“It’ll be fine,” I say and reach for Harper’s hand, trying to reassure her that her son will be safe.
“Will it?” She stares at me. I can feel the worry on her shoulders. “Honestly, Luca, I really was hoping we could push the parents meeting back and have you meet them and Zeke first.”
That would have been the safer option and might have even helped for tonight’s dinner, but my parents had insisted that we all dine together. “Dante would never go for that. He wants to watch the madness unfold in front of him.”
“Seriously?” Harper asks. “I just assumed he was afraid I’d spill the secret about the mafia or the little boy being held in the basement?—”
She is right. I’m sure that had been on the forefront of my father’s mind, concerned that he couldn’t control her if she’s not under his roof. It’s why he had originally demanded we stay until we were wed.
That was until he realized Harper was good at keeping secrets. She’d kept Zeke from me. From everyone at Evergreen University.
“You can’t mention the little boy in the basement.”
“I know, but?—”
“No.” I shut that down immediately. “You can’t mention the kid. I’ll—look into it while I’m working for Dante,” I say.
“You will?” Her voice catches with a ray of hope.
“Just let me deal with the mafia stuff. You stay out of trouble, please.” I don’t want to have to worry about Harper all evening. It’s going to be enough to try to get through dinner with both of our parents.
“I promise not to step foot in that prison basement again.”
I snort. “Good.”
I hate the cost of what it took for her to learn her lesson.
A price we are all forced to pay.
Five
Luca
It’s cloudy outside, and as we arrive at the compound, large drops of rain begin cascading down from the heavens.
It fits my mood perfectly.
There’s a vehicle in front of the house that I don’t recognize. It’s a small, two-door black sedan with quite some age on it. The dark sheen has seen better days, as has the front corner bumper.
“Your parents’ car?” I ask, my stomach tumbling at the fact that they arrived before us.
I grab an umbrella from the backseat and walk around to lead Harper out of the car, sheltering her from the rain.
She raises an eyebrow as I wrap my arm around her waist. I lean down, my lips brush against her ear. “Fake dating, remember,” I say. “We need to make this convincing tonight.”
“Yes,” she whispers.
While my parents probably don’t care whether we’re an actual couple or not, we are clearly performing for her parents this evening.
I lead her up to the main door, and before I can so much as knock, the front door swings open and one of my father’s men greets us. There’s not so much as a smile on his face.
“Come inside,” Vito says. “Everyone is in the family room.”
I lead Harper into the house, and we both take off our shoes and coats. I reach for her hand as I lead her down the hallway to the open room on the left beside the dining room.
“Mama!” Zeke squeals and throws up his arms at Harper the second he lays eyes on her.
She untangles her hand from mine and hurries over to her son, bringing him into her arms, nuzzling and kissing him as she puts him on her hip to hold.
