Page 77 of Cruelest Contract
He tries to hand Julian the knife with the blade facing away.
Father and son face off. The tension in the room is palpable.
“She hates the sight of blood,” Julian says. His arm circles protectively around my waist. “And you know damn well why.”
His father’s eyes narrow. It’s very plain he doesn’t appreciate an argument from his eldest son. “She’ll have to get a lot tougher,” he says with no sympathy. “Now that she’s going to be a Tempesta.”
In the background there’s some light snickering. I’d put my money on Getty as the culprit.
I dislike being the cause of all this drama. Cassio Tempesta insists on his traditions and his rituals. Losing a few drops of blood won’t kill me. If Julian’s father demands our marriage contract will be signed in blood then so be it.
“I can handle this.” I straighten my spine and hold my hand out for the knife. As soon as it’s in my palm, I turn the blade around and carefully prick the tip of my forefinger with the sharp tip.
This is nothing. Just a tiny cut.
But the second a drop of blood wells up, I’m hit with a wave of nausea.
Memories and nightmares collide.
Gunfire. Screaming. Blood. So much blood…
“Look at me.” Julian takes the knife away, drops it on the table, and cups my face in his hand. “Just look at me, Cecilia.”
I do as I’m told. The whole time I can feel what he’s doing, how he places my finger directly over the inkwell and squeezes a few drops of blood out, enough to satisfy his watching father.
But still I don’t look. I stare up at his face, just as I’ve done before.
In a chivalrous move, Tye approaches and wordlessly hands his brother the handkerchief that was peeking from the pocket of his tux blazer. Julian snatches it and winds the fabric around the fresh cut on my finger. He kisses my hand before picking up the knife again and cutting his own finger. I stare at my makeshift satin bandage as he adds his blood to the ink.
Julian signs his name first and then hands the pen to me. Under different circumstances, I’d take the time to appreciate the pen itself. As a dedicated pen and paper girl, nothing can compete with a good writing instrument. This one is weighty and the flat part of the silver tip is engraved with the image of the ranch brand. I calmly scrawl my name in neat, meticulous letters.
The blood has mixed with the ink and isn’t visible in our signatures. Julian’s father signs as a witness and he calls Angelo over to be a second witness.
Surprisingly, my brother hesitates with the pen poised two inches above the paper and glances at me. This is the first time I’ve ever spotted an odd flicker of doubt in his face. He seems to be waiting for some sign of encouragement. Or maybe it’s forgiveness he wants.
He doesn’t deserve either one. I stand mutely beside Julian and watch as Angelo sighs and finally scribbles his name in haste.
Just when I think this whole weird rite of passage is over with, there’s an outbreak of commotion outside in the foyer. Sonny huffs into the room, breathing heavily, and wastes no time going straight to Cass.
“Boss,” he pants, “we’ve got an uninvited visitor.”
Julian’s father glares. “Do you need me to fucking show you what you should do with him?”
Sonny mops his sweaty face with the back of his sleeve. “This asshole ain’t interested in taking no for an answer and he claims to be the bride’s brother.”
“Let him in!” I cry and look up at Julian, appealing for help. My instant joy over Gabe’s unexpected arrival is offset by my fear that he’s now being manhandled by Cass’s pack of Mafia dogs.
“You heard her,” Julian says to Sonny. “Let him in.”
Sonny heaves a sigh and pulls a rectangular black device from his blazer pocket. There’s a crackling sound when he presses a button and his raspy voice croaks, “He’s approved. Open the door.”
Seconds later, the front door bangs open and a stream of cursing explodes into the house.
“And the next fucker who puts his rat claws on me is getting them chopped the fuck off!”
Oh no.That deep, snarling rage doesn’t belong to Gabe.
In fact, this is a voice I haven’t heard in so long that I hardly recognize it.
