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Rising on knees that wobble slightly, I blow out the candles. The lights come back on to reveal the beautiful three-tiered chocolate cake before me. It’s adorned with real flowers.
Alessandro bends to kiss my cheek. “My brothers and I have business to discuss. Stay here with Mamma and Livvy. Enjoy your cake.”
As he and his brothers leave the room, I feel as though I can breathe again. Alessandro can be intense, but sitting there with all five of the Volante men was beyond intimidating.
“So,” Olivia hands me a silver-handled knife so I can cut the cake, “what did you wish for?”
“Oh, nothing important.” I cut a slice of cake and place it on a plate for her.
I serve Ava some cake and take a generous piece for myself before dropping back onto my chair. As I blew out the candles on my cake, I asked for the only thing I’ve ever wanted. I wished Icould be free to choose my path in life. And that, I’m afraid, will never happen.
CHAPTER 13
Alessandro
By the time we get back to my apartment after dinner with my family, it’s late and I don’t have the energy to give Emilia the grand tour of her new home. She’ll have plenty of time to explore it on her own later.
After spending three fucking hours talking business with my brothers and discussing the increased threat we face now that I’ve married Ernesto Conti’s heir, all I want is to make love to my wife. I don’t think that’s in the cards, though. Emilia has barely uttered a word since we said goodnight to my mother and Livvy. In fact, the whole way home, she bristled with barely concealed annoyance. Her prickly demeanor pisses me off, but at least she had the good sense not to air whatever grievance she’s harboring in front of my men.
Taking a firm grip of her arm as we walk into the apartment, I steer her straight through the living room and along the corridor to my bedroom. As I close the door, she wrenches free from mygrasp. She walks farther into the room and looks around. She turns to me with tightly pursed lips that signal displeasure.
“This is your bedroom?”
Her haughty air makes my palm twitch with the desire to spank her.
“It’sourbedroom.”
“I don’t like it.”
That much I guessed from the grimace on her face. I suppose it is a masculine space with heavy mahogany furniture and the bed with its black metal frame. The burgundy silk curtains hanging over the window match the sheets on the bed.Fuck!Livvy was right. It does look like a sex club in here, or perhaps a vampire’s lair. The rest of the apartment is the same. How have I never noticed this before?
As I strip off my jacket, Emilia goes to the window and peers out into the darkness. In the daytime, there’s an incredible view of a park from the living room window, but this one overlooks a busy street, offering nothing but glimpses of concrete and moving traffic below.
“Apart from the décor, what’s upsetting you,dolcezza? You’ve been quiet all night.”
Only a completely insensitive bastard would struggle to find reasons for her demeanor, but I want to hear the reasons from her. For a minute, I think she’ll refuse to answer me. Then she spins around, eyes flashing fire, her arms folded across her chest.
“You were an asshole to me tonight.”
Her raised voice seems to surprise her as much as it does me. She stares at me, wide-eyed and wary, as if expecting to be punished for her outburst. Really, I should spank her for shouting and calling me names, but I’ve no intention of chastising her right now because her anger is justified. She needed me to step in tonight and I didn’t.
“You sat back and let your brothers speak to me however they wanted to.”
Ah, it’s not just Antonio who upset her, then.
“Matteo and Leo like to wind people up. Their comments may have been suggestive, but they meant no harm.”
Well, Matteo didn’t. He never does. He’s the most pleasant of us all, though it would be a stretch to call him nice. Leo’s motivations, however, are a mystery. He might actually have hoped to embarrass Emilia. He gets off on playing with people.
“And Antonio?” She raises her chin defiantly.
“He was testing you,” I admit.
And, to an extent, he was looking to see what my reactions would be as well. Though I didn’t like seeing my wife cowed by him, I knew challenging my older brother in front of the others would be a sign of disrespect, something that wouldn’t go unpunished. Antonio is head of our family, and we all defer to him, even when he’s being a massive prick. I would never confront him openly but when we had a moment alone I made it clear I wouldn’t tolerate him jumping on my wife like that. He was pleased I waited for the appropriate moment to stand up for her. He also liked that Emilia didn’t make a scene by talking back or collapsing into hysterics. Straight As all around, I guess.
“What did he want from me?” A crease appears at the bridge of her nose as her lips turn down in a frown. “How was I supposed to react when he spoke to me like a child in front of everyone?”
“You dealt with it correctly,” I assure her. “You knew your place.”
