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The second I placed my right hand in his, we began moving, Frank taking the lead instantly and directing us around the dance floor.
The man really wanted to dance.
Not just sway back and forth in one spot, which would usually be my idea of the concept.
“I’m sorry if I struggle to keep up. I don’t dance a lot,” I joked, a little out of breath already as I attempted to keep from tripping over our feet—mine and his.
Frank laughed a loud chortle. “You’re doing just fine,” he praised with a grin, flashing me a golden tooth. “Anyway, with how intensely Bishop is watching you right now, I’m sure that if you fell, he’d be here in a heartbeat and catch you before you hit the floor.”
I risked looking away from my feet for a moment, catching sight of Bishop across the room, his mouth moving as he seemed to be in a discussion with a handful of men, but his eyes locked on me at the same time.
“Oops!” My foot tripped, but Frank caught me quickly, turning us several times to make it seem like it was just a part of the dance. “Maybe focus on me.”
I swallowed, returning my eyes to meet his. “Yeah, sorry, I’m just…”
“You’re in love,” he said, filling the pause. “Vince was suspicious of the connection between the two of you, thought maybe Bishop was using it as protection.”
So, Vince is smart and psycho. That’s not comforting.
“To be quite honest with you,” I started, hoping this was about to pay off and help to bring Frank even more on board with us and leave his son to drown. “Bishop and I spent so many months pretending like there was nothing going on, so I’m not surprised Vince got a different vibe from us.”
His face instantly transformed, his brows both rising high. “Really? And why is that exactly?”
I cleared my throat and rolled my shoulders. “Bishop’s daughter, Calli, is my best friend and roommate… has been for almost six years. We didn’t want our relationship to hurt her, so we’ve kept it hidden as much as possible.”
“Wow.” His reaction was genuine, the surprise on his face as clear as day and, hopefully, it would be this that convinced him once and for all. “I understand now your conundrum.”
You have no idea, Frank.
No idea.
“I just wanted to apologize,” I continued, my stomach twisting in a knot as I hoped this wouldn’t make this worse. “The thing with the girl in the hospital…”
Frank shook his head, the two of us becoming more in sync as we moved across the ballroom. “No. It’s me who needs to apologize for Vince and his actions,” Frank declared. “I’ve never been afraid to hurt people in the name of my family. That is the way of this world. But I have never got the kind of joy out of it that Vince does. These sadistic tendencies of his sicken me, and I’m sorry that you somehow got caught up in that mess.”
Wow.
I was so shocked by his admission that I almost tripped over my feet again.
Thankfully, Frank was a great lead and kept us moving around the floor despite my many mistakes.
How often did the head of a crime family admit his grievances with his son to someone? Never. No way in hell. But Frank was so done with Vince’s bullshit that he was ready to share that disdain with the world.
And I was already nervous about dipping my toe into those waters. I did not want to get swept away if the waves got any bigger.
“I appreciate that,” I answered, trying to think on my feet and move. “Do you have any more children?”
“Oh yes,” he replied, his concerned features melting away. “Oh yes. My daughter, Gwen. She is beautiful and married one of my lieutenants a few years ago. Got a couple of grandkids there. My son, Marco, is away at college right now, but he will be coming home to take over as the head of this family soon.”
Soon? How soon? Is this man dying?
“Mr. Martelli,” a young man in a sharp black suit suddenly interrupted, and we jerked to a stop. “Your wife would like to speak with you.”
He grunted, obviously unhappy with the request, but his hands still fell away, and he stepped back. “Shay, I hope to catch up with you and Bishop later. Excuse me.”
“Absolutely,” I answered, curtseying again with a grin, making Frank explode with laughter as he walked away.
I’d done it.
