“Would you like to sit down?” I ask them, amused when they jump at the offer.
They join me for lunch, leaving Mrs. Rizzo alone at her own table. Our conversation hops from one superficial topic to the next. All the social niceties Mama taught me come back withoutmuch effort at all. Chatting with these women is casual, and surprisingly easy.
I wouldn’t call a single one of them afriend, but they are my peers. Wives and daughters of dons. We understand each other on a level that no one else ever could.
Finished with lunch, I excuse myself. “It was lovely to visit with you all.Ciao.”
They murmur their goodbyes.
Instead of heading straight for the door, I stroll up to Mrs. Rizzo’s table and narrow my eyes at her. I lace my tone with soft violence, “I know what you did. Don’t ever come near me or my husband again.”
To my surprise, she doesn’t return my glare. She smiles. Warm, indulgent, and bright with triumph.
She rises, and we stand eye to eye. “Now you’re fit to be Maximo’s wife. I always knew you had it in you, Elena. It just needed some coaxing to come out. Well done.”
What in the hell does that mean?
CHAPTER 42
Elena
“Maximo!” I call as soon as I enter the foyer. He’s working from home today, so unless he was called away for some reason, he should be here. He appears at the top of the stairs, looking much too handsome in that dark Armani suit.
“Yes,bella?”
I set my purse on the entry table. “I’m missing something.” Kicking off my heels, I frown in thought. “Mrs. Rizzo seemed delighted to see me today. Which is strange, but not as strange as two other things.” I tick them off on my fingers. “One, why haven’t you questioned her? And two, why did you let me off easy when I confessed to backstabbing you like that?”
His brow quirks. “Did I let you off easy?”
I roll my eyes and shake my head. We both know hispunishmentwas nowhere near as brutal as it could have been—if he took my betrayal seriously.
“Why aren’t you getting answers from her?” I insist. “She tried to kill you. Didn’t she?” Or am I missing something?
He jogs down the floating stairs. Coming to stop in front of me, his lips drop to mine for a single toe curling kiss. “Portia Rizzo is not our enemy.”
“How can you be so sure?”
“Because she’s my mother’s best friend. They went to school together, they’re as close as sisters.”
“What? But—” My mind races to make sense of this new information. She’s his mother's best friend. He never really thought of her as a potential threat. Then why would Mrs. Rizzo play this kind of dangerous game? Unless his mother and Mrs. Rizzo thought I…
A second later realization dawns. I scoff. “She did it totestme?”
Maximo nods. “It’s just like her to pull something like that. I’ve known Portia my whole life, and she loves to meddle. Plus, I’m her favorite of my mother’s children. She’d never let me marry someone she didn’t think was good enough for me. I had a sneaking suspicion that’s what she was up to.”
“B-but,” I sputter, “I failed! Miserably. She must think I’m the worst wife possible because of what I did to you.”
He chuckles like it’s no big deal. “She did admit there was a time when she considered sealing your body in a barrel and putting it out to sea. But then?—”
“Wait.What?When did you talk with her about this?”
“Just got off the phone with her. She called to congratulate us, and to assure me that she deleted all the information you sent to her.”
I cringe. “Oh my god, I can’t believe this.”
“What’s wrong? I thought you’d be happy to know it’s all over.” He follows me into the living room where I sink onto the sofa.
I could die from embarrassment. “Do you know what I did today? I walked right up to her table and threatened her.”
