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Dante
I watch Elio and Scarlet, sitting side by side, smiling and filled with love as they watch their daughter, Molly, toddling around. Luca and Ruby sit on one side of them, Ruby bobbing their daughter up and down on her knee. Colt and Lexi are to my left, and people drink, eat, and laugh around the garden.
I try not to search for Mia. I try not to let myself relive the moments at the door. My body is stirring. My chest is tight. I’maching, goddamn it, aching for a woman I don’t even know.
“Tony?” Leonardo calls, rising to his feet. The patriarch of the Marino Family still moves and talks in a labored way, a holdover from his stroke, but each year, he gets stronger, more like his old self.
“Leo!” the man called Tony calls. He’s short and on the bigger side, a silver tooth winking from his mouth when he grins.
Colt leans over, lowering his voice. “That’s Leo’s brother. He lives on the West Coast.” Colt lowers his voice even more. I don’thave to look at him to know he’s smirking. “He’s Mia’s dad. You might want to be nice to him.”
I turn sharply. “What makes you say that?”
Colt’s smirk falters. Clearly, he thinks everybody is in a happy, joking mood just because he’s found love. “Relax, Dante. I’m only messing with you.”
“And I’m only asking a question.”
I can see his answer in his eyes.Because I saw the way you looked at her.
“Maybe I don’t find it funny,” I go on.
Colt shrugs, turning away, smiling when he looks at Lexi and his child. Before Colt became a father, I reckon he’d have more to say about my tone, but he’s too filled with happiness.
“I’ll need that photo soon,” I tell him.
He glances at me, eyebrow raised. “Then you better make some friends.”
I could ask Luca to snap a quick photo. Sitting here in this social setting is almost painful, especially when there’s this hot pulsing inside of me, this voice roaring at me to find Mia, to grab her, kiss her. What the fuck is happening to me?
Leo and Tony walk over to their seats, and the party continues.
I’m trying to work out how to ask Luca to take the photo without making it awkward when Mia walks into the garden. Her light-colored hair glistens in the sunlight, making my hand tingle like I’m running my hand through it. It’s a strange, tempting feeling.
Then I see the man at her side. Something in me shivers. A violent pulsing. A murderous impulse. I want to tear his throat out.
He’s a tall, thin man around Mia’s age. He wears a slick suit. He’s got his hair slicked back. It’s slick, slick, slick like blood, like violence. Mia takes a glass and starts tapping a piece of cutlery against it. Somebody turns down the music. The entire garden portion of the party turns to her.
“Hey, everyone,” she says, her voiceseemingbubbly and happy on the surface, but I’m sure there’s a hint of darkness in there. Am I imagining it? “Can I get your attention for a sec? I’ve got an announcement to make.”
The manstillhas his hand on her, resting on her back. It makes me sick. It makes me want to tear his hand right off his arm. It’s unfair, twisted jealousy that makes no sense. Yet it’s there, and it won’t go away.
“Most of you won’t know Vito.” The slick man at her side grins. “We’ve been seeing each other for a few months now, and, well, we’re getting married!”
“What the hell?” Lexi gasps quietly, almost under her breath but just loud enough for us closest to hear her.
CHAPTER 4
Mia
This detached feeling still grips me as I accept everybody’s congratulations. People surround us—me and this stranger, this man I met less than ten minutes ago. After Dad’s talk or more like threats, he sent a text and Vito appeared, hands in his pockets, looking bored.
“You’re going to marry this man,”Dad said.
“Why?”
“Because I told you to…”
Lexi lingers at the back of the congratulators. She’s passed off little Rubi to Colt. When she gets through the crowd, she touches my arm. “Can we talk?” She looks sideways at Vito. “Upstairs? In private?”
