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I struggle to believe that he can contain his rage when that man touches him. James Wick, being here, only adds insult to injury. We take our seats at the dining table, my siblings bickering already amongst themselves. I can’t help but notice that James is sitting beside Luciana.
As I sit down, Luciana looks at me from across the table. “How’s it not being a virgin now, Bella?”
“Luciana!” Mom scolds.
She laughs and shrugs. “What? It’s just the truth.”
“When are you going to grow up, Luciana?” I ask.
Cain chuckles. “See, you’re still a prude, Bella.”
Isiah growls softly. “Watch how you talk to my wife.”
Everyone straightens, the look of surprise on their faces is hilarious and I feel my admiration for the man next to me deepen. It’s rare that I see Cain rendered speechless by anyone, and he looks like a fish out of water right now.
Isiah squeezes my hand beneath the table and I squeeze back, unable to believe the way this man is making me feel, considering a few months ago I despised him.
“I’m glad to see you two are getting on so well,” Dad says, but he doesn’t sound genuine at all. His eyes fixed on Isiah in a way that suggests he doesn’t respect the way he came in to my defense against Cain.
Nina elbows me in the ribs. “Hey, stranger.”
I manage to conjure a weak smile in response. “Hey, how is everything?”
Her lips thin with anger. “I’ve tried ringing you three times and you haven’t returned my call. What gives?”
My throat tightens, cutting off any excuse I can muster. “Nothing, I’ve just been busy.”
Fury flashes in her gaze. She knows I’m lying, that much is clear. But I’m not ready to tell her why I can’t stand the thought of her with Cathal, as he hurt her before and I don’t trust he won’t do it again. “Bella, what is it?”
I shake my head. “I can’t believe you’re giving Cathal a second chance.”
The green depths of her eyes ignite with rage and hurt. “How does it concern you?”
“I don’t want to see you get hurt,” I say softly, my chest tightening with guilt. “I’m—”
“No!” she cut me off and all the conversation around us immediately ceases in shock, every pair of eyes now on us. “I’m not some weak-willed creature that needs protection from everything that could ever go wrong in life,” she continues fiercely. “I am strong enough to handle whatever comes my way—and that includes Cathal.”
Cathal clears his throat. “I don’t want to get in the middle of this, but I promise you, Bella, I won’t hurt her.”
I turn my attention to the Irish mafia leader, searching his dark eyes for the truth. He believes that’s the case, but he hurt her once. It means he can do it again. However, Nina is right. I’m going to be thousands of miles away and I can’t protect her for the rest of her life. Perhaps that’s not what she wants, anyway.
“How long have you felt this way?” I ask.
“I just don’t want to be treated like I could crack easily because of one mistake I made in my life.”
I nod in response and grab her hand, squeezing. “I’m sorry.”
She smiles at me. “I can’t stay mad at you, you know that.”
The rest of the family stop staring and start to talk amongst themselves. Of all the things I expected to happen tonight, Nina confronting me wasn’t on the list. And that’s when my attention moves to Dad, who is busy focusing on his food rather than his family.
How could we all have been so blind to the truth?
“Bella, how is married life treating you?” Mom asks, drawing my attention away from Dad.
I shrug. “It’s not as bad as I expected.”
Maria giggles. “In other words, she’s getting fucked a lot.”
