It’s too late now, Evelina’s eyes flash with recognition. “Of Cancun. I see. That would make you…Amos Rubio’sprincipessa.”
An ache begins to blossom at the sound of my father’s name, forcing me to look away. The war is important to my father, vital, even. If he can afford to keep me here for months without rescue, then…
“Have you lived here your whole life?” I reply instead.
Evelina watches me a moment as if debating whether or not to press the point about my heritage. Luckily, she seems to sense my hesitation enough to drop it.
“I married into the Grassos,” she says, a small, reminiscent smile on her lips. “Although, it was always destined for me to be here. I cannot recall a time I did not live here behind these walls.”
This piques my interest. “Was your marriage arranged too?”
“In a sense” Evelina appraises me again. “My love, he declared we would marry when we were just children. No one else would dare look at me after that.”
The tenderness in her voice makes me smile, too. “That must have been nice to know he loved you for so long.”
“I have loved him every day since. There will be no other, and I will be buried next to him when my time comes. It will be quite pleasant, I think, to return to his side once more.”
I swallow. “He sounds like a wonderful man.”
“I was very lucky, for the time that we had was so precious,” she agrees. “I wish only now that my son might encounter this as well.”
The espresso cup burns my hand slightly as I grip it. “I thought Dante would be the type to marry for connections.”
“It would be wise, yes,” she concedes. “But not the most important, I think. The Grasso di Ferro has survived a long, long time. But it is not as important as my son. He has been lost to me for so many years. I only wish now for his happiness.”
“Is he not happy?” I find myself asking.
“I think not. Though I suspect you might know this better than I.”
I shake away the flush that threatens my cheeks. “We’re both just a little homesick.”
“Yes, well,” Evelina swallows the rest of her coffee. “I do hope you are not too inconvenienced by your prolonged stay,principessa.”
With that, she makes her leave as if conversing with her son’s enemy was the most normal thing in the world.
“SignoraGrasso?”
“Yes?”
I bite my lip slightly. “I’m sorry I called you a…for cursing you out when I arrived.”
A slow smile spreads across the matriarch’s face.
“Call me Evelina.”
13
DANTE
“You’re burning.”
“I’m not burning.”
“You are.” I can’t help but reach out to snap the strap of her bathing suit. “Right under there.”
“You just want to ogle me like a creep while you put sunscreen on my back.”
“I was trying to be gentlemanly, but apparently, your sexually deviant ways are rubbing off on me.”
