DANTE
I drink myself to sleep that night.
The next morning comes too early, the sunlight seeming to pierce through my eyelids.
At least I didn’t dream about her. I groan as I stand up, chugging down the glass of water that sober me must have left for the morning. Bless him.
I shower and brush my teeth before heading down to breakfast. The sandwich that Samantha brought me went stale. I’d tossed it in the trash after she left and had scotch for dinner.
My stomach growls audibly as I smell syrup. Jesus, I hope it’s waffles.
It’s pancakes, but that’s not what stops me in my tracks. Elio and Samantha sit at the table and he’s chuckling at something she said. She turns to me. Doesn’t lose her smile.
“Good morning.”
I tear my eyes away from her. “Morning.”
Last night clearly didn’t ruin her the way it ruined me. My stomach twists and I’m suddenly not hungry anymore.
I sit down next to Elio anyway and shove pancakes into my mouth that taste like cardboard.
“You’re serious about this?” Elio asks.
I try not to listen, tearing sausage with my teeth. I can see Samantha’s eyes dart to me out of the corner of my eye.
“Yeah, I’m serious. It’s about time I make the rounds.”
Make the rounds?
“This isn’t the eighteenth century, Sam. You don’t have to debut.”
My shoulders go stiff. Just what in the hell are they talking about?
“Still. It’s time for me to start settling down, and if I can help you with an alliance… so be it.”
“I’m not going to marry you off.”
Marry her off? I’m going to choke to death. I cough and it blows a piece of pancake out of my windpipe. “What are you two talking about?”
Samantha ignores me, focused on her father. “Of course not. But if you introduce me to everyone, there’s a chance I might fall in love and make the alliance, right?”
Elio sighs. “I mean, I guess. I’ve already invited all my allies and their families to the party, so… mingle. See if something sticks.”
Samantha grins. “Thank you, Papa.” She kisses his cheek, leaving most of her plate untouched. It’s not like her. Maybe she’s more upset about last night than she put on.
I’m still confused about what Samantha and Elio were talking about, but something tells me I won’t like it.
“Don’t ask me what that was all about,” Elio mutters.
I raise an eyebrow. “Oh, I was going to ask.”
“Sam has a bug up her butt about finding someone. Settling down. Asked me to introduce her to my allies, or ‘eligible bachelors,’ as she calls them.”
My blood runs cold as I take a sip of coffee. It doesn’t warm me, just burns bitter down my throat. I forgot to add cream or sugar. “That’s crazy. You told her no, right?”
Elio looks at me. “Why would I do that?”
“Because it’s completely insane!” I burst out, slamming my coffee cup down too hard. “She’s being targeted by Luciano and–”
“Now that we’ve taken the rat out, that won’t be a problem.”
I gape at him. “You don’t know that, Elio.”
“I know Ricci has no more access to my inner circle.”
“That doesn’t mean he won’t recruit one of your allies.”
“I trust everyone I’m inviting.” He gives me a hard look. “I know you aren’t suggesting I’d do anything to compromise my daughter’s safety.”
I feel like I’m losing my mind. Does he not see how dangerous this is? “Of course not, but–”
“I don’t tolerate ‘buts,’ Dante,” he says, voice thunderous.”You used to know that.”
Elio can be a hothead at times, and I’m pushing his buttons. I can’t seem to stop. “She’s twenty-five fucking years old, why is she thinking about settling down in the first place?”
Elio throws up his hands, frustrated. “Why are you so worried about this, Dante? You’re not her father.”
My mouth closes with a snap. “I won’t support this. I won’t be here.”
“Yes the fuck you will.” Elio glares at me and then softens slightly, sighing. “I know you had a rough night.”
A rough night. You have no fucking idea. “That’s not what this is about.”
“Then what is it about, Dante? That young girl of yours? Because Samantha isn’t her.”
My heart stutters and any protests I had die in my throat. “It’s not,” is all I can manage.
“I know she’s got you twisted up,” Elio says quietly.
Guilt rockets through me and I look down at my nearly empty plate. He’s right, though. She does.
“But I need you here to watch over her. Just in case you are right and I’m being an idiot.”
I snort out a laugh. “Do I get to say I told you so?”
“As long as you keep my little girl safe, you can say whatever the hell you want.”
“I’ll always keep Samantha safe.”
It feels good not to lie to him, because that’s the God’s honest truth. I almost feel like I’m standing outside my body, looking in on the breakfast table.
Elio smiles. “Good. That’s why you’ll be at the party tonight.”
I choke again, coughing. Elio claps me on the back. “Tonight?” I rasp.
“Yeah, tonight, remember? It’s the sixth.”
My days are blurring together. That’s not like me. But I haven’t been acting like myself in a long time. Maybe since I fell in love with Samantha.
“Jesus,” I mutter, but Elio doesn’t react.
“So you’ll be here?”
“I’ll be here.”
My voice goes flat, but Elio doesn’t seem to notice. He stands, smiling. “Maybe I’ll talk to Olivia. See if she’ll set you up with someone.”
“Yeah.” I’m barely listening. Elio whistles as he stands and walks out.
Tonight should be a fucking blast. I head upstairs mechanically, try to lose myself in a new Western novel I’d picked up at the drugstore.
I keep reading the same page, over and over.
I flip on the tv and a marathon of the survival show I’d watched with Samantha is airing. I bark out a bitter, surprised laugh, and turn it off.
Finally, I just lay on the bed, staring up at the ceiling. My mind runs in circles.
She wants to settle down, now? Suddenly? After flirting with everything that moves, driving me crazy for years, she wants to get married?
I try to think about it. Her meeting someone tonight. Falling in love. Getting married.
My stomach rolls and I sit bolt upright. I manage to keep down my breakfast, but it’s a near thing.
Fuck.
My mind won’t even fucking go there. I’m Elio’s friend. I’d have to be there, at the wedding.
Watch it.
Stand by while Samantha says her vows. Takes someone else’s hand.
I glance longingly at the half-empty bottle of scotch on my nightstand. But I can’t drink it.
Not tonight.
I need to stay clear-headed in case my fears come true. In case Ricci really does have someone else on the inside, or among Elio’s allies.
Although if I’m honest, having someone to kill wouldn’t be the worst possible thing right now. Because every time I think of someone else’s hands on Samantha’s, my hands tighten into fists.
She was never yours, I tell myself.
It doesn’t help.
I finally get up and head to the shower, letting the water beat down on my head in some attempt to clear it. I don’t know how well it works.
I dress in a black suit, no tie, just a white undershirt. I check my watch when I button it up. It’s almost eight. The guests will have already started to arrive. I can’t put this off any longer.
I walk out, and nearly run into Samantha as she hurries out of her room with Sofia, that friend of hers.
Sofia gives me one look and clears her throat, then disappears down the stairs after squeezing Samantha’s hand.
Samantha looks up at me and gives me a little smile that cracks what’s left of my heart.
She’s wearing this white dress that compliments her olive skin. It’s got a sweetheart neckline. She looks beautiful. Understated.
Gorgeous.
Her dark hair is curled lightly at the ends and she tosses it back. “Do I look okay?”
I swallow hard. “You look incredible, tesoro. Listen, about last night—”
“I know. It was a mistake,” she says quickly, setting her lips in a hard line.
I frown. “Tesoro, I—”
“You won’t have to worry about me much longer. Okay?” She places a hand on my arm and then moves away, hurrying down the stairs.
I look down at where she touched me, barely breathing.
Tonight may fucking kill me.