That was surprising to say the least, I didn’t expect him to answer that question, let alone say yes. From everything that I know about the Italian Mafia, family is first. Everything else is inconsequential. For Lorenzo to want me to give him loyalty above all else is surprising, but I’m glad that he answered my question and that he was honest about it.
He wants my loyalty above everything. Fine. I can give him that, but I won’t blindly trust him. Trust takes time to build, and if I’m honest with myself, with the way that Lorenzo has laid out how our marriage will be? Trust is going to be hard to build. I’m also not stupid. I noticed that he never said anything about loyalty to me.
Then again, is anyone loyal to me?
For my family, it’s always the Clann that is top for loyalty, then my mam and da, then Dáithí, followed by Dáire, Conn, and then Caden. I’m nowhere near anyone’s top spot, and I’m used to it.
What’s having one more person demand loyalty and not return it?
Entering the house, I pull in a deep breath. The tension in the house is still as thick, if not thicker, than when I left this morning to go to the Mariano estate. It’s as though the entire house is on edge, and I know why. We’re all wondering if there’s going to be any retaliation for Dáire and Rurik’s betrayal.
Just because Lorenzo has agreed to marry me, it doesn’t make up for what Dáire has done. She has put the Syndicate alliance at risk during a time when it’s supposed to be rebuilt.
Mamie rushes toward me with a tea towel over her shoulder and an expression on her face that's trying very hard to be neutral, but I can see the fear and wariness. "Your mother's in the sitting room," she says, and the way she says it tells me exactly what I need to know about what's waiting in there. It’s about to be an ambush. Great, just what I need right now.
I give her a thankful smile. "Thanks, Mamie."
She hurries away, not wanting to risk the chance of my mam’s wrath if she’s found talking instead of working. I don't go to the sitting room. I need time to prepare. Why should I be bombarded the moment I walk through the door just because Mam’s on the warpath? Instead, I go to the kitchen, pour myself a glass of water, and automatically check the counter before reaching for anything else. Years of having a peanut allergy have made it second nature. One careless mistake and my day gets a lot more complicated than I need it to be. I stand at the counter for thirty seconds just letting myself revel in the silence before whatever comes next.
Just as I take a sip of water, I hear footsteps and turn to see Caden appear in the doorway. He doesn’t say anything at first, just glances at my cheek. He clocks the makeup, but doesn't say anything. Thankfully, my makeup skills at covering bruises have gotten better, and Lorenzo didn’t notice today, which is a huge relief.
"How'd it go?" Caden asks.
"Fine."
He leans against the doorframe. "Fine, like actually fine, or fine like you're going to tell me about it later when no one's listening?"
I grin at him. He knows me too well. "Bit of both."
He nods, satisfied with my answer. "He's in his office, by the way, and has been asking for you."
I put the glass down. "When is he not?"
Can I not get a moment of peace in this damned house? Since Dáire fucked up, it’s been constant. I’m being called to have meetings with Da and then with Mam. Da to ensure I know what the hell is expected of me as the daughter of the head of The Clann and Mam to make sure that I don’t embarrass her as she tries to guide Mamie to teach me the ‘right’ way of being a wife of a mafia man.
Like I don’t know what the hell I’m doing? While she’s been fawning over Dáire for years, Mamie and the rest of the staff have been teaching me.
Da's behind his desk when I enter his office, and the way his back’s hunched over his desk, it looks as if he's been sitting here since I left this morning. His hair is disheveled like he’s been running his hands through it. That’s something he does when he’s trying to work things out. I scan his office and note that Tony's not here, which is unusual, as Tony and Da are usually joined at the hip. So it’s just us.
Da looks up, his gaze goes to my cheek first, just as Caden’s did, and just like my brother, he notices the makeup. I see the small nod of approval, and I want to tell him to fuck off with his approval, but I know better than to antagonize him. It’ll just fuel his rage, and I don’t want to be hit again.
"How did it go?" he asks with a raised brow, his tone cordial, not like a father speaking to his daughter.
"Well," I respond in the same tone.
He sinks back against his chair, crosses his arms over his chest, and waits. God, the man is infuriating. If he had a specific question, he should damn well ask it.
I sigh. “He knows what he needs from the marriage, and I know what's expected of me. We're aligned on the arrangement," I tell him, giving him the most condensed and watered-down version I can.
He doesn’t speak, he just watches me. It used to freak me out, the way he’d sit in total silence, unblinking as he’d wait for you to either spill your guts with whatever the hell you’d done or you’d fill the silence just to try and stop that unyielding stare of his. I’m used to this crap, so I hold his gaze without flinching. I may not be what my parents wanted, but I’m even more stubborn than the two of them put together.
"Good," he says, finally taking his gaze from me. "The formal announcement goes through the Syndicate at the end of the week. There'll be a dinner at the Mariano estate tonight, informal but important. You'll be in attendance."
Tonight? How am I only finding out about this now?
As much as I want to grit my teeth and yell at him for the secrecy, I know it’ll be no use. He does whatever the hell he wants, and I don’t factor into his decisions. So I nod and plaster on my perfectly mastered smile. "What time?"
"Seven. Caden will take you. Your mam and I will also be in attendance. We’ll arrive separately. Your sister isn’t dealing well with this situation. We don’t want any further upset for her."
