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I remember Gabriel telling me about Dante’s background weeks ago, how he and his sisters lost their parents young and were basically raised by Vito Barone, for whom their father worked as his personal tailor. I guess we’ve never really had an in-depth talk about our families and all that.
Or even anotso in-depth talk on the subject.
…Which is weird, considering we’re, A, married. B, sleeping together. And C, standing like a couple at a fancy gala with his hand firmly on the small of my back.
Dante’s brow furrows. “I didn’t realize Carmy and Nico had secured invitations to the event tonight.”
Drazen smiles coolly. “I believe their invitations involve the back service entrance and dodging security.” He looks past us momentarily, and his smile fades. “My apologies. I suddenly have to be elsewhere.”
Dante looks intrigued. “Why is that?”
“Because IloatheRenata Bonpensiero and she’s walking right this way.” He turns and bows crisply to me in his even crisper tux. “Again, a pleasure to meet you,Mrs.Sartorre.”
“It’s Ms. Black,” I mutter at his back just as Dante turns us around. Sure enough, here comes the miserable hag herself.
Renata comes to a halt in front of us, shooting me a sour look before she smiles imperiously at Dante. She offers her hand for him to kiss it.
Dante pointedly ignores it.
“Renata,” he grunts with all the warmth of a coal mine. “How are things?”
“Just lovely, Dante,” she responds in an equally chilly voice. “How’s thebrothelbusiness?”
“I wouldn’t know. What can I do for you?”
Her lips purse. “Yourwife, if we’re even calling her that?—”
“We are.”
She grits her teeth at the interruption. I bite back a grin.
“Well, not only did she assault my son?—”
“Allegedly.”
A vein pops out on Renata’s forehead. “She admitted it!”
“I don’t think I did any such thing,” I shrug.
She shoots a cold glare at me. “Not onlydid she injure my dear Silvio,” she barrels on, still looking at me while addressing Dante, “but this little gold-digging whore?—”
“Don’teverspeak of my wife like that again.” Dante’s growl is quiet but carries all the lethal sharpness of a samurai blade.
Renata huffs. “The things this little bitch said to me?—!”
“—Were, I am sure, well deserved,” he snaps back. “And I already told you once not to speak to her like that. I won’t say it again.”
Her face goes purple.
“Before you say whatever you’redyingto say next,” Dante murmurs, leaning closer to Renata and dropping his voice. “We both know theside businessyour husband is involved in, don’t we?”
Her face pales so fast it’s as if he’s flipped a switch.
“I—I don’t know what you’re implying…”
“I’mimplyingthat your husband has been selling arms on the side to the Croatians, not to mention taking kickbacks from Kratos Drakos not to bid on certain construction projects that your family might otherwise have bid on.”
Renata looks like she might throw up. “I—that’s…those are bothgrosslyuntrue?—”
