“Let’s get on with it then.” I’m ready for this part to be over. For all the bullshit to be wrapped up until I come face to face with the Vesuvios.
I hold my hand out for the ring. I’m wearing opera gloves. My skin feels slick underneath them.
Kaiser sees the gloves and hesitates.
“I’ll wear it over the gloves,” I say, and pluck the ring out of the box and slide it onto my pinky finger, where it fits even over the glove. “See? It fits. Unless you wanted to present me with it in there. Down on one knee, the works.” I frown, wondering if the theatrics will be better.
“Whatever you want,” Kaiser says. He sounds so serious, like he’s making a vow.
“This is fine, I guess. Good idea, getting me this thing. It’ll really sell the marriage.” Which will never be real, I add silently. I don’t look at him. I can’t. I need to get out of this car, but Kaiser’s not moving, so I open the car door. He catches my arm, gripping me over the glove. All the air rushes out of my lungs. He’s been so careful with me the past few days. I’ve missed his control, his touch.
“Bella.” Each syllable comes out like he’s wrestling with it. “Tell me what you want.”
“I want to go inside and get this over with.”
“Then tell me what you’re afraid of. I’ll take care of it.”
I shake my head. What can I say? I’m afraid of looking at you. I’m afraid you’ll figure out what I’m about to do and stop me.
I’m afraid I’m falling for you. That I’ll be too weak to go through with my plan. There are so many women I need to avenge. I can’t let one pretty man stand in my way. “I’m not afraid of anything. Not anymore.”
The senator greets us at the door.
“A pleasure,” I say and offer my hand. He makes a big show of kissing it. I feel his lips over the glove. Kaiser moves closer.
“Careful.” I smile and thread my arm with Kaiser. “My fiancé gets jealous.”
“I was so sorry to hear your father couldn’t make it.”
This is news to me. But it’ll make things easier. “He sends his regards,” I lie.
“He sent me an eighteen-year-old Bordeaux. Shall we open it later?” He winks at me, laying it on thick, and I play right along.
“Oh, we must,” I say and join him in a fake laugh. The senator takes me around and introduces me to a million people. Kaiser hovers, stone-faced at my side, while I shake hands and talk and flirt. I use all my charm. I can hear myself talking, and I know I don’t sound like myself. But I’m not pretending I’m in an episode of Vampire Varsity. No, that’d be childish.
I’m not a child anymore.
This party is full of beautiful people. They glitter together like a chandelier made of glass sharp enough to cut. At least Fraternitas is honest about being violent. These people would smile in my face and stab me in the back.
That’s okay. If they were truly my enemies, I could poison their wine before they even got close.
After cocktails on the lawn, we sit down to dinner. There’s a violin quartet playing softly beside us, and every scrape of the strings sets my teeth on edge. After dinner, a few couples take to the dance floor. Kaiser takes me on a tour of the house, and we end up on a balcony overlooking the drunken crowd.
“I thought you said the Vesuvios would be here,” I say to Kaiser.
“They sent a few capos.” He points out a few burly men in badly fitted suits.
“That’s it?” I was hoping there’d be someone from the head family. Dominus or his two remaining sons, Francesco and Salvatore. I want to meet them. Shake their hands.
“Sal and Frankie Vesuvio were supposed to be here. The senator told us they’d be coming. We begin truce talks at midnight. But you won’t be there.” I half expected this, but it’s still disappointing.
“Afraid I’ll poison someone?”
“Yes.”
“Then why’d you let me come?”
33
