Page 58 of Ruined in Vows

“Be positive,” Mamma murmurs.

Flopping back on the couch, I close my eyes, trying to focus on anything else other than what is happening in Vegas. Little hands on my legs have my eyes snapping open. My nephew grips my thighs as he stands and babbles something incoherent, like he knows I need this comfort. How he picked up on it, I don’t know, but I think we as adults underestimate a child’s ability forempathy and understanding. Despite the tension in my body, I smile, bundling him into my arms and hugging him to my chest.

“Hey, little man,” I murmur, gripping his waist and pulling him back so I can look at him. His eyes light up, and he makes grabby hands at my face and hair. I chuckle. It’s a new thing of his and Christ, if he does manage to pinch you, it can hurt.

He babbles again, squealing in delight as I play airplanes with him. “Weeee,”

I move him backwards and forward in the air.

Mamma and Ocean laugh, watching me play with my nephew.

It’s only when Alessio steps into the room, that I stop. My body goes on high alert, heart pounding in my chest, so painfully I feel like I could keel over at any second.

Lowering Romeo to my lap, I ask, “Any news?”

Seconds feel like minutes, before he speaks. “No.”

My shoulders sag, I blow out a breath. I can’t deal with this. It’s too much.

Even knowing that I am supposed to be marrying a monster in another month, it doesn’t faze me. Well, not in the way you think it would. I’m more concerned with how Dante will deal with it if it happens.

But waiting to hear if my brother and the man I love are safe… I am on the precipice of a panic attack, feeling like I can't breathe. And deep down, I know I will only take a proper breath when I know they are safe.

“Will you let me know as soon as you hear anything?”

Alessio nods. “Of course.”

I wait for him to leave the room, but he stands in the doorway, his gaze fixed on my mamma. I cock my head, my eyes widening, seeing the love that shines in his.

I have picked up on little things over the last month or so, but I thought it was no more than attraction. I see it clearly now. Alessio is in love with my mamma.

I wince to myself. I want mamma to be happy and if that is with Alessio then so be it. But surely, he knows better? Nico will have his ass.

But… I don’t know. He might be over a decade younger than Mamma, but I also see the way her usual sad eyes light up whenever Alessio is in her vicinity.

After all that she has been through with my papà, she deserves happiness.

Papà may have loved her in his own way, but that doesn’t mean he didn’t fuck around on her most nights of the week. Nico doesn’t think I am aware of the dancers, sex workers, and other women he screwed around with, but I am.

Not only did he screw up my life with the arrangement with the Romanos, but he treated Mamma as if she were dispensable. The saddest part is, Mamma was so in love with him, she chose to ignore his indiscretions.

A phone ringing startles me from my trip down memory lane.

I swallow, my gaze landing on the cell phone in Alessio’s hand as he swipes the screen and brings it to his ear.

My heart pounds. Body trembles.

And I pray to every God above that it’s the news I am hoping for.

Chapter 36

Dante

“Holy fuck,” I breathe, watching as the place I called home goes up in flames.

We are far enough away from the gated community that we won’t look suspicious, and though we can’t see the house, we can see the smoke in the sky, hear the blaring sounds of the emergency services.

“Impressive,” Nico drawls coldly. “Now let’s get the fuck out of here.”

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