Page 28 of Depths of Hunger

I reach the top of the stairs and listen. The party is going on still so it’s time for me to sit and eavesdrop. Maybe I’ll find out what’s going on. Part of me wants to walk in and show the world I am alive. It was surreal watching my own funeral. I’ve done it several times and it never gets any less startling.

I hear Mia’s voice. She is close. Maybe the kitchen. I inhale, trying to catch her scent, but there are too many other humans around, and the mix of their aromas makes me gag. I lean against the wall to steady myself. I have never had that happen before. Ever since I was shotweird things have been happening. I’ve downplayed it to Father and my brothers, but I am worried. Esme still hasn’t gotten back to me on what was on the bullets. I need to know because weakness won’t be tolerated by either family. If I want to remain as the head of the Valdici family and be the heir to the Valdici seat of power in the vampire world then being weak is not an option. Ever.

“How are you finding it, Maria?”I ask. We are standing in the kitchen and it’s the first chance I’ve had to talk to her since the wedding.

She shrugs. “Va bene, Mia. It’s not easy. Frankie tries.” She gives a little shrug again. “It’s tough. He needs support so it’s not really the time for us to have kids, you know? I think it will take a few more years before we’re in a situation to make that work.” She tries to look sad.

I snort. “Cut the shit. I know you are much better at the business than Frankie and you love it. You don’t have to sell me that I’d rather be having babies garbage.”

Maria’s eyebrows rise as if she’s surprised and then she breaks out in a grin. “I knew you were like me. Only you have it better. No husband to have to play to his ego.” She rolls her eyes then moves slightly closer to me and drops her voice. “I love it. I’m fucking amazing at it. Frankie… not so much. I tell him what to say, and he talks the talk with his friends to keep face, but it’s all me.”

“Any issue in particular that stands out to you?” I ask.

“Are you asking for advice?” She narrows her eyes at me and then nods once. “Put them in their place hard and fast. Don’t tolerate any bullshit. Handle everything as Renzo would. You’re smart. You’ll do fine.”

“Mia,” Donata Rizzoli greets me as she approaches. “How are you, poor thing?”

Maria whispers, “Good luck,” and then walks away.

Donata is not one of my favorite people. She’s no one’s favorite, actually. She’s loud and obnoxious. She’s spent too much time in the States and picked up all of the worst habits which doesn’t endear her to anyone. I also happen to know that she’s Big Tony’s mistress. Apparently, she’s wild in bed and he’s been screwing her for years.

I nod my head in her direction. “I’m fine, thank you.”

“Oh, you poor dear,” she says as she tucks her hands through my arm as if we’re close. “I was just saying that you need support now. You should come to visit me. I will make sure to make you many dinners. You are too thin. No man will want a skinny wife. You’re going to have to find another husband now,” she clucks.

“I’m good for the moment, Donata.” I should thank her for the generous offer, but knowing she wants to marry me off and steal my power pisses me off. I glance at the clock in the kitchen. If Donata is talking to me then chances are good Tony sent her to keep me busy while they meet. Time for me to find out where the meeting is. “I’m just going to run to the little girls’ room,” I say trying to untangle myself from her.

“I was just talking to your mother. I understand she and your father are thinking of moving.”

My mother wouldn’t tell Donata anything if her life depended on it. “News to me,” I say.

Then I start to walk away, but Donata hangs on, digging her fingers into my arm. Judging from the panicked look in her eye, I know the meeting is definitely starting now. I look around the room and catch Pippa’s eye. My two best friends are here. We haven’t had a chance to exchange more than a couple of words, but I was hoping to catch up with them later. Now I send her a silent SOS.

She nods and then excuses herself from the woman she is talking with. She strides with purpose directly across the room to Donata with a determined look in her eyes. “I hear you went shopping and have some new to-die-for outfits. I want to hear all about it,” Pippa says wrapping her hands through Donata’s arm and tugging her away.

Donata can resist many things, but when talk turns to fashion,she’s a weakling. She has the worst taste of anyone I’ve ever met but she believes she’s a divine trend-setter. Point of fact, today she has on a black dress that has the largest black flower on the left shoulder. It’s so big it keeps hitting her chin when she moves. It’s hideous.

I move quickly to the foyer, where I catch Nico’s eye. I cock one eyebrow and he nods slowly. Then I nod and cock my head toward the back of the house. He nods again and starts to follow me back to Renzo’s office. Luca falls in behind me as well and we make our way through the crowd. There are too many people here, but everyone wants to be seen paying homage to the dead don or it will be held against them. No one knows who is going to be in charge next, so they don’t want to offend anyone.

I turn the corner and Marchello is standing in front of the door. That’s all the conformation I need. He’s one of Big Tony’s security detail. He’s guarding the door. He starts to step in front to block the door while at the same time raising his cell phone, presumably to alert those inside.

Luca is suddenly on him. I swear I didn’t see him go by me, but there he is, quietly muscling Marchello out of the way and grabbing the cell.

I nod to him as I open the door and let myself into what is now my office and take my place at the head of the conference table.

“Good afternoon, gentlemen.” They all stare at me. The only one who doesn’t look surprised is Luigi. He gives me a quick wink. I take that as a sign and continue. “I thought I should be here since I am, in fact, the head of the family. No meetings will be held without me.” I say it in a clear firm voice. Nico is standing slightly behind me to my right. He shifts in a way that draws attention. At that moment, Luca comes inside and closes the door, leaning against it in a bored manner. The message is clear. I’m in charge and these men are here to enforce what I say. It’s enough to send a ripple of unease around the table.

Big Tony clears his throat. “We agreed to let you run things if Renzo went back to jail but no one said anything about you runningthings permanently. You’re a woman and you have no idea about how things work.”

I burst out laughing, which seems to shock everyone in the room. “Are you fucking kidding me? No idea? My father was the don for years and my grandfather before that. I know exactly what goes on in the business.”

“You grew up in the States, out of yourpadre’sreach,” Tony countered. “You don’t know jack about business.”

I narrow my eyes at him. “Funny, that’s not what my professors at Columbia Business School thought when I graduated at the top of my class. Nor did any of you complain when my father expanded into the designer fashion and bag industry, which is now making you a tidy profit.”

Tony scoffs. “What are you talking about? You were still in school. You have nothing to do with that.”

I roll my eyes at him. “Who do you think gave my father the idea and told him which brands to target? Who do you think came up with the idea of cleaning money using car rental agencies?” It was true, all of it. In a way. I’d watched a special on American gangsters and what they were into and told my father all about it. He’d brushed me off but when I came home from college, I found out that he’d implemented my ideas as if they were his own. That’s when I’d decided I didn’t want to be part of the family business. Father had used what I’d told him and then told me to forget what I knew. I refused to be treated that way. Not ever.

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