Page 20 of Christmas Vows with the Devil

I can’t help but feel a pang of guilt. While the family is busy planning this celebration, I’m holding onto secrets.

“Matteo’s gonna love this!” Aunt Lucia says, her eyes sparkling.

She’s always been the optimistic one—a beacon of light amid the shadows of our family.

“Where is Matteo?” I ask casually, hiding my instant panic at not knowing where my own child is.

“He went sledding with some of the cousins,” Lucia explains, pushing a mixing bowl into my arms.

I release an anxious breath. He’s safe with his family. We’re safe. I hope.

“Everyone else hit the slopes early this morning,” Aunt Carla adds brightly. “You look like you needed the rest though.”

I sigh, acknowledging my puffy raccoon eyes, and stir the gingerbread dough dutifully. I let my gaze wander over to the fluffy snowflakes dancing outside the window as the aunts chatter.

“Do you think he knows?” Carla’s voice cuts into my daydreams.

“Carla,” warns Aunt Lucia, casting me a sidelong glance. “I don’t think she wants to talk about this.”

“What? Who?” I’m genuinely confused. Did I miss that much of the conversation? I slide the mixing bowl over to Aunt Carla and busy myself with the tangled streamers.

“Dante. Do you think he knows?”

I glance sharply at Carla.

“About Matteo, I mean.”

“No, Aunt Carla,” I face her, a hard look stealing into my eyes. “And you need to watch your words—and your volume.”

I glance nervously toward the entrance to the kitchen, half-expecting Dante to be eavesdropping by the door. Shaking the deranged thought out of my head, I grab the jumble of streamers and head to the living room.

Out of the frying pan and into the fire.

I walk into the living room only to find the devil himself. Dante glances up from his laptop, fixing those intense cocoa eyes on me.

I’m trapped.

I can’t walk out without looking insane, so I tentatively plop down on the sofa with my streamers. I feel his intense gaze studying me, sliding all over me.

“Need some help?”

The laptop clicks shut and heavy footsteps make their way over to me. Every step echoes my beating heart.

“It’s fine.” I aim for nonchalance with my tone. “You seem busy.”

He sits on the opposite end of the sofa and grabs a handful of streamers.

“Where did everyone disappear to today? I only found your aunts in the kitchen.”

“Most of the family went skiing,” I explain, focusing all of my attention on the task at hand. “Matteo went sledding with some of the cousins.”

“Matteo.”

His tone forces me to look up and meet the gaze I’ve been avoiding. I can almost see the wheels turning in his mind.

“Are you and Matteo’s father still together?”

I snort. “No. Absolutely not.”

---