Total pages in book: 124
Estimated words: 116471 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 582(@200wpm)___ 466(@250wpm)___ 388(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 116471 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 582(@200wpm)___ 466(@250wpm)___ 388(@300wpm)
Her eyebrows rose, and her expression became teasing. “So you prefer me rolling over your feet to talking to me?” She flushed. I’d always only seen Emma’s quiet and shy side, so I too was surprised, not unpleasantly though. If she wasn’t quite as breakable, that would make things easier for me. Today, her personality had shone through several times.
“I don’t. Talking to you has been surprisingly pleasant so far.”
“Do you say it because you learned that lesson from watching your parents’ marriage or because it’s true?”
“It’s true, but said lessons definitely play a part too.”
She giggled, then bit her lip, looking away. After a moment, she cast her gaze back up, watching me through her long lashes. “I can’t wait to see what lessons you learned.”
A dirty joke lay on the tip of my tongue, but I swallowed it at the last moment. For some reason, I was unsure how to handle Emma when it came to the bedroom. We’d never breached the subject of sex for multiple reasons. It had felt inappropriate for a long time due to her age. She was eight years younger, dammit. Plus, we rarely talked alone. And for some reason, it felt as if I was taking advantage of her. Her disability made her seem so vulnerable that making advances on her felt like I was using her.
“Why are you frowning?” she asked, worry filling her beautiful face.
“It’s nothing,” I clipped.
“Of course.” She became tense, and I wanted to kick myself. I’d have to figure this shit out by tonight. Maybe it would be best if I just talked to her, even if it embarrassed her. I could hardly talk to Danilo about this even though he was the one who knew her best. The thought of his enraged face if I did talk about the wedding night cheered me up considerably.
“Let’s enjoy another dance,” I suggested, and her hand relaxed in mine once again. After that dance, Danilo took over again, giving me another hard look. He should know that I was immune to it by now.
Despite my desire to return to the table for a glass of wine, it was my turn to dance with my mother next.
Her eyes were glassy when she took Emma’s place. She hadn’t always been this emotional in public, and she was still mostly a very controlled woman, but since losing my twin sister, she seemed to savor every moment she got to celebrate with Sofia and me all the more.
She gave me a half-embarrassed smile. “You two look really sweet together. I hope the photographer took many photos of you.”
“I’m sure she did. You’ll have plenty of images to fawn over.”
Mom gave me a reproachful look. I gave her the smile that always appeased her. She squeezed my shoulder. “Are you happy?”
“This marriage was never meant to make me happy. It was a business deal,” I said.
Mom briefly looked at where Sofia stood talking to Anna and Luisa. Sofia definitely didn’t look happy about her marriage to Danilo, which was another thing that had dampened my mood in the past few days. “I know, but I want you to be happy. I want you to at least try to be happy and not forbid yourself from it because of a past mistake.”
“A mistake doesn’t kill three of your friends. But I’ll try to be happy, Mom.”
Mom’s eyes drifted to Emma who still swayed to the music with Danilo. “She deserves happiness too.”
“Playing the guilt card?” I asked with a hint of amusement. Mom didn’t use it very often, but when she did, she was good at it.
“If it ensures you finally stop living in the past and be the boy I raised.”
“I’m still him, just older and more jaded. That boy wouldn’t survive long as an Underboss.”
She hit my shoulder. I kissed her cheek. “Time to switch partners.”
I handed her over to Dante and started dancing with Valentina. With her heels, she was almost my height, which was an impressive feat.
“You look relieved to be dancing with me.”
I smirked. “Sometimes mothers can get a bit overbearing.”
“Well, I’m one myself, so yes. Don’t be angry with her. For a mother seeing a child suffer is the worst thing possible.”
“Do I look like I suffer?” I asked sarcastically. The last thing I needed was to appear weak in public.
“No, you are as controlled as Dante where your emotions are concerned.”
I didn’t comment on that. Dante was my Capo, that he was also my uncle was completely irrelevant, so I definitely wouldn’t judge his emotional state. As his wife, Valentina could say whatever she wanted.
Luckily, Valentina didn’t try to talk about feelings after that. Eventually, I could escape the dance floor. Emma was in conversation with Sofia, Anna, and a red-headed girl I didn’t know at our table, so I went over to the bar to grab a drink. Danilo joined me soon after, ordering a drink for himself. “I appreciate that you gave Emma the dance she deserves.”