Page 51

Rafaello rushed to protect Arabella as she screamed in shock, her hands flying to cover her face. He pulled her to the side, shielding her with his body as a crystal goblet flew past where her head had been moments ago.

Arcangelo grabbed his mother around the waist and dragged her off the table just as she raised her arm, the knife still clutched in her hand, poised to strike.

Her face was twisted in murderous rage, lips pulled back in a snarl that revealed her perfect teeth. Tossed over his shoulder, she continued to screech and scream, all while making threatening stabbing motions with her arm. Her feet kicked wildly.

"Put me down, goddamn you!" she screamed at Arcangelo, pounding her free fist against his back. "I'll cut his fucking heart out!"

Fabrizio turned to the woman on his arm, his face a mask of mock concern. "Do you see what I have to deal with?"

He gestured toward his wife as if showcasing an exhibit.

The young woman pressed herself against the wall, eyes wide with horror. This clearly wasn't what she'd signed up for.

Her gaze savage, Filomena howled, "I'll kill you, you bastard!"

She slashed the air with her knife, nearly catching Arcangelo's ear.

Fabrizio fired right back, unbuttoning his suit jacket casually, as if preparing for a brawl he knew he'd win. "I'm divorcing you, you cold bitch!"

"I'll never grant you a divorce. Do you hear me? Never! I will die a Diamanti!" She finally landed a solid kick to Arcangelo's stomach, causing him to double over and loosen his grip.

"Judging by your looks, that will be soon, you fucking hag." Fabrizio's grin was wolf-like, all teeth and no warmth.

The entire dining room erupted into chaos as Filomena forced herself out of Arcangelo's arms and started picking up plates and flinging them at Fabrizio.

China shattered against walls, food splattered across priceless art, and crystal fractured into deadly shards across the marble floor.

Sebastian protected me with his body as I stared in horror, unable to look away from the implosion of wealth and dysfunction.

His arms were bands of steel around me, his heart pounding against my chest the only indication that he wasn't as calm as he appeared.

A plate whizzed past my ear, close enough to stir my hair, and exploded against the sideboard behind us.

Sebastian cursed and spun us around, using his body as a human shield.

His hand cradled the back of my head, pressing my face into the hollow of his throat.

"Stay behind me," he growled. "Don't move unless I tell you to."

The command brooked no argument.

Filomena grabbed a candlestick and hurled it at Fabrizio's head.

He ducked, and it struck the young woman instead, catching her temple with a sickening thud. She crumpled to the floor, blood seeping from a nasty gash.

Fabrizio didn't even look at her.

Sebastian's chest rumbled as he ordered his father, "Leave now!"

Pointing a finger at Sebastian’s face, Fabrizio threatened, "You. I wouldn't be so high and mighty, son. Your days running the House of Diamanti are numbered. Soon I'll have the board on my side, and you will be left with nothing. Do you hear me? Nothing!"

I clutched the back of Sebastian’s shirt, fabric bunching between my fingers as I pressed myself against him, feeling the tension in every muscle.

"That day will never come. I’ll see you dead first," Sebastian threatened.

Not a threat.

A promise.