Page 55 of Lies like Rubies, Part One

My heart cracked open a little more. She deserved so much better than this, and there was absolutely nothing I could do to help.

I blinked as understanding washed through me.Fuck.She’d asked Oscuro for help. “Sofia—” My voice cracked, and I stopped before I said something I couldn’t take back.

By the time I knew what I wanted to say, we’d arrived at the dining room, and Sofia had released my arm to take her seat beside Oscuro. Tony might disapprove of her dating Dante, but Patti Russo was more strategic. Oscuro’s interest in Sofia would spark interest elsewhere, damaged goods or not. Whether the Russos married her off to Accardi or someone else, I suspected Sofia wouldn’t be single for long.

I slid into my seat to Sofia’s right and watched, amused, as the older generation crossed themselves before digging into their appetizers. Somewhat sheepishly, their children did the same.

A sharp intake of air from Sofia drew my attention. She immediately relaxed her posture, but her clenched fist in her lap revealed more than she knew. When Dante took his wineglass in his left hand, I realized what was going on. My eyes darted to Sofia’s lap, where the tablecloth only half concealed Oscuro’s hand inching up her bare thigh.

She continued the conversation, as if nothing were wrong, as if he weren’t assaulting her at her parents’ table. Fiddling with the tablecloth, as if she were overcome with nerves, she drew it higher over her waist. Oscuro’s fingers crawled higher and higher up her thighs.

With supreme effort, I tore my eyes away from the spectacle, determined not to give Sofia away to her parents or the Costas.

“Dante, what kind of businesses are you looking at expanding into here in Yorkfield?” Gio asked, with all the sublety of a fucking sledgehammer. My admiration for the deft probing of the mafia women during theaperitivogrew.

As if his hand wasn’t tracing circles on the inside of Sofia’s thigh, Oscuro said, “I’ve made my fortune off arms manufacturing and exportation.”

Sofia bit her lip but gamely replied, “You’ll want to meet with Adam Zhang, then. My sister’s husbands sold off the gun-running part of their business to him four years ago.”

As I watched Oscuro’s hand inch between her thighs under the tablecloth, her fingers clenched tighter on her leg. With a soft sigh, she parted her legs and allowed him to dip between them.

At the dinner table.

With her parents.

And fucking Gio Costa.

What the hell is she thinking?

More pieces fell into place as I recalled her heightened color when she finally joined us for theaperitivo.

“Adam Zhang controls the gun market, but not all imports and exports,” Luca said with a frown.

Costa nodded. “I’m looking at expanding my operations as well. There might be investment opportunities.”

“Expanding into trafficking girls?” Oscuro asked, as if the question weren’t offensive. Patti stiffened across from me, but Gio jumped in.

“Sex work and trafficking aren’t the same things. Don’t tell me you don’t have girls in your clubs here.”

Oscuro hummed. “Is that what Sergio’s here to do? Help recruit girls for your properties?”

“That’s none of your damn business,” Gio snapped.

The entire table froze for half a second at his tone before Tony jumped in with a wry laugh. “I hear that your new club is taking off with the international crowd.”

Costa accepted the change of subject. Sofia fell silent, her breath hitching unevenly from time to time.

When she almost dropped her glass, I rescued it before it could make a mess. Her stormy eyes met mine, scared and aroused, before blinking into a blank mask. She dropped her right hand to her lap, and I reached over to take it, squeezing tightly for a moment as I kept up the small talk with Patti and Ana.

Sofia gasped, her breath ragged, taking the comfort I offered, her nails digging into my fingers so hard I knew they’d leave marks. If I looked at her, I’d find her cheeks flushed and her eyes glassy as Oscuro fingered her under the table. She gasped softly once, twice, then swallowed the sounds, entwining her fingers in mine and gripping them tightly as she shook and trembled through her climax.

Oscuro caught my eye over her head, amused, as he withdrew his fingers from between her legs, dragging them up to his lips where he sucked on them, heedless that the gesture would be otherwise rude at Patti’s elegant table.

Caught between fury at Dante and a desperate need for the forbidden woman beside me, I wished Sofia’s sharp breaths and aching need were for me, not for this asshole who’d parachuted into our lives. I was pissed. Playing with Sofia during a family dinner was fucking disrespectful, not something she would agree to unless he had a hold over her. She clutched my hand and took slow, deep breaths, blinking as she pretended to pay attention to the conversation around her.

By the time dinner ended, my temper had cooled. I escorted the men to Tony’s study while Ana, Sofia, and Patti remained in the dining room, drinking wine and making small talk.

Tony and Gio walked with their heads together, Luca trailing behind, leaving me to walk with Oscuro. Instead of continuing to the study, I cleared my throat. “Let’s take a turn outside, if you don’t mind.”

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