Page 6 of Innocent Union
So, I try to make my face look neutral and eat my food and not focus on how angry I am with my sister.
I feel like the ugliest girl in the world.
Will I ever get my chance at love?
CHAPTER 2
Killian
Ilove crashing a Moretti family dinner, mostly because I love seeing how riled up and irritated I can make Giulia Moretti. She hates me, and I’m used to it, but she tolerates me because she knows I helped Antonio when he was in a tough spot.
A year ago, when Antonio was in hiding from his crazy uncle Franco, we teamed up. I helped him take back his family name and business. Now, Antonio has rewarded me as his second-in-command. Which is great, but I have even bigger dreams—I want to become mob boss of the Irish in New York.
And the only way to do that is to take down Patrick O’Connell, the current Irish mob boss. I’ll not only need Antonio’s help, but I’ll have to start finding men who are loyal to me.
But that can all wait because right now, the only person I can think about is the girl across from me.
Mia.
I remember the first time I saw her a year ago, how pretty I thought she was. I never said anything to Antonio about it because I value my life. He’s protective of his sisters, both younger and older. I admire that about him. For the longesttime, it was just my mom, my brother, and me. Now that my brother’s gone, it’s just my mom and me, and that can be lonely sometimes.
I love being surrounded by the large, Italian family energy whenever I try to come over for dinner at Giulia’s house. She normally kicks me, and she almost succeeded tonight, but here I am. Eating with them. Sitting across from Mia.
She’s cute in an unassuming way. The thing is, whenever I try to talk to her, she looks scared out of her mind. I’m not sure if I should take that personally.
“So, Mia,” I say. She jerks her head up, eyes wide, food halfway to her mouth. “How are things going for you? Antonio has mentioned you’re looking for a husband.”
“Um …” is all she says.
Giulia leans forward in her seat, cutting off my view of Mia. “We’re trying to find her a husband. All is going well.” She gives me a smile I know is completely fake.
“Well, huh?” I take a bite of the pasta Giulia provided for dinner tonight. “That’s good. Who’s the top contender?”
“Why are you asking?” Giulia snaps.
“Maybe he wants to be in the running,” Gemma comments, taking a sip of wine.
While Giulia looks like she wants to slap Gemma, Viktor chuckles, and Antonio shifts in his seat, looking uncomfortable as he clears his throat.
“Funny, Gemma,” Antonio says. “But I’m not sure Mom appreciates you saying that.”
“I didn’t,” Giulia says. “Not one bit. Mia will marry a good, upstanding Italian man. Not…”
“An Irish one?” I offer. Throwing a smirk at Giulia, I say, “I may not be Italian, but I consider myself to be pretty upstanding.”
“I doubt that,” Giulia mutters behind her glass of wine.
“What does Mia say about it?” I look at her, and she just freezes again. “Mia?”
“Um …” She stuffs a bite of pasta into her mouth. Everyone waits for her to finish, and it’s as awkward as one can imagine. “The men I saw today weren’t Italian.”
Giulia’s fork clatters to the table. “Mia, be quiet.”
Mia makes a face but doesn’t speak.
I lean back in my chair, crossing my arms. “Well, well, well. If the men courting Mia aren’t Italian, then …”
Giulia holds up a finger. “Don’t even say it.”
