Page 116 of Single Malt Drama

I glanced up, but I couldn’t see past the two of them. Standing shoulder to shoulder, they completely blocked my view inside of the room. I rose to tiptoe, leaned to the right, and then to the left, but couldn’t as much as catch a glimpse of my mother. For a second, I wondered if she’d changed her mind about meeting me.

Dante said something to my brother. Giancarlo nodded and spoke in a low voice.

Now? They’re having a conversation, now? I took a step forward.

“Scusi!” A velvety voice cut through the men’s conversation. A heartbeat later, a tall, dark-haired woman elbowed her way between them. She met my gaze and froze in place.

My hand flew to my mouth. She had my eyes—or I should say, I had hers. The same shape, same color, same thick eyebrows.

Chin quivering, she smiled, frowned, and smiled again. “Nicolina?”

I nodded too quickly.

Vittoria made a pained sound, closed her eyes, and did the sign of the cross before closing the distance between us. She stopped in front of me and alternated between lifting and dropping her hands as if she didn’t know what to do with them.

Up close, the gray in her hair and lines around her eyes were more noticeable and more troubling. For me, they were a reminder of the time we’d lost. I couldn’t imagine what must have been going through her mind. I’d been a newborn the last time she’d seen me—if she’d seen me at all.

“Mamma.” I couldn’t take it another minute. I threw my arms around her and buried my face in her hair.

My mother choked out a sob and wrapped her thin, but strong arms around me. “Tesoro mio. My treasure. My sweet treasure.”

We remained in each other’s arms sobbing until I’d soaked the shoulder of her dress. I eased back and smiled. “We should sit, Mamma.”

“Yes, yes, of course.” She glanced at my belly and gave me a shy smile. “Your husband tells me you are expecting.”

I nodded again because I didn’t trust myself not to babble like a lunatic about how happy I was to have a mother to help me through the pregnancy. Instead, I turned to Giancarlo. “I’d like a cup of tea.”

He and Dante laughed.

Leo stepped closer and rested his hand on my shoulder. “Marco is planning to call a meeting immediately following the ceremony. He wants us to join him.”

Until that moment, I hadn’t stopped to think about everything Marco had said or the repercussions. I glanced at the men’s stone-faced expressions before turning back to my mother. “You’re not safe here. Papá had you held prisoner. He’ll… He’ll kill you before he allows you to speak to the other families.”

“None of us are safe until he is stopped. I must do this.” She drew a deep breath. “For you, and your brothers, and my grandchild.”

I pressed my palm against my belly and prayed we’d all make it out alive.

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