Page 158 of Vicious Addictions

“How?” I ask, completely bewildered by the unexpected news.

“Seems my rebellious daughter managed to sway Marcello into naming her as his witness. She always was the clever one.” Selene displays that heartbreaking smile of hers.

I don’t know how to react, but I find myself reaching for her hand and giving it a light squeeze.

“If you’re worried that she won’t be safe, remember that her brothers and father would never put her in harm’s way. I, myself, will keep an eye on her for you.”

Selene then holds my hand in both of hers, turning to look straight at me.

“Won’t you consider staying in Chicago a little longer?”

“I…” I open my mouth but remain speechless, staring into such hopeful and desperate eyes.

“He loves you, Mina. Though my son refuses to confide in anyone, much less me, a mother knows when their child has met his soulmate. And my Jude has met his in you. He might have wronged you, but give him time to undo the pain he’s caused. Give him another chance at happiness, for I fear Jude will never find it here.”

My jaw is still on the floor when Stella and Annamaria interrupt us, calling our attention to the five men who just entered the room—the Donato family.

“They’re here,Mammà.What do we do?” Stella asks, eyeing the villains standing across the room.

“Get your fathers, Stella. Annamaria, come with me to greet our guests,” Selene orders, utterly unaware of her slip of the tongue.

I don’t call her out on it either. Instead, I quickly lock eyes with Remus and Rolo on the other side of the room, signaling that I need them asap.

“I’m coming with you,” I say, already walking in step with her.

She gives me a curt nod, gratitude written all over her face.

By the time we reach the five men, Remus and Rolo are flanking behind me with their game faces on.

“Benvenuti a casa nostra, Don Carlo,” Selene says, the smile on her face as fake as Carlo Donato’s teeth.

“Grazie mille, signora.”Carlo Donato Senior thanks, his gaze darting away from his hostess to fall on me. “And this must be Crane’sprincipessa,Mina.”

“Actually, Don Carlo, it’sLady Crane,” I correct swiftly, my smile just as practiced and artificial as the ones plastered on everyone else’s faces. “And I’m the Firm’s underboss, not a princess.”

His grin is as insincere as one would expect from a snake like him, but it’s the man standing at his side who truly sends a sick feeling to crawl up my spine. His gaze is as black as his soul must be.

“Don Carlo, I see you brought your sons with you. Maybe you can introduce us,” Selene quickly interjects, and I get a sense she is just biding some time until her husband appears.

“Le mie scuse,but of course.” Don Carlo straightens his spine, eager to introduce his four sons.

“This is my firstborn, Carlo Junior,” Don Carlo introduces, proudly patting his son on the back. “He’s the one who will take over for me when I retire. Isn’t that right, son?”

Junior nods in agreement, though he refuses to even crack a smile at us.

“Retire? I wasn’t aware that theCosa Nostrabelieved in such things. I thought the only way to leave thefamigliais in a body bag,” I chime in whimsically, urging to prick the bastard.

“Ah, and you’d be right, Mi…Lady Crane,” Don Carlo laughs, not one bit annoyed with my comment. “Though theCosa Nostraisn’t as, shall we say, progressive as your beloved London Firm, we have started to incorporate a few twenty-first-century ideologies, and retirement is one of them. Yes, my Carlo will have to step in for me in a couple of years. I fear these old bones no longer have much fight in them. Best make use of them while I still can before enjoying the Floridian sun like the rest of the retirees.”

“Oh, I very much doubt there isn’t some fight in you, Don Carlo,” Selene counters, her voice so saccharine sweet I nearly gag at the sound of it.

“You’re too kind,signora,” Don Carlo replies smoothly, making no effort to disguise how his gaze lingers on Selene for a little too long to be considered polite.

“Don’t be rude, Father,” Carlo Junior smartly interjects, pulling his attention away from his rival’s wife. “You have other sons to introduce.”

“Yes, yes, quite right.” Only Carlo doesn’t take too much time introducing his other three sons, having apparently wasted all his pride on his first. “This is Matteo, followed by Niccolò, and of course, my youngest, Raffaele.”

When all three men nod in unison, it hits me that Don Carlo must have been married twice. Either that or Carlo Junior had the bad luck of not only inheriting his father’s throne but also his lackluster genes. While I wouldn’t give either man a second look, Don Carlo’s younger sons deserve better inspection, each one more striking than the other.

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