Total pages in book: 91
Estimated words: 88153 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 441(@200wpm)___ 353(@250wpm)___ 294(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 88153 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 441(@200wpm)___ 353(@250wpm)___ 294(@300wpm)
“Funny,” I tell her not reacting to her words. “I said the same thing about you.” I make my tone sickly sweet as I smile at her.
“It should’ve been—” Dante moves in between my aunt and I, steering her towards Antonio.
“Racine, this is my uncle, Antonio DeLuca,” he says. “Uncle, this is my soon to be mother-in-law, Racine Korslova and this is Angelina, my fiancée.”
Angelina blushes, needing to step towards my aunt’s side as she looks uncomfortable. Her cheeks are blushing in embarrassment. I don’t know if it’s the introduction or just another wave from her mother’s behavior. My poor cousin looks humiliated. She’s nothing like her mother. Thank God. She leans down a bit, making sure her hair covers most of her scar. I meet her eyes, smiling to give her reassurance.
“Hello, Mr. DeLuca.” Her voice is soft and pretty, just as she is. She glances at me. “I’m so sorry, Emmie.”
“Thank you, Angelina.”
“Ladies,” Antonio says. “I believe there are seats on the other side of the cathedral.”
“I can’t believe you’re going to treat family like this, Emilia. I expected more of you.”
“Victorio, escort these ladies to the seats across from us, please,” Antonio says.
Vic stands. “Yes, sir.”
“Sorry, uncle. Sometimes my future mother-in-law gets carried away.”
“Dante, how did Aunt Racine know about your father’s position with Antonio?”
Antonio looks at Niko. “Your wife seems to keep cards close to the vest.”
“I’m learning that,” Niko says, as he quirks his eyebrow at me.
Dante glares at me. “I have no idea what you’re talking about.”
“Aunt Racine knew that Niko had been moved to another position and knew that you had been passed over. She even knew about Niko’s upbringing. How would she know that, Dante?” I’m interrogating him, but I’m acting as it it’s an innocent question. I do my best to sound dumb and bored, but I figure I’m failing. It’s not like it matters, I’m just trying to make him squirm a little before Antonio takes over.
Dante looks flustered, as a bead of sweat forms on his forehead. I can see his mind racing to come up with a reasonable explanation. “I have no idea. I suppose Maxwell told her. She’s his sister after all.”
“No. My father would’ve never told Racine anything about the family business. That was a line my father would never cross. He wouldn’t even tell me, and he certainly wouldn’t have breathed a word about Niko to anyone other than to tell them how much he respected and cared for him. My father thought of Niko as the son he never had. He loved him. So, you tell me how the one woman that my father couldn’t stand but took care of because his parents asked him to watch over her, would know anything about family business or my husband. Because unlike some in this room, my father was loyal.”
Antonio rises next to me. Dante steps back. “Well, if I did mention something, it’s allowed because I’m marrying Angelina. She’ll be family.”
“I haven’t blessed this union yet and I don’t plan on it.”
“You find her lacking because of her scar?” Dante asks, completely missing the point. “I was worried about that, but I felt sorry for her.” Dante doesn’t even stutter, insulting my cousin—never mind she’s standing right there and he’s talking in front of everyone.
I hear Angelia gasp. I glance in her direction, and she’s covering her mouth, staring at the floor, clearly humiliated. Instantly, rage flows through me.
“I’m going to kill him,” I hiss through my teeth.
“That’s my job,” Niko whispers back.
“But Angelina—” My words are cut off as the cane that Niko is using to support his weight, swings up to catch Dante right between the legs.
I stare in shock as Dante cries out, his hands covering his goods. Niko finds the strength to keep himself steady as his presence seems to fill the space beside me. He’s as imposing as ever. You’d never guess how hard this is for him. I know, though. I stand quickly, wrapping my arm through his, giving him support if he needs it, without it looking like I’m doing so.
Before I can blink the cane whips out, catching Dante across the face. “That was for Maxwell—the man you murdered in cold blood,” Niko growls. Dante crashes to the floor and Niko spits on him. Antonio rises, purposely stepping his heavy boot down on Dante’s balls as he squeals in pain. Antonio grinds his foot as he looks down in disdain. “That’s for your father, a man who loved you and you betrayed in the worst way imaginable.”
“No—” Dante moans, but Antonio ignores him. “Don’t worry nephew, you’re going to get much more than you gave your father.”
Dante was panicked before Antonio finished talking, but now his cries fill the room. “I didn’t kill my father. Uncle, your information is wrong. They’re setting me up! It was Niko!”