Page 62 of The Secrets We Keep

“He hates me,” she whispered when Matteo raked her with a disapproving frown.

“He hates everyone,” Carina said with a wave of her hand. “Don’t take it personally. Besides, you’ll be family by the summer, and then he’ll have to shut up about it. Christ knows we’re all eager for that day.”

Luca snorted in agreement and turned to his brothers as they joined them. Dom reached for Emilia’s hand, running his thumb over the stone of her engagement ring before bringing it to his lips.

“Ready?” Matteo asked, twisting his watch on his wrist. “Maeve is going to meet us there.”

“Maeve is coming? Why?”

Matteo glanced at Luca as he pulled on his cashmere coat and stepped out into the cold. “Because I need a beautiful woman on my arm. Who isn’t my sister,” he added at Carina’s disgruntled squeak. “You should have found one yourself.”

To their credit, no one who knew about Sienna so much as twitched at the mention of Luca not having a date.

“Suddenly you care about everyone’s love life?” Dom asked.

“No, I care about appearances.”

Luca ignored his brothers’ petty squabble and climbed behind the wheel of his SUV, raising a brow when Carina and Alexei scrambled into the backseat.

“What are you doing? I’m staying in Catania after the party.”

“I figured,” Carina said, reaching for Alexei’s hand and scooting closer. “But if I have to ride both ways with them, I’ll be the one who ends up stabbing people tonight.”

Chuckling, Luca started the car and pulled out of the driveway. One day, Matteo was going to have to reckon with his utter distaste for relationships and find his own bride. Luca was very much looking forward to watching his brother crumble under that particular pressure.

The ride was silent save for the occasional snippet of conversation that drifted up from the backseat. It was dark by the time they arrived in Catania, and the party was in full swing, a line of cars snaking up the long driveway as drivers dropped off their passengers and left through what looked like a bricked rear drive.

“Jesus,” Carina whistled as the house came into view. “Looks like Restivo is putting his campaign funds to good use.”

The already imposing house was tastefully decorated with thousands of fairy lights. They hung from the eaves and crawled over bushes and wrapped around columns. Candles ringed by festive wreaths flickered in every window, and when Luca climbed out of the driver’s seat and handed his keys to the valet, the soft sound of Christmas music drifted over the hum of conversation.

They met up with Matteo, Dom, and Emilia at the end of the walk and followed the line inside. The music was louder in there, but so was the conversation, flowing around them and filling the space.

White-jacketed waiters carried canapés and cocktails from room to room on silver trays. The men were dressed in tuxes, and the women were wrapped in sequins and furs and expensive jewelry.

“I feel underdressed,” Emilia said, running a hand over her hip when a woman walked past them in a pouffy ball gown with a fur stole hugging her shoulders.

“You look stunning,” Dom assured her, wrapping an arm around her waist and turning to Matteo. “But I’d rather not linger too long.”

“We need to see and be seen, Domenico,” Matteo said, eyes scanning the guests. “Especially by Nero. Have a glass of champagne and relax.”

Luca stopped a passing waiter and started handing out glasses, clinking his against Emilia’s and giving her a wink. She smiled, taking a sip.

“Just try not to drink too much,” Matteo added, eyeing Emilia. “We don’t want loose lips ruining this for us, either.”

With a roll of his eyes, Dom led Emilia away, and Carina and Alexei followed.

“You’re such a prick, Matteo,” Luca said before slipping into the crowd and smiling politely at anyone who made eye contact.

He did as instructed, making small talk, introducing himself. Within an hour, he’d met three bankers and their wives, a real estate investor, and the COO of Italy’s largest privately owned company. Restivo certainly didn’t lack friends in high places.

By the second hour, Luca had exchanged business cards with two men in finance and one whose business dealt almost exclusively in corporate takeovers. Something Matteo obviously had a thirst for.

Dom found him halfway through hour three, looking ready to crawl out of his skin. Scowling, he grabbed a glass off a passing tray and downed half of it with one swallow.

“Is Nero even showing up to this fucking thing?”

Emilia stepped closer when several heads turned and patted Dom’s chest. “You’re doing great, love.”

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