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I forced a smile to my face and his eyes crinkled around the edges, then quickly flattened out as he stepped past me and left his office.
“Let’s go.” he called back to me.
I pulled out my phone and called Emilio, giving him a quick heads up before heading out of the house.
Lorenzo drove today and I sat in the passenger seat in silence. I preferred it when he let me drive, at least that way I had something to focus on that wasn’t the disgust I felt every time he was near me.
We pulled up down the street from my shop. Parking in the space where Toby’s truck had been earlier on. He had managed to quickly build up to going back to working full time. I was glad of that today. The last thing we needed was Lorenzo seeing him coming out of the apartment above the tailors. Even if he thought I’d sold the place, it would look too suspicious. As far as he knew, Toby was still at Charon’s.
Emilio met us at the door, and I gave him a hard look, hoping he understood.Do not tell him you saw me leaving the apartment earlier.He subtly nodded and I felt my shoulders drop a fraction. I was glad he had followed me here from Italy. He was a good man who had a natural talent, a way with people, and he understood the violence that surrounded my family.
“I have just got off of the phone with Salvatore.” Emilio said cheerily.
His accent hadn’t dropped as much as mine had, and definitely not as much as Lorenzo’s. Emilio would often criticise me over it, telling me I did it on purpose, and I supposed he was right. The only times it came through strong was when I was with him, or when I was angry. Basically, whenever my guard was down.
“How is he?” Lorenzo asked as he strode straight to the back of the shop to get measured. Not that anything had changed since we last came here.
“He sounded good, busy as usual. He wanted me to dress him for your wedding, it’ll be good to see him.” he said with a genuine smile.
Everyone loved Uncle Sal.
“I didn’t realise you’d invited him.” I said.
“Of course I did, he was my Brother before he was my brother-in-law, he will always be family to me.” Lorenzo said dismissively and my stomach clenched.
I needed to tell Sal.
I made a mental note to call him when I was away from Lorenzo. I’d tell him what hisBrotherhad done to his sister, and hopefully he would understand my need to take down Lorenzo myself, rather than beinganotherperson staking a claim to his demise.
“When is he coming?” I asked.
Emilio began going through the motions with Lorenzo and I perused the newest selection of ties that we had just got in. I wouldn’t get any say in this suit, so there wasn’t much point in me browsing the store. Not that I didn’t already know what was here.
“He will be here a couple of days before the wedding, he’s staying at the house with us. I’m having a room cleared for him to stay in since my blushing bride has become so,” he rolled his hand a few times as he searched for the word, “Traditional.”
I turned my back to him and rolled my eyes. I wasn’t sure who he was trying to convince with that statement. Nutmeg was not sleeping in the guest room because she didn’t believe in sex before marriage. I knew it, Emilio probably knew it - especially if he’d ever seen her come and go from the apartment upstairs -, and Lorenzo definitely knew it.
“Great, I can’t wait to see him. Is he coming-.” I began.
“Alone, yes.” Lorenzo cut me off, “as always.”
Uncle Sal would never bring Aunt Rosa here. Even though he was no longer the leader of The Brotherhood, and probably had no enemies, he wouldn’t ever risk her safety.
“We should go over and see the rest of the family when I retire, if you can spare the time away.” Lorenzo said, throwing a smile in my direction as he stepped away from the mirror and moved around the shop to examine the items on display.
“I’ll make the time. Once the transition is done.” I said.
And I meant it. Except he wouldn’t be joining us. I’d take his fiancé and introduce her to la mia famiglia asmine.
“Good, Afterall, family is everything.” he said.
My stomach clenched again, and I swallowed down the anger rising inside me. How could he say that with a straight face after everything he had done?
Once Lorenzo had selected our suits and we had arranged to collect them when Sal arrived, we left to go home. I sat and stared out of the window again as we made our way across the city, I could feel myself getting twitchy in Lorenzo’s presence. When we got back, I’d need to go down to the gym for a few hours to work off this irritation before I ended up shooting him now instead of sticking to my plan.
Lorenzo stopped the car abruptly, and I snapped out of my wondering murderous thoughts. We were sitting outside a restaurant that I’d passed a number of times.
“Lunch.” Lorenzo asked.
