Page 27 of Twisted Games of Revenge

As we approach the table, Enzo stands, coming toward us, an overexaggerated grin on his face. “Vivian, how nice you were able to join us.” He kisses both my cheeks, and I inwardly cringe.

“Thank you for the invitation.” I keep my voice as smooth as butter, even though everything inside of me screams at me to just stab him with my knife and run.

Valentina stands as we come round her side of the table. Taking my hands in hers, she leans in like she’s conspiring with me. “I was so happy to hear you and Alessandro are getting on so well. With the way he was looking at you at my party, I just knew there would be a spark.”

I glance over at Maddox and Ricky, wondering why they’re all here for this fake little dinner of happy families. “How rude of me, these are my other two sons, Ricky and Maddox.” She introduces them proudly.

Ricky smiles politely, and Maddox nods, his stern face not changing to welcome me.

I’m seated between Valentina and Alessandro, with Ricky directly across from me. Under the table I feel his leg brush against mine, and my eyes rise to meet his. His icy stare sends a shiver down my spine, but I know he just touched me on purpose. Quickly I look away from him, before his tortured eyes can send me spiraling out of control. Instead, I smile at Alessandro like I’m smitten with him already and playing the part. It’s not even hard to do because my body already acts as though he’s mine.

With a gentle movement, he placed his hand on my thigh, playing his part as well, or maybe he simply can’t keep his hands off me.

With tension hitting a new peak, a waiter joins us, filling our glasses with wine and taking our orders. When Alessandro orders for me, I have to bite the inside of my mouth to stop from lashing out at him. He may have selected my absolute favorite item on the menu, fettuccine boscaiola, but I still can’t stand that he thinks he has the right to make the choice for me.

Enzo watches us keenly, and even though I can feel the tension in the air, Valentina and Enzo seem oblivious. Valentina’s hand comes to my arm. “Has Vivian shown you some of her art?” she asks Alessandro.

“Not yet. I’m hoping later this evening we might have time to get better acquainted,” he tells his mother.

Fuck, the way he says it, I know he has no interest in my art. He thinks I’m leaving here with him tonight to finish what we started. He has another thing coming. I’m here for one thing, information on his papa. I smile back at him and let him pull me in for a kiss, playing the part in front of them all, but he’s going to get a rude shock when we actually do leave this place—and he’s left out in the cold.

It’s not long before our food arrives. I spend most of my evening watching the four of them interact as a family. As Harley I never had the chance. It’s the strangest thing, knowing how much these boys don’t trust their “parents” and still they sit here and make it all look so normal. Enzo directs most of the conversation. “Maddox, when will you take up my offer to assist the family in Italy?” he asks cooly when Maddox doesn’t include himself in the chat.

“I’m not planning to leave the country anytime soon,” Maddox snips back, not even bothering to play nice. He hates his uncle, and unlike his cousins who play pretend, it’s obvious for all to see just how much.

I feel Alessandro stiffen at my side. “Maddox is far too valuable here, Enzo, I have decided he will remain by my side.” His voice is low but holds a depth to it that says it’s now his call to make and the old man needs to respect his decision. “Besides, he’s on a strict training schedule and has a fight booked for later in the season. He needs to train, he can’t be traveling right now.”

Enzo looks between Alessandro and me, the creases in his forehead relaxing when he remembers he has company at the table he needs to behave in front of. “Why of course, Maddox is very valuable here. And I’m sure he has a promising MMA career. I had just hoped that he could learn a little more about the family business. Get back to his family roots like I did as a boy.” The way he says it you can tell he doesn’t trust Maddox and he wants him out of the picture.

I glance at Maddox, and even though he was watching me, he purposely looks away. He’s in training to fight in an MMA match? Is Geovani the one training him? Fuck, I have so many questions I want to ask him. I sigh heavily, knowing I won’t be able to do that any time soon. He hates me.

I give up on getting his attention and instead look to Enzo. “Do you have more casinos in Italy?” I ask him instead, playing dumb.

Valentina’s hand comes to my wrist, her pretty French-tip nails wrapping around tightly as she leans in closer. “We don’t interrupt the men when they’re talking business, it’s just not polite, dear,” she chastises me.

I glance back at her; has she been seated next to me to train me in the proper table etiquette? She smiles back to me as if I should do the same. Sit quietly and let the men talk while we look pretty. I zip my lips, not because I have been told to but because I don’t want them to stop talking. I want to understand how this family works. How the boys could have sat around for so long letting Enzo get away with all the shit he does and just do nothing.

Every so often Ricky makes eye contact, and every time I feel my heart constrict, his piercing blue eyes breaking me more and more. My heart pounds with an uncomfortable need to fix things between us. Maddox is less obvious, but every now and then, I can feel his attention on me, with a detached ice-cold detest. Just like when I first arrived at their place. And I get it, he went against his family to help me, he could have been killed, and I repay him by taking off when I promised him I never would. He has to know they forced me. I wouldn’t have left otherwise, not with how I feel about them still.

Most of the evening is uneventful, disappointingly so. I had hoped Valentina would drink too much and start spilling secrets, or Enzo would erupt in a rage, showing his true colors, but that was wishful thinking. When I have had enough of the men talking in some coded conversation right in front of me and Valentina’s fake-ass smile trying to reassure me this is some kind of fun, I dismiss myself and go to the restroom.

Emerging from the bathroom, I catch Enzo a few steps down the hallway, whispering with a waitress. He towers over her, andshe gazes up at him with awe, as if he were something celestial. I wonder if I should retreat back to the bathroom to avoid them. The young brunette giggles, and my stomach turns. “Yes, Daddy,” she agrees.

Enzo glances up and catches my line of sight. He doesn’t even look guilty that he is very blatantly flirting with one of his staff while his wife is at the table just out in the dining room. Instead, he smirks at me then drops his lips to hers and kisses her passionately, pressing her into the wall behind as he manhandles her.

Chapter 12

Oh fuck. I freeze,not sure what the hell to do. I need to get out of here, so I drop my head and go to pass them, feeling like I might just puke up my fettuccini. He is the vilest creature I have ever met. Pretending to like him is getting more impossible by the second. Before I have time to pass, he captures my wrist, stopping me.

“Walk with me to the bar,” he suggests, and I know it’s not a request. He swats the giggling waitress on the ass, and she continues around the corner back to her service station. What the hell do they see in him?

A wave of discomfort washes over me, but I plaster a smile on my face. “Sure,” I agree, and he releases his grip on my arm. I walk by his side toward the bar. Over his shoulder I find Alessandro keenly watching us. He’s not the only one. Maddox and Ricky’s eyes follow us across the room as well, but Valentina is nowhere to be seen.

“Whiskey?” he asks when we arrive at the bar.

“No, thank you,” I decline his offer.

“Two,” is all he says to the bartender. I see where Alessandro got his controlling tendencies from. Why bother asking me what I want if you’re just going to do what you want anyway?

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