Ha! Take that, Lil!I’m getting the locket back on my wedding day without it being a pity-pass-off! I knew Tina would strike before noon.
She looks me up and down, wrinkling her nose like an offending scent is wafting her way. It’s not me—I smell like Luca’s soap from our shower earlier because I grabbed the wrong bottle. And maybe a little like bacon, but who doesn’t like bacon?
“He could do so much better than you.”
“Am I supposed to give a flying fuck about your opinion? Because I could not care less about it than I do. It might officially be the least important thing in my life right now.”
“I had many offers for him, you know.”
My lip curls. “He’s a human being, not a house. Or a horse.”
“He’s big and dumb. I don’t see a difference.”
The way she talks about her own son makes my stomach churn. And my fingers ache to wrap around a trigger.
“And instead of having a respectable career and choosing thedaughter of a respected businessman, he’s a criminal and is marrying trash. Just like Marco did.” She smiles bitterly.
This bitch is lucky I’m not carrying a gun or knife at the moment. “It would be in your best interest to not disrespect the people I love,” I say, my voice dripping with venom as I pin her with a glare.
Tina shifts her weight but keeps that harsh smile on her face like she thinks she’s winning. She’s not.
I chuckle, putting her words and tone together. “Wait, wait. You and my dad? Oh, no. No. Fuck, no. You two would have made a terrible couple.”
Ignoring my theory, her arms cross over her chest, and she narrows her eyes. “It’s strange. You call Marco your dad but you’re marrying his nephew?”
“What can I say? I’m complicated. Are we done with whatever this weird confrontation thing is? I’ve got plans with Lil. Might go rob a bank.”
“The way Marco and Mia let you two run around like unruly toddlers is appalling.”
Oh, fuck her.“Did you just insult their parenting skills? You tried to force your son into a life that would have made him miserable.” Sure, Luca’s part of a criminal organization now, but he’s happy here.
She tilts her nose toward the ceiling. “You don’t know the first thing about me.”
“Tina Lucille Vaughn, now DeVille, born and raised in Reno, Nevada. You’re a Scorpio, your favorite color is red, you drive a convertible but never put the top down, and your social calendar is always full. You dumped your high school boyfriend, Ken, when he proposed right after graduation. You told him you didn’t want to be tied down in college, but really, it was because you thought the ring was too small.”
Her face pales but remains relatively expressionless.
“You inherited four hotels from your father and claim to be at them dealing with something or another all the time, but mostly you’re in the spa or salon or gossiping with your friends under the guise of social events. Speaking of gossip, did you know Ken moved to Maine? Runs a bar in a small town. Never married.”
“Why would I know that?”
“Because he visits Reno a few times every year. Stays at one of your hotels. Always orders room service for two. Youreallylike avocado toast and herbal tea, huh?”
She shifts again, looking at the wall behind me. “I—I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
“No? Weird. I could have sworn that was you in the elevator with him last week. Yellow dress, pretty heels, hands all over Ken... you had just gotten back from a silent auction, remember? You bid on that trip to Paris. Already bought the tickets. Luckily, Ken has a passport.”
Her mask falls away, and her whole demeanor changes. She’s throwing Regina George vibes my way. Damn it, I’m going to have that song stuck in my head during my wedding!
“I didn’t think you had it in you to blackmail me.”
“Oh, I’m not blackmailing you,” I clarify. “Everyone already knows all of this. By the time I thought to dig into your shit, it was already being done.” I owe Parker a bunch of Tamagotchis for making flashcards for me so Lil could help me memorize it last night.
Tina’s eyes are wide, and she’s struggling to keep her composure.
“We’ve established that I know who you are. But doyouknow whoIam?”
“The charity case who thinks she’s a big girl now.” Her face twists into a sneer as she spits the words out.
