“Daddy, are you okay?” Phoenix asked quietly, glancing at the driver in the front seat of the Rolls Royce. He was stunning tonight in a black suit Mamma had paid for. She’d sent a tailor around to measure us both and have the clothing made for the party, but the perfect fit didn’t stop Phoenix from tugging on his sleeves uncomfortably, and I assumed he’d never worn anything this formal, and certainly not so expensive. His hair fell around his face in shiny waves that softened his appearance in a charming way.
I gave him a small smile and glanced down at myself. I wore a similar suit with a black jacket, pants, and tie, and a white dress shirt. The shiny black shoes were tight on my feet, but everything was brand-new. I smoothed my hand over the jacket and sighed. “I’m fine.” I stopped to think about it. “Actually, I’m not.”
He reached over to link our fingers. “We don’t have to go if you’d rather not.”
I wanted to laugh because that should’ve been my line—I’d certainly said it enough over the past week. The outside world flashed by as we left the poorer parishes and headed toward where Mamma lived, in the Émeraude District. Actually, all my family lived in the same area. I didn’t know what Phoenix would think when he saw the tall mansions, large estates, and overexuberant wealth.
I turned toward him and the seat belt over my shoulder pulled slightly. “Listen to me, Phoenix. I need you to promise me something.”
“Anything, Daddy.”
“No matter what, don’t leave my sight tonight. I don’t care who it is, don’t leave the main party with anyone, am I clear? Stay out in the open.” Panic and protectiveness settled inside my chest, making it tighten.
“Why?” he asked. So innocent. He had no idea who he lived with right now or what kind of family I came from.
“The Sabbatinis are not good people, at least, not to outsiders. They pretend to be, but they aren’t. Remember Toma?”
He winced and touched his left ear. Of course he remembered, the bastard had hit him. “Yes.”
How could I explain my family to him without putting him in danger? “In the right circumstances, they can all be like him—my siblings, my cousins, all of them, except Mamma. Promise me you won’t leave my sight.”
He licked his lips. “I promise, Daddy.”
My heart raced. “And promise you won’t judge me.”
“Why would I?” he whispered, fingers tightening in mine. His hand was small compared to mine and reminded me of how fragile he was.
“Because I wasn’t always a priest. I have a past I want to forget, and my family will bring it up. It’s their favorite way to get under my skin.”
“I won’t let them, Daddy,” he said, with more passion than I’d expected. He pursed his lips and straightened. “I won’t let them say bad things about you.”
I laughed before I could rein myself in but stopped when hurt passed over his face. I cupped his cheek and smoothed my thumb over his pale skin. “Don’t look at me like that. I wasn’t laughing at you, I believe you. Thank you.”
He smiled.
The car turned in to Mamma’s street and I glanced back out the window. The burnt-orange sunset sent a glow across the mega mansions and bright green lawns of the estates that belonged to the richest part of St. Loren. Mamma’s house was the last one at the end of Hibiscus Drive and sat on seven acres of land. The colonial mansion had a winding driveway that circled around manicured bushes her gardeners regularly took care of. The home was white, with four large pillars at the front of the veranda, and orange brick steps that led up to the white door. Everything about it shouted refined Southern wealth.
“Wow.” Phoenix leaned over me with wide eyes, staring at the house as the driver stopped in front of the steps.
Sighing, I unbuckled my seat belt and opened the door before the driver could get around to it. I slipped out of the car, and even though the driver frowned at me in irritation that I hadn’t let him do his job, I helped Phoenix as he slid over to my side and got out.
“This is where you grew up, Daddy?” Phoenix tipped his head back and stared up at the massive pillars. “This is something out of a movie.”
“God doesn’t approve of such greediness, it’s a sin,” I said, more to myself than him.
He cocked his head, but I smiled and laid a hand on his lower back, guiding him around the side of the house. The brick path led toward a separate building at the back.
“Mamma has a great room, it’s where the party will be happening.”
Phoenix’s frown told me he didn’t know what a great room was, but I didn’t blame him. It was a reminder I’d grown up in luxury a lot of people hadn’t experienced, and there was a reason God called me to the priesthood.
“Remember what I said.” We crossed the path and finally made it to the great room, which was a stone building that looked tiny compared to the house but was probably the size of St. Michael’s church hall. The noise coming from inside was raucous laughter and cheers, and I was sure one of my siblings or cousins was doing something stupid. “Don’t go off alone withanyof them and tell them you can’t if they ask. Keep other people in sight.”
He stood straighter, the suit fitting his lean body nicely, and nodded. “Yes, Daddy. I’ll make you proud.”
I had no doubt he would.
The moment we entered we were greeted with cheers. Nicolo came running over to us immediately and didn’t even give me a chance to check out the crowd. My younger brother was the second-wildest of our siblings—Isa, our youngest brother, took first place for that—and the most self-entitled. He looked like a younger version of me, with the same dark hair and eyes and tan. Unlike me, though, he was covered in tattoos Mamma disapproved of and had a cross hanging from an earring in his right ear.
