“They’ve definitely changed their tune,” he says. “I’m impressed. I really thought Lyle was going to need to annul your marriage or we’d just call it a day and dig a big grave in our garden.”
“Why is it always the garden?” I tease him, shaking my head.
“You know why, Rosa. Decomposing bodies make great fertilizer.”
“So they do,” I murmur, smiling as the next cramp rips through my stomach.Fuck.
It’s a good thing I’m good at masking my pain. I’ve certainly been doing it for long enough.
“Daughter! What a surprise to see you here.”
Crap on a cracker…
“Papa,” I greet him. The large man I’ve been calling my father for my entire life dwarfs my body as he towers over me.
Thankfully, Silas doesn’t attempt to pull me behind himself to shield me, but his body is full of strain as he fights his protective instincts.
“Silas, this is my father, Renzo Accetta.”
“Are you here for the charity?” he asks, pretending to be innocent and sweet. “I’m so proud of what she’s helped us to accomplish.”
“I’m surprised she’s had the time since she’s newly married,” Papa murmurs. “I figured she’d be working on giving me grandbabies instead of spending her time here.”
“Women are capable of more than simply being broodmares,” Silas says simply. “Times have changed from when you were her age. Embrace it or be reduced to dust. At least, that’s what I think.”
There’s nothing the least bit threatening about him as he delivers this tidbit of advice, and I think that’s what makes Silas and his pack so special. He can move around the edges of society, placing himself where he’s needed and getting people to do what he wants.
Papa’s lips thin for a moment before he shrugs. “My daughter is a smart girl. She’ll do what is expected of her. I’m going to see the silent auction before it closes.”
“Its location is being moved as we get ready for the entertainment,” Silas says easily. “We are shuffling things around to ensure there’s room for everyone.”
“The mansion is huge. Split your audience,” Papa grunts, unknowingly sealing his fate.
This has been the plan the entire time, and we already have ushers shuttling people into place. My family will end up in the large courtyard for their slaughter. It’s easier to clean up afterward, and there’s already body bags waiting. The gateallows them to be thrown into the back of panel vans and then driven out to pig farms. Anything the pigs can’t eat will be incinerated.
The Accetta family will end with me. I plan to officially change my name with the courthouse tomorrow to Rosalia Domino. If that’s not a statement that my marriage is real to the world, I don’t know what is.
Hollis’ appearance at the street festival was eye opening for me. While I don’t give a fuck what people who don’t fuck, finance, or feed me think, Nico does. He has an entirely different weight on his shoulders I hope to help lift soon.
“Thank you, Papa. We’ll start doing that now.”
My father snorts and lumbers away, muttering about how inept I am.
“He’s so charming,” Silas says under his breath.
“Like an angry hippo chasing a speed boat,” I agree, wincing as the pain ramps up further.
“Let’s find you a distraction and some pain meds,” Silas sighs.
While pain meds are in woeful short supply, the distraction of funneling people where they need to be does help me. My family sneers when I gently give them directions, but listen when Easton or Cassidy lead them away. I’m short of breath by the time the actual performance begins across the house with our aerial dancers, and Silas helps me stay on my feet as we walk out into the courtyard.
The reason my family didn’t blink an eye at all being together is because there are other people peppering the crowd. I can see Hollis moving smoothly through the room with a secret smile on her face, and there are a few others I don’t recognize, yet know they belong here if they’re here. Some of Nico's more polished made men in the room are schmoozing with my family, but so are members of the Five Packs, pretending to be normal people.The reason they are able to influence this city is because no one understands how dangerous they actually are.
Cassidy goes by another name when she’s in public, Abbott sounds like a businessman, and Lyle pretends to be a lawyer whose precious ears can’t hear a word of law breaking. They’re all facades to hide the darkness lurking behind their eyes. As I see the packs around the room, I know I’m in good hands.
My family members have a distinctive appearance to them. They have aristocratic noses, fierce eyes, and they’re easy to tell apart. Photos of the people on my personal shit list have been passed around as well, so everyone knows who to keep for me to kill.
“Is everyone here?” I ask under my breath.
