Page 54 of Deathless & Divided

Serena laughed a high, sharp sound. “Really? You’re asking me?”

“You said it, didn’t you?” Lily asked softly. “I’m only asking for you to spit it out instead of chew on it. Whatever it is.”

Damian had to give his fiancée credit where it was due; Lily didn’t blink a lash at Serena’s behavior.

Serena attempted some odd cooing noise that came out entirely wrong. Instead of sickeningly sweet like he supposed she meant for it to sound, it rang like a garbled mess mixed heavily with her alcoholism. Most likely because she was three sheets to the wind and ready to topple over, Serena didn’t even understand the consequences of her actions. She usually had a little more control than she was showing now. Damian had enough and he wasn’t about to let Lily go through a round of his aunt’s abuse just because the bitch couldn’t hold her liquor.

Hell, she never had.

Damian still had a fucking scar on his pec to prove it.

Tommas had a few, too.

Standing from his chair, Damian offered Lily his hand. She took it without question, leaving her unfinished pastry on the plate and standing from her chair. “Sorry, Boss, but I think we’ll have to call it a night.”

Terrance frowned. “Yes, I—”

“You’re running, now?” Serena grinned wickedly, the wine in her glass sloshing as she waved at Lily. “Since when do you run, Damian? Didn’t we teach you better than that growing up? Don’t you want me to explain to the poor girl how terrible she’s making you look?”

“Serena, that’s damn well enough!” Laurent exclaimed, his face turning red.

Lily stiffened at Damian’s side and her hand tightened around his. “Me?”

The question had been posed with a dangerous edge, like Lily couldn’t believe what she had heard.

“Lily, let’s go,” Damian said firmly. “She’s not important and she’s drunk.”

“Which isn’t anything new,” Tommas muttered under his breath about his mother.

“Damian, I’m your aunt! And I expect you to treat me with respect!”

Damian snapped. Any and all control that he had managed to keep for the day was lost with three simple words. Turning on his heel to face the bitch across the table, Damian glared. Rarely did he show emotion in the presence of others and certainly not Mafioso. It was a dangerous game to play and while Damian was mighty good at his, he didn’t ever like to give someone an opening to one of his weak spots.

Serena Rossi just hit the right one on the goddamn head with a sledgehammer.

“That’s right,” Damian said, sneering. “You’re my aunt. My drunken, useless, bitch of an aunt. So fucking useless in fact, that you aren’t even capable of keeping your husband home. But you were mighty fucking good at spreading your legs and making children you didn’t want and couldn’t care for. A woman who couldn’t even be bothered to raise me and instead, handed me off to any and every person who would take me in. But not even me, no, your own kids, too. And when we were with you, shit … Tommas and I spent the majority of our time dodging your abuse and taking the hits in-between so Cara and Lea wouldn’t have to.

“Yeah, my aunt,” Damian repeated, spitting the words through his clenched teeth. He waved at Mia Conti, Serena’s sister. “You want to talk about how I’m embarrassing the family, huh? Why don’t we go straight for the fucking jugular and talk about how even your own goddamn sister doesn’t like to share a dinner table with you because you’re too busy trying to fuck her husband half the time?”

A sharp gasp sliced through the quiet dining area. Damian didn’t even know where or who it came from. He also didn’t care.

“If you think I give a single fuck about what you think regarding me or the deal with the DeLuca family, you are sorely fucking mistaken, Serena. Toss back another glass of wine, your blood isn’t sour enough, yet.”

Damian wished he could be surprised that not one person had stepped in to stop him from verbally knocking his aunt down a peg or two, but he wasn’t. Nothing he said to Serena was a lie. Shit, there was a hell of a lot more he left unsaid and probably for the better.

Even Lily’s uncle at the end of the table beside Terrance sat silent and stoic with his gaze down on the wine swirling in his glass. That wasn’t such a shock, either. Damian figured his tirade had been to Ben’s benefit, anyway. It didn’t exactly make Damian look good to be going off half-cocked in front of family and important men in the Outfit, not to mention the boss. Ben DeLuca played his part well, but chances were, he was scheming on Damian one way or another.

Fucking Christ, Damian didn’t even care at that moment. He just wanted to leave.

Lily had practically turned to ice at his side as she stared up at him with sad, wary eyes.

“Can we go now?” Damian asked her.

Lily nodded but she didn’t say a word.

Damian urged Lily ahead of him as he turned back to the table one more time. He owed one person at the table an apology and that was only for the sake of respect and little else. “Boss—”

Terrance held up a single hand. “Perfectly fine, Damian. I will see you tomorrow at tribute, yes?”