Page 49 of Innocent Union
I meetup with Antonio at one of the barsheowns. All this damn bar business is hard to keep track of sometimes.
“So, how’s everything going?” he asks once we’re seated at a back table.
“With?”
“Well, I was asking about Mia, but you look like you have other things on your mind.”
I sigh as I take a sip of my beer. “Who knew trying to lead would be this hard.”
Antonio snorts. “Tell me about it. I almost ruined my relationship with Cecilia because I was trying to force her to marry a man in his seventies. All because I was thinking about how to be the best boss.”
“Taking Patrick down won’t be easy, will it?”
“It took me five years to take Franco down. You’ve only been at this for a year now. Give yourself time. Focus on making Mia happy. Trust me on that. Happy wife, happy life.”
“Is that how it is with you and Nina?” I ask, settling back in my seat. “Make her happy?”
“Of course. Nina means everything to me. And you know, I almost lost her, too.”
I do remember. A year ago, when Antonio was still in hiding, Nina was being forced to kill him by her father. When Antonio found out, he was so angry with her. I thought that was it for their marriage, but they worked through it, and now, I’ve never seen a couple more in love.
“So,” Antonio says, “how are things going with Mia? Newlywedded bliss and all that.”
“Seeing as we just got married yesterday, it’s still new. I should hope it’s still going well. Otherwise, I’m fucked.”
That makes Antonio chuckle. “If you need advice on how to manage a marriage and manage men who think they know better than you, then this is it: Focus on the people who mean the most to you. I didn’t do that, and I almost lost my wife, my sister, and my father’s legacy. But when I focused on the people who matter, everything fell into place. They gave me the strength to succeed.” He shrugs. “Just something to think about.”
“I care for Mia. I want to do right by her. I can tell she still has a lot of insecurities, but I hope we can work through them. And thanks.” I clink my beer with his. “For letting me marry her.”
“Hey, I wasn’t going to make the same mistake I did with Cecilia. I figured, if you and Mia wanted to marry, I was all for it. Still am. I like knowing my good friend is now a part of the family.”
“Here’s hoping everything works out.”
Antonio smiles. “I can cheers to that.”
When I get home,I find Mia crying.
My chest immediately constricts at the sight. “Mia?” I rush over to where she sits on the couch. “What’s wrong? Are you hurt?”
“I can’t do anything right,” she says through her tears. “I’m so ugly, Killian. I don’t understand why you’re even into me.”
I sit there dumbfounded for a few seconds. “What are you talking about?”
“I’m ugly,” she cries. “No man would want me. Why would they? Not when they could have had one of my more beautiful sisters. What do I have to offer?”
“Mia, where is this coming from? I thought we parted at a good place this morning. I mean … after what we shared last night … you know I’m attracted to you.”
“How? How can you be?” She wipes at her tears, her face red and puffy. “How, Killian?”
“I wouldn’t have had sex with you if I wasn’t attracted to you, Mia. Simple as that. I married you because I like you. Yes, it offers me the chance to make an even stronger alliance with your brother. But I married you foryou. I’m surprised you can’t see that by now.”
“It’s just hard when—” She stops suddenly.
“What? Mia, talk to me.”
“There were these men at the café today,” she says, looking away from me.
Panic seizes my heart. “What happened?”
