That’s a big fat lie. Tristan absolutely refused to go ring shopping with her, and she has stalled because she thought she could get him to change his mind. Mario gave her his mother’s ring, and she hates it, but she can’t very well tell him that. It’s very old fashioned and nothing like the current style of engagement rings.
Before anyone else can say anything, we are called to take our seats because dinner is ready to be served.
We bid the Steels goodbye and take our seats on either side of the table. Mario and Gregor flank Tristan and Stacey with a very pale and drawn looking Penny sitting on Mario’s other side. I slide in next to Penny, with Xavier beside me and Vienna andColton opposite us, with the rest of the guests spreading out down the table.
Dinner is served, and polite conversation carries on around us. Mario makes a toast, and we watch Stacey hiss at Tristan with annoyance when he refuses the glass of champagne she offers him. When he refuses, her father waves at her to pass it to him. Panic crosses her face before she hands it to him, carelessly spilling it on the table. He shouts in surprise and stands up.
“Oh my goodness, I’m so clumsy. Sorry, Daddy.” Stacey flutters her eyelashes at him.
“I bet that was spiked,” Xavier murmurs in my ear.
“No bet,” I reply, turning my attention to Penny who is listless and going through the motions.
“You don’t look so good, Penelope,” I murmur in her ear, noticing bruises on her wrists as she reaches for her champagne flute. “Maybe you should skip the wedding on Wednesday.”
She turns to me. Her eyes are dull, and her mouth is lined. “I wish I could. If I could go back in time, I never would have gotten involved with Mario. Lorenzo forced me to,” she tells me flatly, her voice barely over a whisper so he doesn’t overhear.
“I’ll take care of it,” I promise, not doubting her words in the least. We’ve never been friends, and I don’t think we ever will be, but I don’t doubt her when she says Lorenzo manipulated her.
I’ll make sure to have a car ready to take her from the wedding reception and get her on the jet to a faraway destination, making sure she signs divorce papers before she leaves. I do not want her getting her hooks back into my father once she discovers he’s still alive.
Once dinner is finished, I give my excuses and take my leave, feigning a migraine. Mario isn’t happy, but I made the others stay behind to keep him appeased while I sneak into the hidden room and grab some tracking chips. I’ll make sure the boys allhave one as well just in case Mario doesn’t let me anywhere near my father or Carla.
I use my burner phone to make a few last minute arrangements for my former stepmother. I want her on the other side of the country from my family, and I’m going to have to pull a couple of strings to make it happen. Her family is associated with the Bianchis, so I put in a call to Rocco after his promise to help at Sage’s funeral. I’m smiling when I finally hang up, one last loose end tied up.
Once done, I toss the burner back into the cabinet, sneak out of the hidden room, and down to mine, praying nobody is watching the security feeds too closely, distracted by all the guests. When I reach my room, I remove the formal dress, throwing on a discarded shirt that Xavier left in my room. I bring the collar up to my nose and inhale deeply before sliding into bed on my own. Xavier won’t come to bed until he makes sure Tristan is safely tucked into his. We’re doing everything we can to keep our boy out of Stacey’s clutches, cockblocking her every chance we get.
Chapter Twenty-Five
Ididn’t even feel Xavier come to bed last night, but I wake surrounded by his scent and warmth. My back is nestled into his front, and his arm is slung over me. Anticipation buzzes in my veins, but this time it has nothing to do with the sexy hunk of man meat behind me and everything to do with the fact that I’m going to see my dad today for the first time in over six months.
I’m so excited, I’m just about bursting out of my skin. I never dreamed such a thing would be possible… hearing his voice or feeling his arms around me, breathing in his comforting scent as he hugs me tightly.
“Tori, I wish I could claim to be the reason you’re practically vibrating in my arms with excitement, but somehow, I doubt I am today.”
I spin quickly at the sound of Xavier’s sleepy voice.
“I get to see my dad today,” I tell him, unable to hide the excitement in my voice.
He smiles, cracking open his eyes. He looks so cute all mussed and rumpled with a crease from the pillow on his cheek. “Yeah, but don’t let Mario see how excited you are. The bastard is likely to deny it just to spite you.”
I scoff, smacking a kiss against his lips and wriggling out of his arms. “Please, he wants access to the Russo empire too badly to do that.”
Xavier rolls onto his back, putting his hands behind his head as the covers slide down, showing me his gorgeous chest, but even that is not enough to distract me this morning as I head to the bathroom.
“Maybe not, but he gets sick pleasure out of other people’s trauma, so try to contain yourself for the sake of both of you. I wouldn’t put it past him to rough him up before he arrives just to upset you. If you show him you don’t care either way, then it will keep your dad safer,” he calls out. We should probably be more careful about how we talk, but I doubt the security team is updating Mario on every conversation.
I finish peeing and brushing my teeth and hair before studying my clothes. If I put on the suit, it might give Mario the idea that I’ve been keeping track of what is going to happen today. If I dress casually, though, like I’m expecting to stay home, he may not realize how excited I am. I grab a pair of skinny jeans and a graphic tee, donning them before adding shoes. We have to go into the Lucky Diamond to do this on the main system there. I wonder how Mario is planning on getting them into the resort without anyone seeing them.
When I return to the bedroom, Xavier is still lying in bed. “Come on.” I shake his foot, and he chuckles, throwing the covers back and stretching. I feel a little drool pool in my mouth but swallow it down, refusing to give in to temptation.
“I’ll see you at breakfast,” I tell him, turning my back and leaving the room before I cave to such a tempting delight.
“Ah, Tori,” Mario greets me as I sit down at a mostly empty table. “Isn’t it a wonderful day?” He seems to be as enthusiastic as I am, but Xavier’s words echo in my ear as I feign confusion.
“I mean, I guess. The wedding rehearsal seemed to go smoothly, so fingers crossed the wedding does as well.”
He smirks. “Ah, yes, the wedding. Well, that wasn’t quite what I was talking about, but it seems the rest of the family must be sleeping in after such a big night.” He looks around at all the empty seats.
