In the periphery of my vision I could see Xavier’s expression tighten. He wouldn’t want that association with his family name. Too much scandal for the clean image he wanted to project.
“I have no idea why she’d think such a thing,” Gabe said to me, words flat and even. “I’ll make sure she’s put right.” Gabe created the mess, so Gabe could clean it up.
“I understand you not wanting to upset her in her current condition,” Xavier said, ignoring his son’s misdemeanor. Knowing Xavier, it would be dealt with in private rather than at the table. “But as Dante said, we’ve let it lie for long enough, and with Mia back we need to ensure we don’t have a similar incident. We wouldn’t want anything else to scare her off. I’m more than happy to offer my assistance. Take the pressure off the both of you.”
We were all reckless, all a little risk inclined. You didn’t get where we were by being cautious, but the brazenness of Xavier to ask to hunt for the murderer, for himself, sat heavy on my chest. He’d “find”the perpetrator and an innocent man would pay for his sins, just as they always did. Only this time it wouldn’t rest as easily on my conscience.
“Thanks for the offer but I think it’s best left with me,” I told him.
“Times like these are when you should rely on family. Your father wouldn’t forgive me if I didn’t offer you and your family some assistance.”
My skin prickled as he mentioned Charlie. “I’m sure he’d be grateful for the offer. But I really think Mia would appreciate this situation being dealt with by us. It’s still raw for her.” That wasn’t a lie. Something in Mia had shifted since her father’s death, and I was sure she’d raise hell if I told her Xavier was planning to play detective. Even I couldn’t bring myself to ask her to take part in that charade. Plus, if we wanted to start gaining support, I’d need to distance myself from Xavier again.
“Whatever you feel is best. You know the door is always open should you need me.”
“Great,” Tori cut in. “Can we leave business at the door now?” Her request was granted as we lapsed into simpler conversations consisting of plans for the holidays and the De Salvo wedding. Xavier made no more comments on the choices I’d made in my life, and I feigned interest in the conversation while my mind whirled with violent and bloody thoughts.
When dinner concluded, I kissed Emilia on the cheek and felt my skin crawl as I clasped hands with Xavier and thanked him once more for his offer to help. I stepped out into the night and had almost reached the car when a hand landed on my shoulder and I turned back to see Dante behind me.
“Do you think he suspected anything?” he asked, barely moving his lips despite the fact the door to the house had closed and Tori was sitting in the passenger seat of his car.
“I don’t know.” It was the truth. Xavier had given nothing away, but I didn’t trust that he didn’t have some suspicion that Mia would have told me her side of the story. “You’re the best person to know whether there’s anything going on behind closed doors.” My eyes flicked to Tori and then back to Dante. She would be the key to knowing if there was any change in the Moretti household, and that would tell us how best to plan our next move.
“I’ll let you know if I hear anything.”
With a curt nod, Dante left to return to his car, and I slipped into mine, ready to get home to Mia.
Chapter Thirty Six
Mia
News of our engagement had spread faster than either of us had expected, and with Luc’s forgiveness and willingness to admit me back into the family, we welcomed a change in attitude from others. Cards and flowers arrived at the new address and littered the available surfaces. This was the beginning of our work.
Life fell into a routine that had become comfortable, where Luc went to work, often bringing it home with him. On those nights, I played host. I laughed at jokes and offered food and coffee, asking after wives and children that I’d yet to meet properly. It was a way to test the waters and let people warm to the idea of me again. On Sundays, much to my dismay, I attended church by Luc’s side, head bowed in the pews, trying to find some peace with the Creator who had put me in this situation. Luc and Dante felt it was best I at least showed my face if we planned to christen the baby. All our spare time was spent trying to get the house in order so we could stop living out of boxes.
This weekend welcomed a break from the usual routine. We’d traveled south to celebrate the De Salvo wedding. I didn’t know Marcus or Eliza personally, but Luc had ties and by the looks of the congregation, anyone with even a vague thread that linked to the couple had been invited and accepted.
“Please, promise me we won’t have these numbers at our wedding,” I muttered under my breath as we slid into our seats.
“Promise,” Luc said. “It’ll be bigger.”
I turned around to him with wide eyes, praying that it was a joke but knowing that it was the truth. I’d refused to think about the wedding when we had so many other pressing matters to deal with. But it was difficult not to wonder just how ours would play out when we were surrounded by guests and flowers and dresses. Then the sobering thought ofifwe got to that day intruded and popped my blissful bubble.
By the time Marcus and Eliza had sealed their nuptials with a kiss, the sense of love and commitment had taken over again and tears escaped my eyes. Luc handed me his pocket square, looking amused. “You’re soft, Griffin.”
“Be grateful we’re in a church or I’d tell you what I think of you,” I said, snatching the square from him and dabbing at my face.
He laughed as we followed the couple from church to the reception venue, Dante and Tori nearby. Over the past few weeks, I’d only seen them together a few times, but Dante’s smile was brighter when he was around her, his aura calmer. A pair of fingers caught my chin, turning my head so that I looked directly into my fiancé’s eyes. “Stop,” he told me quietly as Dante and Tori walked past us into the venue. Luc had an uncanny sixth sense of knowing when I was about to spiral.
Guilt still settled too easily into the cracks of my conscience. I wasn’t seasoned in justifying every move the way Luc was. “She’s going to hate him when she finds out. She’s going to hate us.” I don’t know whether it was the wedding or seeing them happy together, but I suddenly found it hard to breathe.
“He’ll deal with that when the time comes.”
“Luc, he’s happy. We’re going to take that away from him.”
He leaned in, resting his head against mine. “Mia, princess, listen to me. We aren’t taking anything away from him. Dante made a decision. He chose his family. He chose duty. You need to make a choice. Love, you’re not going to be able to keep everyone happy and you’re not going to have everyone like you. What matters more? Their happiness or your son?”
And just like that, Luc placed the entire situation back into perspective with words similar to what Carmen had told me. Successful people didn’t care about the opinion of others. I loved Dante. He was like the brother I never had but I loved my son more. Despite the rocky start and all the doubts, I’d had about having this baby, I loved him in a way words couldn’t describe and I would lay my life on the line for him without question.
