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I clear my throat and stare at my mother. “I’d appreciate you not speaking like that in front of Amara. Or better yet, speaking of me remarrying, period.”
“It was only a simple question, Antonio,” she replies, clutching her pearl necklace in one hand and her wineglass in the other. “I can ask around, see who’s available?—”
“What did I just say?” I snap.
“Focus on Vinny’s nuptials,” my father says before gulping down his Jack and Coke.
“I’d rather we revisit the conversation of Antonio marrying,” Vinny argues.
“I’d rather you do as I say unless you want to live on the streets and marry one of your cunt whores you spend too much time with.” My father uses his glass to point at Vinny. “Don’t think there isn’t word of where you spend your free time … or better yet,notyour free time since you’re slacking on your casino responsibilities.”
“Everyone has a mistress.” Vinny chugs his wine.
My father glares at him. “Hide them better then.”
“You sure didn’t do a good job of that, did you?” My mother scoffs at him. “You knocked up your whore and have a bastard son somewhere.”
“Shut your mouth, Marsha,” he warns, shoving his chair out and standing. “Vinny, wear a condom so you don’t get your mistress pregnant”—he pauses to snarl at my mother—“untilafteryou marry your bitch wife.” He snatches his cane, calls Vinny a fucking idiot, and leaves the room.
My mother waits until he’s out of the room before speaking. “I can’t believe my father chosehimas a husband for me.”
I rub my temples, a headache forming in my skull.
“Daddy!” Amara dashes into the room, holding a plate. “There are so many cookies!”
I rise from my chair. “You getonefor now, and we’ll save the others for later.”
My sweet daughter, who’s too good for this world, holds up a finger. “Onenowand then another before bed?”
“We’ll see.” I kiss the top of her head.
“You’re a better father than yours,” my mother remarks, grabbing hold of the wine bottle and filling her glass to the brim. “Let’s pray it stays that way.”
“Thankfully, Clara is a wonderful grandmother and role model to her,” I say, curling my lip at her before ushering Amara out of the room without waiting to hear her reply.
“Bye, sweetie,” she yells to our backs. “Grandma loves you.”
“Love you too!” Amara shouts, cookie crumbs falling from her lips.
Vinny follows us outside, and before we leave, he says, “Tomorrow night. My place. Natalia and Gigi will be there.”
Vinny’s condo is in the heart of the city—somewhere you’ll never find my ass living. The level of security is limited, and the fewer eyes on my family, the better.
When I walk in, Natalia is on the couch with a wineglass in her hand. I can’t blame Vinny for wanting her. She’s beautiful and his type with sleek black hair, tawny skin, and red lips. It’s a shame she lacks the brain capacity to understand how vicious my brother is and will find out the hard way when she finally decides to escape the nightmare of him.
There’s no sign of Gigi.
Natalia reaches inside her purse, rummages through it, and extends an old-school flip phone in my direction. “Gigi told me to give you this.” Her stare is filled with apology and a touch of fear.
I take the phone from her, my expression neutral. “I take it she’s not coming?”
She shakes her head.
I don’t saythank youor another word before leaving Vinny’s condo. When I walk outside, a downpour surrounds me. A flash of lightning tears through the sky.
I toy with the burner in my hand, sharing the same apprehension Gigi did with the one I’d given her. Burners, or any device, holds its dangers. I won’t dare bring one inside my home and put my daughter’s life in jeopardy.
When I open the phone, I find two numbers in the Contacts.
