Chapter 19 #2
Where on earth is he possibly going with this? Where does he get these wild ideas?
“How the fuck do you figure that?”
“Easily,” Apollo insists. “No one is supposed to know, so your life won’t be affected. Yordan won’t know, and you can continue to pretend you despise me.”
“I’m not pretending.”
He disregards my jibe and continues explaining his hairbrained scheme.
“And if my father believes we’re attached, he won’t try to set me up with someone else.
All my free time can continue to be devoted to mentoring Yordan, which I know you want for him.
You can dislike me all you want, but you can’t deny that I’m good for him. ”
I breathe out, digesting his reasoning. I hate that it’s not entirely ridiculous.
“And what happens when we’re actually expected to marry?”
“Engagements end all the time.” He shrugs again. “We’ll end it amicably and continue to associate as we do now. No one will question it for fear of being rude. There’s no real downside to this, Rayna. Unless you consider having to remain single and celibate a downside.”
“Single and celibate?” I echo, arching a doubtful brow. “What is that supposed to mean?”
“You can’t be seen with another man while rumors of our engagement are out there, Rayna. Surely you know that.”
“And I’m sure the same doesn’t go for you, does it?” I scoff.
“I assure you, I won’t be seen romantically with other men.”
Scowling, I snap. “Fuck off. You know what I mean.”
“I haven’t been with a woman in months, and I have no plan to change that. I understand you think I’m the devil incarnate but I wouldn’t embarrass you by sleeping around while we’re attached, even in rumor.”
I can’t pretend that doesn’t surprise me.
Months without a woman warming his bed? As a mafia heir with a handsome face and a stacked bank account? It seems almost unheard of.
Feeling slightly crazy, I guzzle down the rest of my glass in an entirely improper manner. “I’m going to need something stronger than this to cope with the fact that I’m about to agree to your ridiculous idea.”
“How about another glass instead?” He raises a brow. “We still have a dinner to get through, after all. You seem like you’re a bit of a light weight.”
“Fine,” I agree stiffly. “But if you ever kiss me to shut me up again, I’ll punch you in the dick.”
He chuckles, looking far too amused. “You’d prefer I kiss you with a different motivation instead?”
“Don’t push your luck.”
“I wouldn’t dream of it, micina.”
Two full glasses of wine later, dinner is in full swing. Yordan is fully in his element, making hearty conversation with everyone surrounding him. Me on the other hand, I’m feeling flush and uncomfortable, cowering under the weight of scattered gazes.
I’ve exchanged polite chatter with Elio, Leon, and Apollo, but mostly made myself invisible to others.
Jade has also been attempting to be welcoming, but her babies are keeping her quite busy.
Her little boy is being passed around the table like a hot potato, and her daughter is snuggled into her lap like a sleepy little princess.
I can’t hide how awkward I feel, nor how unsettled I am to be sharing a table with…some of the guests. My long-held resentment for the Moretti family isn’t something I’ve been able to fully tackle since growing closer to them. The fact that they’ve been so kind only makes it more difficult.
A glass clinking sends the wild chatter of the dinner table into silence. Like she knows I’ve been contemplating my ire for her, Melani stands up from her seat holding up her wine with a bright smile.
“I don’t want to interrupt the conversations for too long, it’s so rare for all of us to be here together.”
“Too rare!” Jade adds in a regretful cheer.
Melani chuckles. “Exactly. I only wanted to announce that the latest charity ball Emilio and I hosted met our incredible goal last night, in large part due to Dante. Hundreds of struggling women in the city will have assistance and housing for the next five years, and I’m so grateful for being able to be a part of this generous family. ”
My blood goes from a warm wine flush to a raging boil in an instant. Suddenly she cares about the wellbeing of women in need?
The table shares a polite round of applause, cheering for Melani’s short speech.
Don’t say anything, Rayna.
Bite your tongue.
I choke down the rest of my wine, wishing it were a tranquilizer.
“We should collaborate on something for the orphanage next,” Ana suggests with a bright grin. “I know you love doing women’s charities lately but there’s plenty of young boys and girls who could use a killer fundraiser this year.”
“That’s a lovely idea,” Melani agrees, nodding. “Emilio has always said that Morettis care about women and children above all else.”
Despite my desire to remain quiet, I can’t help but snort. The sound unfortunately doesn’t drown out in the noise of the table. Everyone hears it, and everyone looks at me.
Melani sits, eyes narrowing as she does. Her perfectly blown out blonde hair is so long that it brushes the table before falling beneath it. “Care to comment?”
I should politely decline, pretend I thought of something funny and didn’t mean to laugh at the wrong time.
But I’m on my fourth glass of wine and Melani is the wrong person to test my restraint.
“You don’t want to hear anything I have to say, trust me.”
You could hear a pin drop, even the babies have gone quiet.
“Try me.” She hikes a perfectly sculpted brow. “I highly doubt you have anything too brutal to say toward the family that has given you so much.”
“Melani,” Jade gasps in admonishment.
“Careful,” Apollo warns.
“Last I checked, Apollo is the only one who’s given us anything. If you’re looking for a thank you, you should look elsewhere.”
“Do we have a problem?”
“Girl fight,” Matteo whispers, chuckling into his glass. Jade smacks his stomach, quietly hissing, “Don’t goad!”
“If there’s something you’d like to say, Rayna, we’re here to listen,” Dante says, his deep voice filling the room like a gentle command rather than an offer. “Any complaints are welcome, we are a reasonable family.”
“What could she have to complain about?” Melani scoffs. “From where I’m sitting, she looks like she’s got it made.”
“Melani,” Jade says again, seeming utterly surprised with the world class snark her sister-in-law is serving up.
“You want to know my complaint?” I ask, teeth grinding as I keep my eyes directly on her.
“Fine. You all think you’re God’s gift to women, and I won’t spit in the face of what Apollo has done for me and Yordan.
But I know people this family has hurt and neglected, so forgive me if I don’t feel like toasting to your greatness. ”
“Rayna…” Yordan says, wincing. “Maybe you shouldn’t—”
“Yes, Rayna,” Melani cuts in. “Maybe you shouldn’t.”
“Maybe you shouldn’t be so vocal considering you’re the reason I’ve resented the Moretti name for years.”
Because after only a short time getting to know the people surrounding me tonight, I’m almost certain I’ve been blaming them for something that is entirely her fault.
Melani crosses her arms, glossy manicure shining against her skin. “Wow, I heard you were rude but I didn’t expect you to be so brazen about it.”
“Oh, I’m sure we’ve both heard unpleasant things about each other, haven’t we? I’d rather be rude than heartless.”
“Heartless?” she scoffs.
“Heartless, uncaring, cold to the bone, evil incarnate, whichever you prefer.”
“Hey,” Emilio jumps in, voice hard. “Watch how you speak to my—”
“Watch how you speak, brother,” Apollo demands firmly. “Let them settle it.”
Melani huffs. “I doubt there’s anything to actually settle.”
“Oh, there’s plenty but it will never be settled. Being in the same room as you makes me fucking sick.”
“I think we should all take a breath,” Dante advises calmly, speaking up before Melani can retort. “Rayna, if you wouldn’t mind clarifying. Clearly you think you know something that we’re missing. Who have we neglected and what has it got to do with Melani?”
“Yes, please tell us,” Melani adds icily.
I look her dead in the face, hoping my next words hurt her deeply.
“Sienna,” I bite out. “Sienna Bianchi. Ring a bell? Or have you entirely wiped your little sister from your memory? You sure act like you have.”
Her carefully crafted confidence fades in an instant. “S-sienna?”
“She has a sister?” I hear Jade whisper.
“I honestly didn’t know,” Matteo whispers back to her.
“Let’s take the kids out of here,” Cassio tells his wife. Ana and him quickly gather the little ones, and usher them out of the room without making a scene.
I see Elio stiffen, and I realize I’m about to break my best friend’s trust by revealing her secrets to Elio, but I can’t stop. I can’t allow her misery to remain hidden for a second longer, especially not when faced with her awful older sister.
The older sister that’s sitting pretty at a luxurious family dinner. A family dinner full of warmth and love that Sienna has never even dreamed of witnessing, let alone being included in.
“You abandoned her,” I grit out, standing from my chair with an abrupt smack of my hand to the tabletop. “You knew how terrible your parents were and you left her there without a second thought. You haven’t talked to her in years. You didn’t even invite her to your wedding or say goodbye.”
“My relationship with my family is none of your business,” she rasps, voice cracking.
“The hell it isn’t!” I see red, temper growing hotter. “She’s my best friend and she’s been practically tortured by your cunt of a mother while you live the good life. The mother who you still talk to by the way!”
“Don’t speak about my mother.” She breathes out hard. “Sienna has always been spirited, I don’t know what she’s told you but I’m sure she’s fine—”
“Oh, I get it,” I say, laughing bitterly. “You’re so deep in denial about how shitty your mother was to you, that you can’t even admit that you haven’t thought about what she could be doing to Sienna now that you’re gone.”
“We need to dial this back—” Emilio starts to say, only to be interrupted by his twin.
“No,” Elio barks. “Let her say it.”
He’s the only one who’s given a shit about Sienna.
The only one who’s ever even thought to check in on her.
She’s kept him in the dark about the severity of her shitty life for her own reasons, but I can’t keep this secret any longer.
If she hates me after this, at least she’ll hate me after getting her out of that hell.
“You’re here surrounded by a loving family that would do anything to protect you, and it seems you didn’t even ask if they’d help Sienna too.” My throat strains with the urge to scream. “They lock her up in that awful house, and she can’t do anything without being monitored.”
“Which is entirely normal for mafia daughters—” Melani starts.
“I’m not finished!” I shout. “You’d know exactly what I’m talking about if you ever bothered to see her after you got married. One look at her face, and you’d know. Or should I say, your face.”
“What?” Elio asks, the word coming out dark and confused.
“Ever since Melani bagged a Moretti husband, her evil bitch of a “mother” has been forcing her to get plastic fucking surgery to look more like you. For years. She tells her it’s the only way she’ll bag a proper husband like you did, and she’s convinced her dumbass husband that all the work is Sienna’s idea.
That she wants to have a new nose, cheek filler, and body modifications too.
She has to dye her hair, wear contacts, and your fucking face now.
Your body too. She’ll never be able to breastfeed her future children because of complications with her boob job by the way. ”
You could hear a pin drop at the Moretti dinner table.
“That house is a hell that even you couldn’t imagine, because you didn’t get even a taste of the true abuse she faces,” I continue venomously.
“And still, you knew. You knew the way your mother picked and prodded at her. You knew the way she treated her, and here I am finding out you never even tried to get her out. Matteo didn’t even know she existed, and from what Yordan says, he knows everyone!
You could have told your husband, asked him to get her out, and you didn’t! ”
“Is this true?” Dante asks, eyes dark and thunderous.
“Elio has been checking in on her for years, and she hasn’t said a word to him about how bad it really is there.
She hasn’t said a word because she doesn’t want to burden this family, or her own.
She’s been permanently altered by them, and she won’t tell Elio because she still loves her parents enough to not want them dead. ”
“Nico, let’s go,” Elio barks, standing up from the table with a violent push. His chair stumbles behind him.
“Nico?” Melani gasps. “Do not hurt my family, Elio!”
“Get fucked, Melani,” he growls in return. “I’m not going to slaughter them because she asked. But the fact that you care more about the state of their well-being than hers makes me wish I could disregard her wishes entirely.”
“I’ll call Abramo. Do not land in his territory without my text confirming you’re free to,” Apollo says, voice clipped.
“Got it.”
“Well.” Dante clears his throat. “I believe dinner has run its course. Feel free to finish up at the table or in whatever room you’d prefer. I’m going to make a few calls.”
Melani excuses herself from the table without a word, and I drop down onto my seat, exhaling loudly.
Calling her out wasn’t nearly as satisfying as I expected it to be. What the hell have I done?