Chapter 6
Chapter Six
Seraphina
Our night was a disaster from the start even before we left home.
Dorian was in a foul mood even though he was the one who had agreed to come to this dinner.
The entire ride here was filled with tense silence because he didn’t like what I was wearing, which was modest compared to what he normally had me in.
Silence was never good when it came to my husband. Others looked at him as a loose cannon, but with me, he was a brooder, letting his anger build. And then he’d explode when I least expected it.
Dorian tolerated my sister, and he didn’t like my brother-in-law.
He always had something negative to say about the Puglisis because he was a Drakos.
I didn’t even know there was bad blood between the two families when we started dating.
But my family didn’t know about his true feelings because Dorian Drakos was a master manipulator.
However, I couldn’t just put their ignorance of my situation on Dorian.
I’d done a good job hiding what was happening inside our home.
I made it seem like my husband was the perfect gentleman, even though it was the opposite, just to keep the peace.
My sister was pregnant and a hothead. And Gianni, although the calm one, would lose his mind if anything upset Phoenix, especially while she was pregnant.
I’d rather keep everything a secret than get my family involved.
Then there was Sergio, who had always been someone who could read me.
I hated how aware he was when it came to my emotions, which was why I was rattled as soon as my eyes landed on him after my argument with Dorian when we arrived at my sister’s place.
The way he glared at our interaction, I knew tonight was going to go downhill fast. I didn’t know how much he witnessed, but by the look on his face it had been too much.
As Dorian pressed the doorbell, his grip tightened on my hand, and I winced. “Dorian, you’re hurting me.”
Before he responded, the door opened, and I plastered a smile on my face, and so did he.
“Dorian,” Gianni said, sticking out his hand.
His greeting was polite but bland.
“Thank you for having us.” Dorian let go of my hand and grasped Gianni’s hand in a firm handshake.
I flexed my fingers to remove the ache.
Gianni stepped aside and let us enter, then closed the door. The air was cool and smelled of citrus and sea salt. Like most homes in Santorini, it was like you stepped back in time.
Whitewashed walls reflected the intense Mediterranean sun, which kept the space cool.
Arched doorways and windows created a sense of openness.
And charcoal-colored volcanic floors throughout added to the earthy vibe of Santorini.
Other than my family being in Greece, the architecture was one of the reasons I fell in love with the place.
Gianni wrapped his arm around my shoulder and kissed me on the top of the head. “How are you, Sera?”
I couldn’t tell him the truth.
“I’m doing good,” I lied, trying not to wince from the way he hugged me.
I wasn’t good. I haven’t been good for a long time, but I had to keep that to myself.
“Just making sure,” he said. “We haven’t seen you in a while.”
“I’m sorry, I’ve been meaning to stop by, but you know life gets in the way some time.”
I didn’t miss Dorian’s glare. He hated when Gianni or Phoenix asked anything about what we’d been up to, but the truth was I’d been hiding.
I knew Phoenix had been too busy with the kids and the pregnancy to stop by and see me.
And I’d been nursing more bruises lately.
Dorian had been pissed more with his family’s business and had been drinking more. So, I’d been dealing with the backlash.
Gianni let me go. “Everyone’s in the dining room.”
As he led us toward the dining room, dread coiled inside my gut. I just knew this night wasn’t going to end well, but there was no way I could stop it.
Gianni entered before we did, going to the head of the table where my sister sat to his right.
Laughter spilled from around the table. Casual and normal, which was strange for the Puglisi brothers.
For as long as I’d known them, they’d hated one another.
I wasn’t around Lorenzo or Dante much, but when I was with Sergio, he didn’t speak highly of his brothers.
Tonight, they seemed to enjoy each other’s company.
Maybe there was hope for them to fix whatever was wrong between them.
Black lanterns hung on the walls, lighting up the dining room. White linen curtains billowed in the breeze, brushing against the black metal dining chairs. The scent of oregano and roasted lamb clung to the air.
My husband schooled his features so no one could tell anything was wrong. “Smile, sweetheart,” Dorian whispered in my ear, the warning clear in his tone. “We don’t need anyone in our business. It won’t turn out well for anyone.”
I understood the threat. And I knew it wouldn’t turn out well for everyone if I didn’t play my part.
He kissed me on the temple, and it took everything in me not to turn away from him. I hated his touch. I hated him.
As soon as we stepped into the doorway of the dining room, the room stilled.
Everyone’s attention turned to us. The family sat clustered around the table except for the children.
Phoenix looked at me and smiled, but then her smile fell away.
I didn’t know what she saw, but concern crossed her face.
I smiled, hoping it would ease any worry or anger, but I knew my sister.
The questions were coming, and I had no clue how to answer them.
And then there was Sergio.
He sat at the far end of the table next to a beautiful woman, with his back straight, and his jaw tight. His gaze met mine, but once again I averted mine just to keep him from seeing things were not going great for me. He had already seen too much.
I hadn’t seen him in a long time. Not since I asked him to leave me alone at my engagement party. It was one of the hardest things I ever had to do. But now he’d moved on, and so had I. Maybe he’ll keep his distance tonight so when I returned home it wouldn’t be worse than it would already be.
“Have a seat.”
Gianni motioned to the two empty chairs next to Lorenzo and Dante’s wife. I’d met her a few times, but I couldn’t remember her name.
“Everyone, you all know Phoenix’s sister, Seraphina,” Gianni said. “And this is her husband, Dorian.”
Murmurs of hello went around the room.
“Glad you two could make it,” Phoenix said, but her voice held a tinge of anger.
“Thanks again for inviting us,” Dorian said, as he pulled out my seat like the gentleman he wished to portray to the outside world.
I sat down, and then he helped me move it closer to the table before sitting beside me. Despite my shaky hands, I clasped them in my lap, maintaining a perfect posture and practiced smile. However, from across the table, I felt Phoenix and Sergio’s gazes locked onto me.
“Sera, are you alright?” Phoenix asked, and my gaze lifted to my sister. “You look a little pale.”
“I’m fine.”
I noticed Sergio’s head tilt from the corner of my eye before I looked away from my sister. He used to know all my tells. The way I bit the inside of my cheek when I lied or the way I avoided eye contact when scared.
Tonight, I did both.
“She’s been tired,” Dorian answered after taking a sip of the wine the staff just poured. “She’s not been sleeping well.”
“Maybe you’re pregnant,” the woman sitting beside Sergio said.
I looked in her direction, trying to wipe the horror from my face.
Her skin was a warm brown, glowing with undertones of amber and mahogany, and her long hair cascaded down her back in thick, lustrous waves. Her features were striking—high cheekbones, full lips, and dark brown eyes. She was beautiful and Sergio’s type.
“You’re a nurse, aren’t you, Rachel?” Gianni asked.
She nodded, smiling. “Yes, five years now.”
“That’s what we’re hoping for,” Dorian said. “Isn’t it, baby?”
I took a sip of wine to quench my parched throat. “It is.”
But I couldn’t look my sister in the eyes because she would know I was lying. Dorian knew I couldn’t have children. He was just trying to get under my skin and Sergio’s.
I was so thankful when two more staff members entered the dining room and placed our food on the table. It would take the attention off my non-pregnancy.
With dinner being served, the dining room buzzed with overlapping voices, forks clinking against ceramic as people ate, everyone laughed as wine glasses were refilled. I watched as my sister leaned into Gianni, whispering something that made him smirk.
I envied my sister’s relationship. Although they had their ups and downs, they loved each other no matter what. I wanted that kind of love.
I made sure I drew little attention to myself. I smiled when spoken to, nodded when appropriate, but you didn’t hear my voice above the hum of conversation. No one noticed the role I played.
Except him.
Sergio sat across from me, not close enough to speak without drawing attention, but close enough to watch.
He didn’t eat much. Didn’t laugh even when his date tried to garner his attention.
His eyes kept drifting past the wine, past the noise to me.
Even though I did my best to hide the truth, Sergio was too observant when it came to me. He always had been.
“He’s been staring at you since we walked inside the fucking house,” Dorian whispered to me while slicing a piece of lamb. “Maybe I need to put him in his place since he can’t keep his eyes off what’s mine. Or in his grave. Which do you prefer?”
“Dorian, please don’t,” I pleaded. “I can’t control what he does, but if you do anything, there are four of them, and only one of you.”
He didn’t say anything else, but the tick of his jaw let me know he wasn’t happy with my response. But no matter how much these men did not like each other, they were Puglisis. Brothers. If you messed with one, you messed with them all.
“Could you please excuse us.” Phoenix rose to her feet. “Seraphina, could you come with me, please?”
I took a sip of wine, before rising to my feet. Dorian’s eyes were burning into the side of my head. But he had nothing to worry about. He made it clear what would happen if I ever told my sister about the abuse. I refused to put her or her family in danger.
She looped her arm through mine as we walked out of the dining room together. I released a breath because I wasn’t under the watchful eye of Dorian or Sergio anymore, but I knew my sister was getting ready to grill me.
When we stepped onto the back terrace, she took a seat, and I sat across from her. “What the hell is going on? And don’t fucking lie to me, Sera. I see the damn bruise on your arm.”
“You know how clumsy I am.”
I brushed off her concern. What else could I do?
“Don’t give me that bullshit.”
“Phee, calm down. You’re pregnant.”
“I don’t give a damn. I need to know why you have bruises. And don’t think I haven’t noticed the makeup either.”
Shit!
“I promise nothing is going on.”
“I don’t believe you.” She glared at me. “I know the signs of abuse, Sera. I was once married to a sadistic motherfucker, or did you forget?”
No, I hadn’t forgotten Lio, but that was her life and this was mine. I was trying to survive.
“Phee…”
“Is everything alright out here?” Dorian asked, looking at us.
Dread coiled inside my stomach because I saw the anger flaring in his eyes, but I didn’t know if my sister could.
“No,” Phoenix said. “She has a bruise on her arm. Do you know how she got it?”
Dorian chuckled as he shoved his hand down in his slacks. “You know how clumsy your sister is.”
“I told you, Phoenix.”
I made sure he knew I held up my part of this charade. I tried to convince my sister that I got this bruise because of me, not him.
“Anyway, I’m sorry, but we have to go.” Dorian held up his cell phone. “Business calls.”
I didn’t believe he had business. He wanted to make sure I kept our secret.
I reached out and hugged my sister. “Please, let it go,” I whispered in her ear where only she could hear. “I’m fine. I promise.”
I needed her to back off.
When I let her go and she eyed me with concern. I knew this wasn’t the end of the conversation.
“Thanks for having us again,” Dorian said, grabbing both of our attention. “Dinner was amazing. Sorry we have to leave.”
“I love you, Sera,” she said, ignoring Dorian. “Make sure you call me. If you don’t expect a visit from me.”
“I love you too.”
Dorian grabbed my hand, then led me from the terrace.
When we stepped back inside the house as Dorian led me toward the front door, I felt eyes on me.
I knew who it was. And when I looked to my left, Sergio’s glare sent a shiver down my spine.
His eyes flicked down to my arm where it was bruised, then moved back to Dorian who was oblivious to our interaction.
Fuck!