Page 128 of Vicious Addictions

Even at her young age, Annamaria isexquisite.She holds the kind of beauty painters and other artists can only ever dream about having as their muse. With timid, clear blue eyes and golden locks framing her face perfectly, the young teen looks almost angelic in nature, the complete opposite of her rebellious older sister.

However, it’s the way she offers me a shy, hesitant smile that sets her apart from her siblings. She’s not like them. She doesn’t seek the limelight. Somehow, that makes her all the more striking to me.

“Hello, Annamaria. How lovely to meet you.” I curtsy just to widen the timid smile on her face.

“The pleasure is all mine, Lady Crane.” She mimics my curtsy.

“Please, call me Mina, sweet girl.”

I don’t miss how Giovanni and Stella share a knowing look with each other.

I bet this happens all the time, a person being so easily disarmed by the youngest of their clan.

I’m about to ask her if she prefers to be called Anna instead when another blond catches my eye as he walks toward us with Dominic at his side. But this young man gives me pause for a whole other reason.

My back stiffens as Dominic is the first to greet me.

“Lady Crane.” He nods, and I’ve come to understand that he’s a man of few words.

“Mr. Mancini. How do you do? And who have you brought with you?” I ask, though I already know the answer.

Luciano must throw a fit every time he looks into his older brother’s eyes.

Talk about dead eyes.

It’s like staring at a younger, blond-haired, blue-eyed version of Evan Peters’ doppelgänger.

“This is Marcello,” Dominic introduces, pride laced in his voice.

Marcello makes no effort to extend his hand for me to shake or even use his voice to say a simple hello. All he does is stand there, gazing at me with a vacant stare that sends shivers up my spine, like spiders creeping along my skin.

Jude has been watching from afar this whole time, but the moment I step in front of his brother, he swiftly appears, draping an arm over the young man’s shoulders.

“So, have you met everyone?” Jude asks, knowing fully well I have.

However, I don’t miss how Marcello’s tense muscles instantly relax under his brother’s arm or how his eyes flicker with life now that he feels safe enough to show it.

“I have. Mr. DeLuca and Mr. Mancini have been kind enough to make the introductions.”

“Enough of that.” Gio waves off with his trademark chuckle. “Please call me Gio. And you can call the big guy Dom. Can’t she, buddy?”

“As long as I get to call her Mina,” Dom counters with an arched brow, demonstrating he’s not a fan of calling anyone Lady or Lord anything.

“I don’t see why not. This is an informal affair, is it not?” I throw Dominic a genuine smile.

Jude smiles at that, and I see Marcello’s hard exterior start to thaw, too. And that’s when it hits me like a slap across the face—Marcello doesn’t trust strangers. Or maybe he doesn’t trust strangers in the house and amongst his family. It seems Marcello only manages to relax after someone he implicitly trusts gives their stamp of approval.

Still, that vacant stare… It felt like he wanted to stare into my soul and rip it out of me. It’s terrifying to see such distrust in someone so young.

He’ll make a great asset to the Outfit.

“Ah, there you two are. Lourdes has already prepared the table for us,” Gio says to someone behind me.

I turn around and see Vincent walking down the winding staircase arm-in-arm with his wife.

“Holy shit,” I hear Rolo blurt out to the side.

But I’m too speechless to find the words to reprimand him.

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