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“Theresa-Maria Vitali, but you can call me T. And you are?” she answers, toeing her shoes off as she does. She then kicks them into the pile by the front door. It’s like she knows her sister or something. I’ve never once thought about whether or not I wear shoes in the house. Matilde hates it, so it’s a rule now. I love that’s she’s making herself at home here. She’s taken over all the household management and cooking. God, the food. Derry and I have added an extra work out a week just to be able to eat the fucking deliciousness that comes out of that kitchen these days.
“Diarmuid O’Shaughnessy, Dorian’s brother, at your service.Youcan call me whatever you like.” He takes her hand in his and places a kiss on the back of it. He’s such a fucking Casanova. He keeps a hold of her hand and takes her into the living room where everyone is.
“Okay,” Matilde says, clapping her hands. “Shoes off, you know I hate shoes in the house and let’s move through.” She grabs my hand and laces her fingers with mine. I know she’s putting on a show, but I fucking love it. “The antipasti course is ready to serve, and I want you to meet the rest of Dorian’s family. They are so sweet. Do you have my phone?”
“Of course, honey,” her mom says, pulling it from her purse and handing it to her. “It’s dead, but that’s to be expected. You’ve been gone for almost two weeks.”
“Mama. I said I was sorry,” Matilde says, and I squeeze her hand.
“I know, but you’re my baby. I can’t believe I missed your wedding.”
“Everyone did. Mama. We’re going to do our reception on Christmas Eve. You know it’s my favorite holiday and I always wanted to be a Christmas bride.” I didn’t know that, but if she wants to be a Christmas bride, I will make it happen for her.
“Then why didn’t you wait and use these six months to get to know each other?”
“We know everything we need to know, Daddy.”
“I’ll be the judge of that,” he says, cryptically.
The look he gives me over the heads of his wife and daughter would scare the piss out of a lesser man, but I can already tell that he’s not going to let this go as easily as her mom and sister.
We sit down at the dining room table after introducing the Vitali’s to the rest of my family. The tension in the room is palpable. Everyone at this table but the A’s and the Vitali’s know that I kidnapped her. They don’t know for sure that I forced her to marry me, but they suspect it. I can tell with the death glares her father keeps giving me.
This is going to be the longest dinner of my fucking life.
TWELVE
MATILDE
Dinner seems to be going…okay. Something isn’t quite right with my dad. He’s shooting daggers at both Dorian and Derry.
“Have you heard anything about Ryan?”
“No. We have no idea where he is. Do you?”
“Why would I know?” I ask, confused.
“He disappeared the same day as you.”
“I didn’t really disappear,” I say.
“Tesoro hasn’t stopped crying.”
“I bet. She’s loved that man since she was fourteen years old. How old is she now?”
“She’ll be twenty-one in a few weeks.”
“Wow, poor girl”
“What do you know of his disappearance?” Dad asks Dorian. I’ve never seen such a menacing look on his face. I’m sure he reserves this look for his enemies. Without thinking, I grab Dorian’s hand that’s resting on the table. He’s at the head and I’m to his right. My dad is at the opposite end, my mom to his right. Derry is on his left followed by Theresa, Fiona, Trina, Dad, Mom, Cashel, Declan, and then the A’s are to my right.
I originally thought he had something to do with it too, but in talking to his family, I know kidnappings aren’t really his style. Just me. He wanted me so badly he took me. I look at Dorian and smile. I don’t know when I fell in love with him, but I did. I’m going to tell him tonight. The second he slides into me; I’m going to tell him and then he’ll kiss me. It’ll be magical.
“Is anyone going to tell me the fucking truth about what’s going on here?” Dad shouts, slamming his hand down on the table. Everyone but Dorian and Derry jump at the sudden noise.
“Ooooh, you said a bad word,” Aislinn says.
“Girls, let’s go check on the desert,” Fiona says, standing. The girls stand and drop their napkins in their chairs before following their mother into the kitchen through the butler’s pantry. No one else moves, though I notice Derry’s hand moves into his jacket pocket.
