Page 102 of Poison Vows

Everyone is still looking at me as I reach for a piece and start eating.

The anger in the room is like an actively erupting volcano, but that doesn’t stop me from enjoying myself.

Since I’ve been sick, I haven’t exactly eaten anything in two days. Besides, fried chicken really does strangely help with the migraines.

Emmett just played a hand of petty to thenthdegree.

The man isn’t even here and yet, he has commanded such a potent response in this room.

Across the table, Emilio is incredibly livid; his face is still red.

Vaughn suddenly turns around. “Grandfather hasn’t heard anything from my dearest cousin in days. Did he run away?” Vaughn demands in a snarky way.

Run away? Why would Emmett run away from anything or anyone?

“Cousin isn’t a coward like you, Vaughn,” Scarlet suddenly says, in her smoky but deadly tone that carries like a bullet in the room.

I look at Scar and notice the cold smile on her face that doesn’t reach her eyes at all.

“Ty, do you know when my cousin will be done with his business?” Scar suddenly asks and to my surprise, Ty answers her instead.

“Miss Scarlet, it’s not known when the young master will return. I have not received any news,” Ty says with a level of respect for Scar that he never showed for anyone else but… me.

That gnawing, sinking feeling kicks back into gear.

I take a quick look around the table and notice the slight relief on Emilio’s face, but Giovanni is still staring at me.

What’s up with that?

Ty comes to my left and picks up the empty platter, while servers take away Scar’s and her grandfather’s plates.

But the plates with the raw, bleeding pieces of beef are left there.

None of the servers from before are present. It’s like they’ve been replaced by another team of efficient servers and just behind them are the tough-looking men in black, all standing at the edge of the room directly behind me, with Ty slightly forward.

I don’t miss the way everyone around the table is glancing at me, but none of them say a word.

“Padre, are you going to allow them to stay in here while we have our family dinner?” Giovanni suddenly demands, looking at his father.

“They’re here for someone,” Grandpa says mindlessly, not bothered at all.

All eyes swing to look at me. Again.

Three servers come in and place dessert in front of me, Scarlet, and Grandpa while everyone else is ignored.

This distinction seems to blow another grenade as Emilio bangs his fist on the table and gets up quickly.

“Padre…” he starts.

“Is there a problem?” Grandpa questions as he scoops a bit of his matcha ice cream, not even looking at his enraged son.

“Padre, I think tonight is better than any other to finally settle that matter with the Hughes family, seeing as they came a long way. We have to operate in good faith.”

My heart jumps in my throat.

It’s clear what Emilio means, with that forced smile on his face.

Emilio glances across the table to Senator Hughes.

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