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Chapter 7
Luciana
Something was definitely wrong with Valerio Vasile.
I could understand some men in our circles not being very traditional. Chicago Consigliere Antonio Mazzoni seemed more modern too. He didn’t make any misogynistic remarks, and from what I saw, he treated his wife well. He let her talk a lot and didn’t even seem bothered by her very tiny dress. However, he also looked grumpy. Other than small twitches of his lips caused by his wife, he didn’t smile. His eyes didn’t hold many emotions. He spoke only when it was necessary. He was distant and hard.
That I could understand, men like him were rare, but they existed.
There was no way Valerio was actually a son to a Capo and brother to another one. He was way too… whimsical.
I had no idea if he was just acting like that to mock me or if this was his real self. He seemed genuine when he kind of proposed to me, but I still couldn’t trust him. He was throwing me off my game. Him being amused by the situation instead of being angry was definitely better, but it might also mean that he was a psychopath. I didn’t know what to do.
Although Antonio and Priscilla didn’t seem weirded out by his act, was he really just not a serious person, or was he worse than any man I have ever met before?
My thoughts got interrupted as Priscilla spoke from her husband’s lap. “It is a great party. This is the best Shirley Temple I ever had.” The lap-sitting was not really fitting for the scene, but Priscilla didn’t seem like she minded. She just did whatever she wanted, and Antonio looked ready to shoot anyone who ruined her fun.
I could have this kind of marriage. It was great. I would love to have someone to have my back in this shithole. Unfortunately, I knew why Antonio acted like this. He was in love with her. I could see it in his golden gaze whenever he looked at her.
I could never have that.
Love ruined me once. I would never risk it again.
Instead, I focused on Priscilla. “They gave you a Shirley Temple? We also have Dirty Shirleys.” I mean, vodka made it much better.
“Oh no, I wanted this.”
My brows furrowed. “Are you pregnant?”
Priscilla looked at me with huge eyes, and I felt so stupid. My mind was filled with Valerio too much that I couldn’t put on my perfect mafia princess act. I was losing my filter, and it was not good.
Thankfully Priscilla laughed the next second and shook her head. “No.” then she looked down at her husband and repeated, “No.”
“Sorry,” I murmured.
She waved her hand. “I am just not a fan of alcohol.”
Oh. I was acting like an asshole. Was I stereotyping her? Maybe I just couldn’t believe someone could be as happy as her without alcohol.
I just sipped my wine. An uncomfortable silence took hold of the air, and I side-eyed Valerio. He gave me a weird look like I was a puzzle while he was one himself.
Valerio quickly got an easy smile and looked something at the garden. “There are more children than I thought.”
“Yes,” Priscilla said. “It makes me miss my babies.” For the first time, she looked somehow sad, and her husband squeezed her hip in a comforting way and kissed her forehead. He did it so easily. I wondered if it was just him or if things were really different in Chicago.
I had to find that out somehow.
“Wasn’t this supposed to be your vacation away from the kids?” Valerio asked, and Antonio gave him a murderous look.
Priscilla just shrugged. “I can still miss them.”
Valerio shook his head with a smile, and I couldn’t help but ask, “Don’t you like kids?” I asked, even though it didn’t matter at all. I shouldn’t have asked that at all. I was not looking for something real with him.
He really messed with my head.
“I am sorry,” I said quickly. I hated apologizing. “I am sure you love kids and can’t wait to have your heirs.”
Valerio again looked at me weirdly. He was probably able to tell I was being fake because he already saw the real me.
