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“I guess official congratulations are in order,” Elio slipped into the empty seat next to her, offering a smirk that made her cringe. “When’s the big day?”
Reminding herself that she needed to remain on good terms with everyone connected to her family so as not to raise suspicion, Aella forced herself to remain polite.
“Thank you, and we’re not sure yet.”
“Oh, wow,” Elio’s legs gaped as he sat back in his seat. “I would have thought it’d be all planned out now since things have been in the works for a few months. Well, that’s what the rumor around the Family is, anyway.”
“Thankfully, I’ve never been big on rumors,” Aella smiled sweetly.
“Yeah, me either,” he agreed. “Though they can’t be helped sometimes. Like I heard you had a run-in at a park recently that could have gone badly had hubby not been there to save you.”
Aella’s demeanor turned icy as she turned her head to make eye contact with the man, who no doubt was turning out to be every bit of the scumbag she’d heard he was.
“You shouldn’t believe everything you hear.”
“Whoa,” Elio held up his hands. “I’m not the enemy here, Elle.”
“It’s Aella,” she corrected.
“Aella, we’re all family here. I just want to help.”
“You just want to help, or do you want me on your side when persuading my father to consider you a candidate for my sister?” she inquired pointedly.
“The way I see it, we’d be helping each other. Three out of five families would be connected in a way that’s never happened before.”
“And it’s not happening now,” Aella shot back. “My sister isn’t for sale.”
Elio’s annoyance slipped into his chuckle as he stood, adjusting his shirt sleeves. “Well, that’s good to hear. Because from where I’m standing, it looks like you were.”
That stung, but Aella refused to show it.
“Elle, you good?” Smoke appeared from what felt like literal thin air, edging as closely as possible to Elio without drawing attention to them.
“I’m fine,” she assured him. “Cavataio was just saying congratulations, right?”
“Right,” Elio quickly agreed. “No harm, no foul.”
“If you don’t get the fuck out of her face, there will be,” Smoke threatened menacingly.
Elio held up his hands before slinking away with no further argument.
“Ugh, I really can’t stand his slimy ass.”
Smoke claimed the unoccupied seat Elio left behind. “Me either.”
“Enough about him; where the hell have you been?” She smacked his shoulder. “For you to be a bodyguard, you’ve been slacking at guarding.”
He delivered a rare grin. “You miss having me around?”
“Uh, duh. Outside of Ria, you’re one of the very few people I call a friend. Life has been on one lately.”
“I can imagine. Your dad has me working on some shit, though. And from what I’ve heard about him, you’re in good hands with your soon-to-be husband.”
Aella narrowed her eyes. “What does my dad have you working on?”
“Can’t tell you all that.”
“Well, have you been on the job I gave you?”
