Total pages in book: 58
Estimated words: 59304 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 297(@200wpm)___ 237(@250wpm)___ 198(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 59304 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 297(@200wpm)___ 237(@250wpm)___ 198(@300wpm)
“This must be what it feels like to be part of a couple,” he says warmly.
“You’ve never been in a relationship before?”
“Not really. A few temporary things here and there, but nothing…”
“Like this?” I offer.
“I’ve never wanted to slow dance with anyone before. I’ve never wanted a dance to last more than one song. Go on, Siena, pretend to puke again.”
“I can’t,” I whisper. “It’s too sweet.”
“Have you ever been in a real relationship?”
“Nothing serious,” I tell him. “I’ve never wanted to slow dance either.”
“And now?”
“I want it to last forever.”
I almost say, but I don’t want to ruin the moment.
As the music flows, I whisper, “What does a real relationship look like?”
“Dances, dates, laughter.”
“Trust,” I say.
“Trust most of all. Trust and honesty.”
“Trust and honesty,” I repeat.
He looks down, our noses tickling each other, our gazes consuming one another. Dreamily, I get lost in his intense eyes. I always thought that was just a cliché, but here I am.
“I want to tell you everything,” he says.
“But you’re scared.”
He nods. “How could you tell?”
“It’s obvious. I’m scared too.”
“You are?”
“I’m scared that whatever you tell me won’t be enough to stop me from wanting you.”
He breathes heavily. “Once I say it, I can’t take it back. You’ll never be able to look at me the same way.”
“You’re more than Old Money, aren’t you?”
“We’re—”
Suddenly, the music stops and the lights cut out.
CHAPTER 26
DARIO
“Antonio! Nico! Rocco!” I roar their names, driven by instinct. In all Families, there are men more loyal to some than others, even if we like to believe a don controls all. These men are loyal to me. I trust them with my life.
I keep one arm wrapped around Siena as she demands to know what’s going on, but I can’t answer her. I need to focus. Lights out, people murmuring. It could be an attack. Unlikely, as everyone on this island is part of the Family. But not impossible.
“Dario?” Nico approaches, with Rocco at his side.
“Take Siena somewhere safe.”
She snatches her arm away. “I need to talk to the resort manager. I can’t—”
“Wherever she goes, you go. Understand?” I growl.
“You got it,” Nico says.
Siena marches off toward the edge of the party. Nico and Rocco hurry after her, Rocco even taller than me and one of the toughest men I’ve ever known. She’ll be safe with them while I figure out what’s going on.
I walk through the party, searching for my mother and father. Antonio catches up with me. “I’m here, Dario.”
“Find my mother. I’ll get my old man.” Without a word, he turns and walks the other way.
I don’t hear any sounds of violence, no gunshots, no screaming like someone is being stabbed or attacked. Just mumbling and confusion. Then my father’s voice cuts above everyone else’s.
“So this is it, huh?” he yells. Strangely, his voice slurs. I’ve never known my father to let himself get this drunk. I follow his voice and find him standing at the edge of the pool, waving his hands. “This is how you treat your fucking king?”
“Father,” I say quietly, walking up beside him. “You need to stop.”
“I’ll make you all sorry,” he rants. “Do you have any idea who I am? I’m Vittorio Tommaso Bianchi, and you will respect me or I’ll make you respect me. I’ll send my son, my capos, and my soldiers, and we’ll tear you all to pieces.”
“Father, these are your fucking soldiers,” I growl, grabbing his arm and turning him away from the party. “You need to stop.”
He snatches his arm away. “Don’t touch me. You hear that?” He yells at the party. “Don’t touch me!”
I grab him again, pull him close, and hiss in his ear. “If you force me to carry you out of here, that will look bad, but I can’t let you rant like this. You look weak.”
He looks at me with glassy eyes, seeming to sober up… a little. “Weak?”
“Weak,” I snap. “You can’t let them see you like this, goddammit.”
“Weak,” he says, like a toddler who’s struggling to understand a word.
“You need to come with—”
The lights snap back on. Everyone stands around in a tense circle, the men looking ready for violence. The women looking ready to run. Many of the mafia men have disgusted expressions on their faces… a Don isn’t supposed to lose his cool like this.
Through the crowd, I spot Siena staring, looking gorgeous in her form-hugging dress, her hair messy and angelic as it flows down her shoulders… and her face ashen. She heard my father’s ranting.
I can’t think about that. She’s got Rocco and Nico keeping watch. She’ll be safe. For now, that will have to be enough.
“I think I need to lie down,” my father whispers.
“Good idea.”
We both walk away from the lights, through the palm trees. He stumbles against me. “I’m sorry, son.”
He sounds vulnerable, something I’ve rarely, if ever, known him to be.