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I groan softly. We’re shown to seats at the table where there’s a large spread of food.
“Dan,” Daniella cautions when her son reaches for some of the food. “We need to say grace first.”
He sighs, leaning back in his chair and crossing his arms.
“For that attitude, you get to say grace, buddy,” Christian says with a chuckle.
His brown eyes widen. “I don’t want to. Uncle Carlo,” he cries, turning to his uncle beside him.
Carlo snickers, “Sorry, kid. You’re on your own.”
He pouts for a moment or two before sighing. “Fine.” He sits up in his chair, placing his hands on the table and clasping them together. “Thank you, Father for this meal. Thank you for my mom and dad, for my sister and my cousin, Angel. Thank you for my uncles and aunties. Thank you for my daddy’s new friends, too. Amen.”
“Amen,” we all chorus.
“Good job, Danny,” Carlo says, raising his hand for a high five. The kid returns it with a grin.
“Now you get to dig in,” Daniella says to him. “Enjoy the meal.”
“Thank you. For inviting us,” I state.
Daniella grins. I swear the woman never stops smiling.
“You’re welcome, Roman. I don’t really know much about you, though. Or your family. Christian can be annoyingly tight-lipped.”
I shrug. “There’s not much to say. I’ve got a mom and a little sister. Two cousins and this ass—” I quickly stop myself before using a swear word in front of the kids. “Sorry,” I say sheepishly. I’m not used to watching my words.
“It’s fine,” Daniella says easily.
“And then there’s Tony,” I amend.
“Smooth,” the asshole mutters beside me.
“I know your sister, actually. Rosa’s a brilliant potter. We’re in the same circles in the art world.”
“Yeah, she’s mentioned you a couple of times.”
“Darling, you have to see some of Rosa’s art,” she says excited to her husband. “The things that girl can make with her hands.”
“I’ve seen a couple,tesoro,” he informs her.
Christian’s eyes practically shine as he looks at her. It’s crazy that he can be so warm and human with them while still ruling his organization with an iron fist. I honestly can’t imagine myself in the same position. With any luck, I’ll be married to a woman I have no feelings for beyond duty and honor, like my parents. Maybe in a couple of years we’ll have kids of our own.
And while a part of me might hope for the kind of life the D’Angelos have come to find, I doubt that’s possible. We all have blood on our hands. Some people get lucky enough to find some semblance of peace and love away from it all.
Others are doomed to a life spent wondering how it feels to truly be alive.
CHAPTER15
Elena
ONE YEAR LATER
Irev the engine of the car once, twice, three times before taking off. The road is clear, not another car in sight, giving me the opportunity to speed as much as I’d like. Wind billows around me and I take in a deep breath as the clean air flows into my nostrils. Somehow, I even manage a smile. I continue driving down the straight, narrow road, only stopping once my phone starts to ring.
“Hello,” I answer, a little breathless as I pull the car over.
“Where are you?”
