Page 18 of The Mafia's Desire

Angel snorted. “You need to use your head, sister. Why would he want us to care for you and help you get better if he planned to kill you? Don’t you think he would have killed you at the hotel or somewhere else instead of bringing you home?”

Sara laughed. “When you say it like that, I know I sound ridiculous.”

“Give yourself a break. You went through a lot that night and probably did have your head bumped a few times.”

Sara didn’t remember that, but as violent as that man had been, she must have hit her head, or he had struck her.

“Now that you know a bit about Ethan, are you still confused?”

“Not really. I think there are some questions I’d like to ask all of you girls, though.”

“Do you feel up to coming down for dinner? Then we’ll sit in our room and talk until you get tired.”

“Yes. I want to get out of bed. I think I’m getting stiffer just laying here.”

“I would be too, if I were you,” Angel said. “Let’s get you up and into a dress we brought you.”

“You guys have been so good to me. I’ll never be able to thank you guys enough,” Sara said.

“We’re glad to do it. You’re family now if you want to be or not,” Angel said.

Sara smiled when Angel laughed.

She decided to shower because they had plenty of time, which made her feel more human. Her dress was long, and the top was high cut and had three-quarter sleeves that hid most of her wounds. She dried and brushed her hair until it was shiny and straight down to the middle of her back. The girls had given her the lotion she put on and sandals that made her feel more feminine.

Sara froze when they got close to the dining room for dinner and heard several voices she didn’t recognize.

Angel grabbed her hand. “Come on. This will be good for you. You’ll see the couples together and meet more of the family. I’ll make sure you sit by me. Okay?”

Sara smoothed the hair from her face. “I look awful.”

“No, you don’t, and I’d tell you if you did. I’m blunt like that. I can see the bruising, but it’s faded, and the swelling’s gone. Come on. You look beautiful.”

Sara didn’t think she came close to being as beautiful as the women in the family. She inhaled and nodded. She had to leave the bedroom eventually.

Angel smiled brightly and started leading her into the room.

Sara balked right inside the dining room a little when the people around the table stopped talking, and they all stared at her.

The girls smiled, and the older man at one end tried, but the rest of the men looked at her suspiciously like she was going to murder them. She couldn’t look at most of them a second time because they all looked deadly.

“They don’t want me here,” she whispered.

Angel snorted and pulled her along again. She put her in a chair between her and Beth, which helped settle her nerves.

It calmed her a bit more when they started talking amongst themselves again. Beth squeezed her hand to get her attention.

“I’m so glad you came down. Everyone has wanted to meet you.” Beth turned to the man at the head of the table next to her and reached out. The man immediately grabbed Beth’s hand and kissed her knuckles.

He looked like he was made of stone, and his eyes were cold chips of onyx. It was surprising to see a man like him do something so sweet. She hadn’t thought it possible for him to feel anything, especially something as tender as that.

“I’d like you to meet my husband, Alastair. He’s been excited to meet you,” Beth said.

Sara stared at her, thinking she would start to laugh as if it was a joke, but it seemed Beth really thought that man could feel something as ordinary as curiosity.

When no one laughed, she cleared her throat. “Oh … well … I … it’s nice to meet you. Beth talks highly of you.”

The man glanced at Beth. “She better.”

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