Page 47 of Satin Empire

My mother doesn’t even have the self-awareness to look ashamed. “I didn’t know at the time, and what could I have done? Orsino made his decision and I had to go along with it. Really though, those Rossi men, that whole family is terrible, or what’s what I hear.”

“They’re good people,” I say, practically barking it at her, so annoyed I can barely keep myself under control. Typical Mom, withholding information because it doesn’t fit with what she wants. If she really felt all this, she should have said something before I ended up hitched to Carlo for the rest of my life, but Mom cares more about herself than she does about anyone else.

“Good people? I can’t imagine that’s true,” she says, waving a dismissive hand. “I heard?—”

“I don’t know what you heard, but Carlo’s been nothing but good to me, and I like his family. They’re really nice.” At least the wives have been. I don’t need to mention that I’ve barely interacted with the other brothers.

Mom’s eyebrows jut up to her hairline. “Really? You’re defending them right now?”

And I want to tell her off, because she went along with Orsino and let this freaking marriage thing happen all because that’s more convenient for her, but I bite the comments back and swallow them. I don’t have to start a fight with her, not anymore—I don’t live here, and all I have to do is walk out that door the second I get sick of my mother’s bullshit. That’s an oddly freeing thought, and suddenly a lot of the stuff that drove me crazy about her seems to dull and fade away.

It doesn’t matter what she thinks about the Rossi family. She’s not the one that has to live with them—I am.

I’m not trapped here anymore, and her moods aren’t my problem.

I force myself to change the subject, and for once Mom lets something go, probably because she knows she narrowly avoided getting eviscerated just now. We talk for a while longer until I hear a wild scream and look over to find a little skinny boy charging at me like a rhino.

“LANA,” Niccolo shouts and launches himself right into my lap, hugging me like he’s trying to tackle me to the floor. I stagger and almost fall off my chair.

“Easy, kiddo,” I say, laughing and hugging him back. “I missed you too.”

“You were gone forever,” he says, sounding breathless and a little angry. “Why haven’t you been back? Mom keeps saying?—”

“She’s been busy, Nicco,” Mom chides, tossing me a worried look. She knows how much Niccolo means to me, and if he starts laying on the guilt, I might end up getting all emotional, and god forbid Mom has to deal with that.

“I got through half of Mario Wonder already without you,” he says and his Switch materializes from nowhere. “Since you went away for like a thousand freaking years, I had soooo much time to play.”

“Didn’t you beat that already?” I ask, looking over his shoulder as he boots into the game.

“Yeah, but that was with Yoshi, now I’m playing as Mario and it’s way harder. Lana, wanna watch me play on the TV? Is that okay Mom?”

“Go ahead,” Mom says, waving us away.

And then I’m really home, back on the couch with Niccolo, his little body snuggled up against mine as he manipulates the controller. I watch him play and don’t even complain about it—since usually it bores me to tears, even though he doesn’t care—just happy to be close to him again. I didn’t realize how much I missed my little brother, but I make a promise to myself that I won’t ever go that long without visiting again. Even if I drop in for a few minutes just to say hello—Niccolo is a priority.

* * *

Another couple hours pass before I head back home. Niccolo pouts when I leave but he perks up when I promise to come back over in the next few days and ask him to get as far as he can in Mario Wonder in the meantime.

Back home, Carlo’s sitting out back, his feet up on the table and his laptop in his lap open to more real estate listings. I sit down on the chair opposite, my legs stretched out, feeling strangely empty. I wanted nothing more than to get out of that house, and now that I’m away, it feels so bizarre to know that life is continuing on without me. Niccolo is fine and Mom is her usual self, and somehow the world keeps spinning even though I’m not there.

“How was your visit?” Carlo asks, not even looking over at me, but I didn’t even know he remembered I’d gone over there.

“It went good. Saw my mom and spent time with my little brother.”

He glances up, head tilted. “Brother?”

“Half-brother. He’s Orsino’s son. We’re really close.”

“That’s good. Kid probably missed you, huh?”

“He really did.” A lump forms in my throat. Why the hell am I so damn emotional all the time? I swallow against it and have a sudden, intense urge. “Do you want to meet him?”

Carlo looks up again and hesitates. I don’t blame him if he doesn’t want to hang out with some random seven-year-old kid. Though I’ve seen Carlo with his nieces and nephews, and he’s really good with them—the little ones in that family all absolutely adore him, which I’ll admit softens me a whole ton. There’s something sexy about a man with enough confidence in himself that he can play and have fun with kids without worrying about what he looks like.

“I’d love to meet your brother,” he says.

And the idea is so appealing. I didn’t even realize I wanted it until right now. I’ve met Carlo’s family, but I’ve been keeping my own from him, probably because it feels like my relationship with him won’t last long and isn’t real anyway. I don’t want Niccolo to get attached to him, only for this bizarre arrangement to fall apart.

---