Chapter 12 Eli #3
Disappointment flashes over me, but I quickly shake it off as I follow after her. I run my fingers through my hair and tuck my shirt back inside my pants, trying to appear like I didn’t just get the best blow job of my life in the bathroom.
Everyone in the Manacorda family is engaged in conversation as we approach the table, not giving us a second glance.
Madeleine takes her seat, which now has her main course before her, and looks up at me with a secret smile. Her hand finds my leg as I take my seat beside her.
“Madeleine,” Alastor says, his tone stern. “Can I have a word with you?” He crumples the cloth napkin on his lap and tosses it onto the table as he stands.
I cross my arms over my chest, glaring at him. “Why don’t you give her a chance to eat her goddamn—”
“Of course,” Madeleine interjects, swiftly removing her hand from my leg and standing.
I immediately follow suit, standing beside her, ready to go wherever she goes. “Just…don’t leave my side, okay?”
“If you don’t mind, my fiancée and I would like a moment of privacy,” Alastor states, emphasizing the word fiancée, which has officially become my least favorite word in the dictionary. He snakes an arm around Madeleine’s waist and hauls her into his side.
She looks at me. “It’s okay. I’ll be right back.”
Adolfo laughs. “Can’t wait until the wedding night, huh? You’re more like me than my actual son.”
Madeleine’s cheeks flame with embarrassment as she pulls out of Alastor’s grip and storms away, heading out of the main room.
Alastor adjusts his tie and smirks. “We’ll be back shortly.” He leans closer so only I can hear him. “Just need a few minutes to remind her who she belongs to.” A wicked grin spreads over his face before he turns and walks away, leaving me seeing red as I fight with myself on what to do.
On the one hand, she can take care of herself. I know she can. But what I’ve been witnessing over the course of the night has me questioning everything I’ve ever known.
My Madeleine wouldn’t take this shit.
She wouldn’t cower under their stares or cruel words.
She’d fight back.
With her sharp tongue and lethal gaze.
She’d come out victorious with some witty remark or insult.
But the woman I just witnessed being berated by almost every member of that family left my chest feeling tight, my head confused, and my heart heavy.
My Madeleine wouldn’t be engaged to the world’s biggest arsehole.
But she’s not yours.
Not anymore.
I stare at the spot where she disappeared around the corner out of sight, and all I can think is…
Like hell, she isn’t mine.
Pushing the chair out of my way a little harder than necessary, I step in that direction when the sudden vibration of my phone in my pocket catches my attention. Pulling it out, I see Enzio’s name on the screen.
“Excuse me,” I say, looking around at everyone as I back away, place the phone to my ear, and walk toward the back of the room. “Yes?”
“You ready to kill someone yet at this dinner?”
“How’d you know about it?”
“Cressida always tries to get me to come to them.”
I shake my head. “I can’t decide which of them I want to kill first.”
“My money’s on my father. Although that Mila is a feisty one.” He laughs. “I’m calling because, with Alastor in town for the week, it gives you an opportunity to question Tony.”
“Where is he?”
“He has an apartment in the same building as Alastor’s.”
“And how do you plan on us getting him alone?”
“I happen to know he despises our parents, which is why he’s not at the dinner tonight.” He chuckles. “On Thursday, my parents are hosting a gala in the city. Alastor will be in attendance to show his face, and Tony will most likely stay behind, giving you the opportunity for some one-on-one time.”
“Okay…” I process his words. “But if it’s Alastor’s building, how do you expect us to enter unseen?”
“Alex can hack into the security system, correct?”
I pause, considering. “Shouldn’t be a problem.”
“Good. Let me know what you find out. It may be nothing, but it doesn’t hurt to confirm.”
“We will,” I answer.
“How much longer will this dinner be?”
I glance over at the table where Madeleine and Alastor are taking their seats. Madeleine frowns, pressing her fingers into her temple, while Mila talks animatedly about something, and Alastor and Adolfo laugh boisterously.
“We’re leaving now. Text me with the details.”
I quickly end the call, place an order for food on my phone, and then shove my phone into my pocket as I walk over to the table.
Resting a hand on the back of Madeleine’s chair, I state, “I’m sorry, but we have to leave.
That was Vin on the phone, and he mentioned a family emergency that he would like you to come home for. ”
Madeleine’s eyes widen as she stands without a second thought.
“Oh my, I hope everything is all right,” Mila offers before taking a large gulp of her champagne.
Alastor stands as well. “I’ll accompany you home.”
“No,” both Madeleine and I reply in unison.
She quickly places her hand on his chest, looking up at him. “I’ll be fine. Besides, you don’t want to leave your family’s dinner so early.” She looks at his parents. “Apologies, but I must go. We should do this again soon.”
Alastor bends down to kiss her, but Madeleine quickly spins on her heels and turns out of his reach.
I don’t give the rest of the family a chance to continue their polite exchanges, placing my hand on her lower back to gently guide her away from the table.
Over my shoulder, I notice Alastor’s eyes fixed on where my hand rests, which gives me a small sense of satisfaction.
We walk side by side out the front door into the frigid air. I stop her, gently pulling on her hand, and then take off my jacket, placing it around her shoulders just as Reginald brings the car to a stop at the entrance. She wraps the material around her waist, swimming in its length.
I reach out, placing two fingers under her chin to guide her gaze up to mine. “Did he hurt you?”
She shakes her head.
“And you’d tell me if he did?”
She nods.
“Good.”
Opening the back passenger door for her, she places her hand on the inside panel before stilling and turning to face me.
“There is no family emergency, is there?”
“No. And I just put in an order for pizza to be delivered to the front gate.”
She smiles—a true, genuine, Madeleine heart-stopping smile. “Thank you, Eli.” She leans forward and presses a tender kiss against my cheek before stepping inside the vehicle and sliding across the leather seat.
I don’t know what I did to deserve that smile, but fuck, I want to memorize it so it’s the last thing I see before I take my dying breath.