Page 99 of The Viper's Wife

It’s Alessia.

“We’re going shopping for wedding dresses. You’re not invited.”

I take a deep breath and count to three. “Is this what Valeria wants to be doing?”

I imagine my sister inspecting her nails. “It’s what she needs to be doing. I’m seconds away from firing Ruth and hiring one of my people.”

“Put her on the phone.”

“I’m putting you on speaker, so don’t be weird.”

“Nico.” Valeria’s voice is like warm honey dripping down the back of my head. My chest squeezes when I realize I haven’t heard her alert, daytime voice in days. “Where are you?”

“I’m on my way home. Do you want me to come by to help you pick out a wedding dress?” I desperately need a nap, but I don’t want to miss my chance to see Valeria in the sunlight.

“The groom isn’t supposed to see. It’s bad luck for the wedding,” she says. The slightest hint of her flirty teasing zips all the sleepiness out of me like a shot of espresso.

“We wouldn’t want that, would we?” I say. Joey grimacesnext to me at my tone of voice. “Just don’t stay out too long, or I might come by anyway.”

“I’d like that.”

There’s a rustling on the phone, and then Alessia’s voice pipes in, “Wow, you somehow managed to make that weirdandgross. Make sure you stop by to see Mamma—she’s leaving today.”

Mentally, I wave goodbye to my sweet nap.

“Later, loser,” Alessia says and hangs up.

Goddamn it.

An hour later,I’m knocking at the door to Mamma and Alessia’s hotel room.

“Come in,” Mamma calls out.

A bouquet of pink peonies are on the table.

Mamma smiles warmly at me as I stop to stand by the small dining table. She follows my gaze to the flowers. “A gift from Giovanni when he came by to check on us this morning. Isn’t it thoughtful?”

Giovanni’s always been smart enough to treat Mamma with the utmost respect. It’s no small part why he’s lasted as long as he has—Mamma is his first defender, treating him almost like a second son, though he’s got more than ten years on me.

I roll my eyes. “Very sweet.”

She steps forward, dressed impeccably as usual in a cream blouse and beige trousers, and hugs me. Vanilla and cookie dough fills my nose. The restlessness of the past few days dulls a little.

When she pulls away, her eyes are shining.

This can’t be good.

“Ma,” I groan. “What is it?”

She smiles and dabs delicately at her eyes. “I’m just so happy. I never thought I’d see you like this.”

“Unshowered, tired, and unfed?”

She pats my arm and walks off to the kitchen. “No, darling. In love.”

It feels like lightning strikes my body. I’m stuck there, unable to move or say a damn thing as the electricity courses through me.

She looks over her shoulder as she pulls out a carton of eggs. “Did you know?”