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“You’re looking well,” Dante’s mother said sweetly. I couldn’t hear an ounce of anything disingenuous in her voice. Maybe she really was as nice as Dante claimed.
“Thank you. Given the circumstances,” I said, folding the napkin in my lap. Marie Scarano gave me a sympathetic look before ringing the small bell that sat beside her on the table.
A bell? Really?
Two servers came with carts laden with plates and wine bottles. Setting our food before us, we all sat in silence as they uncorked the wine and poured the glasses. They left just as quickly as they had come through another door that I assumed led towards the kitchen. I knew Sal liked to flaunt his wealth, but I didn’t realize he literally had servants.
“Speaking of circumstances,” Sal said, reaching for his wine glass. “How are things after the…attack?”
Marie’s eyes widened. “What attack?”
“Nothing,mio amore. Just a little mishap on the docks. One of the Rosania’s warehouses burnt down.”
“Oh.” To my surprise, Marie actually looked stricken. “I hope everyone was alright.”
“There weren’t any casualties, if that’s what you’re asking,” I replied through gritted teeth.
“But you must have suffered a substantial financial loss,” Sal said quickly.
Dante cast me a quick ‘I told you so’ look before his face went carefully blank again. My fingers twisted in my lap. “Not as bad as we thought it would be, actually.”
Sal didn’t look convinced as he sipped his wine. “If you say so.”
I glanced down at my plate, finding a plate full of risotto and gnocchi, a few of my favorites. But tonight, I found that I didn’t have much of an appetite. I picked at the food with my fork, keeping my head down and ignoring the feeling of Sal’s eyes locked on me.
“Did you lose all the goods in the warehouse?” Sal asked casually.
Beside me, Dante tensed. I swallowed before replying, trying to gather my thoughts. “Unfortunately, yes. We believe so.”
Sal’s brows lifted at the last sentence. “Believe so? You don’t know?”
“Not yet,” I said quickly. “We’re still picking through the damage.”
“Just terrible,” Marie said quietly. “How could someone do this?”
“Yes, how could they indeed?” Killian added, grinning. Dante scowled at him from across the table. I glanced at Sal to gauge his reaction, but his face was a blank slate. Dante must have learned that look from him.
Killian wasn’t done just yet. “But don’t worry, ma. I’m sure the Rosanias will do as they always have and get the money. Maybe they’ll con another tycoon to hand over their entire business again.”
Sal’s hand tightened around his fork, and I silently swore to take Killian out myself when all this was over. Reminding the head of the Scarano family of what they lost all those years ago was one way to get us all killed.
“Oh,” Marie’s hand flicked through the air, “let’s not discuss business at dinner. You can do that afterward.”
“Agreed,” Dante said, finally speaking up. “Let’s just enjoy the meal.”
Of course, he could enjoy the meal. He wasn’t sitting at a table full of enemies. I warily glanced down at the food on my plate, hoping Sal hadn’t poisoned mine somehow. The last thing I needed was to die a painful death before I could avenge my father.
I knew the dinner would be awkward, but it surprisingly wasn’t as uncomfortable as I’d initially thought. Marie kept most of the conversation going, sometimes carrying it all by herself when the rest of us were silent. Killian added in a few snippy remarks here and there, mostly to try and goad his father or brother. Dante sat beside me like an emotionless rock the entire time. Any trace of that laughing boy from outside was completely gone. But, in a way, I preferred that. This was the Dante I knew how to deal with. The other…I just didn’t understand.
Sal mostly stayed quiet through the rest of the meal, though I caught him studying me every now and then. It was a relief when we finished, the last of the wine topped off. Sitting there and pretending like this dinner wasn’t all wrong was exhausting, and all I wanted to do was go home to my own family.
“Well,” Dante set his napkin across his plate, “the meal was lovely. Thank you for having us.”
Marie smiled. “We should have had the two of you over a lot sooner. Sienna, darling, I apologize for not inviting you over. I figured after….” She paused, a look of regret flashing across her face. “Well, I’m just glad you came tonight.”
Dante stood, and I followed. “It was great. Thank you.”
Sal said nothing, but his storm-filled eyes followed me all the way out into the foyer. I could feel the weight of his gaze on my shoulders. I stayed in the hall while Dante went up to get my bag. Tommaso, the butler, was nowhere to be found, which was fine by me. It gave me some time to think without worrying about my husband’s family being around to watch me.
