Page 16 of Matteo
Then she tried to turn her feigned glare at him, but her smile ruined it.
“So, Dad, are you ever going to let us get married?” I teased, even as fatigue pulled on me. I was trying to stay upbeat, not wanting to worry my parents.
He smiled. “Only if you want to. Nobody’s forcing my girls to get married.”
Mom shot him a look full of love and mischief. “I don’t seem to recall ever having a choice.”
Dad’s expression softened and he bent his head, pressing a kiss to her nose. “That’s because I was crazy about you, cara mia, and living without you would be like living without oxygen.”
Hannah rolled her eyes. “Geez, get a room, you two.”
I rested my head on her shoulder and sighed. “Be nice.”
“Yeah, be nice, Hannah,” Gianna joined in. “Mom and Dad have true love. Learn from them.”
“Pfft.” Hannah wasn’t having it. “There’s sex and?—”
“Hannah,” Mom scolded her. “Language.”
“Yes, language,” Gianna mimicked, her smile smug.
The moment Mom looked away, Hannah feigned a glare at our baby sister, who promptly scratched her nose with both middle fingers.
Those two would never change, butting heads at every turn. Yet, they were more alike than they realized.
“Dad, can you take me back to my dorm?” I asked, ignoring my sisters. “I’d drive myself, but my Jeep is back at the campus.”
Tense silence stretched, and I braced myself for the words to come. There’d be no more Yale for me, I knew. Still though, I waited for my parents to break the news. It was coming, I was sure of it.
“The Vitales were nice enough to offer to let us stay the night,” Mom said softly, locking eyes with my father. “We can all get some rest before we go anywhere.”
“Yes, that’s for the best,” Dad agreed. “You can’t blame us for wanting to spend extra time with you. Today was…”
“Traumatic,” Mom finished for him. “For all of us.”
“I can have one of my men bring your Jeep?—”
“No,” I cut him off. “It can wait.”
My army-green Jeep was my most prized possession, and I never let anyone drive it.
“But, Mom, the guy is dead. I’ll befine.” Francesca’s agitated voice pulled all our attention. “This shit happens, and now that lightning struck, we’re good to go back.” Her violet eyes met mine and she let out a frustrated breath, begging me to come to her defense. “Tell her, Arianna.”
I opened my mouth, but my mom’s soft voice cut through.
“Let’s leave it for tonight.” My eyes lowered to my white Chucks, where specks of blood stained the canvas material. My dress too, which I had yet to change out of. “Are you tired, baby?”
My mind had conjured up memories, playing tricks on me and switching images of the two dead girls with Gianna’s and Francesca’s faces. I squeezed my eyes tight, chasing them from my mind.
“Arianna, are you okay?” Dad’s concerned voice yanked me from spiraling. I wiped my expression and plastered a smile on before lifting my head to find everyone’s eyes on me.
“Yep, all good here. But a bed sounds good right about now.”
CHAPTER SEVEN
MATTEO
Iwas as eager as Pa was to get to New York, our home, and ensure Francesca was alright.
