was the one I recognized first. “You should have seen them in church. It was shameful. All over each other.”
The other person snorted. “Shameful seems to be her forte.”
“Clever move, if you ask me. Even if it’s a little risky.”
“What do you mean?”
“Sleeping her way to the top.”
For the second time that day, the humiliation swallowed me. Gabe had latched onto an idea to launch him to the top and apparently it didn’t matter what my answer was, because he had already set the wheels in motion. He barely needed to lift a finger to set the rumor mill into overdrive.
“Mia.”
A hand on the small of my back made me jump and I clutched my chest where my heart hammered. “Shh,” I hissed, and pulled Dante away from the kitchen. I didn’t need to hear anymore unsavory opinions on my life, and no one needed to hear us talking. “Is everything okay?” I asked. We entered the room that had held the ball all those months ago.
“Yeah, I wanted to check up on you,” he said to me. “And let you know that Luc knows about the baby.”
I closed my eyes and digested that information. It would have only been a matter of time after this morning, but Luc had already heard the news and I hadn’t heard a word from him. It wasn’t reasonable for me to be upset. I’d left, I’d chosen to stay away, and I was planning to drop off the face of the Earth, but somewhere inside there was a flicker of hope that Luc would be pleased by the news.
“Gabe must have told him.”
I opened my eyes and corrected Dante. “Xavier must have told him.”
“What?”
“Gabe let him know that I was back and brought him around for an unexpected visit.”
“What the fuck is he playing at?” Dante exclaimed, brows knitting together. We’d both banked on Gabe wanting to help us, but we’d misjudged him.
“You wouldn’t believe me,” I said, letting out a breath.
“Try me.”
