Page 19 of The Sound in Silence

“You’re cranky. It’s a disagreeable look on you. One would think your wife isn’t pleasing you well enough.”

I shut my eyes, focusing on the breath running through my body before I say what I truly want to. Even though, this is simply my mother. Bitchy, and the first to tear someone down. It’s why she managed to keep pace with Father all these years.

“I’m not having this conversation with you.” Every word is a punch as I stride through the condo, heading down the hall to the bedroom. The sooner I sleep, the less painful conversations like this will feel.

“Yes, well, sorry to be a burden,” she says in the most non-apologetic way a person can manage, “but you are. You were married yesterday.”

I glance at the ring on my left hand, a constant reminder. “I’m aware,” I reply dryly.

“Don’t be smart with me, Erico. I mean, you were married yesterday and I haven’t met your wife yet.”

That pulls me to a stop in the doorway of the ensuite bathroom, glancing at the phone like I haven’t heard her correctly. “The key word in your sentence was yesterday. Did you expect me to drag her from Montreal straight to you?”

“Yes, actually.”

Oh, for the love of—I pinch the bridge of my nose, focusing on breathing again. “Well, too bad. Even I’m not that much of an asshole. The woman gave up everything she knew.”

“Well, now she’ll be running theFamigliaalongside you, so I’m not entirely sure it was a chore to do so. She knew what she was agreeing to.”

For the first time since answering this call, Mother has stated something I partially agree with. Ariella did walk into this eyes wide open, but it also doesn’t mean I was dragging her to my parents first thing.

“You were invited,” I remind her. “You could have come to Montreal with Caladin and me and met her then.”

“Could have, but I had a nail appointment and your father was busy. We planned for a wedding at the end of the month. You can’t expect everyone to drop everything simply because you decided to swap brides as well as the dates.”

Always busy. A nail appointment was more important than her son’s wedding, but I’m not surprised by this. Just annoyed as I drop the phone to the counter and wash my face, tapping the speakerphone button so this unfortunate conversation can continue.

“Is there a purpose for your call, Mother?” I grit, hands wringing the facecloth imagining it something else entirely. Something I can use to shut her up.

“Yes, there is, actually. As I was saying, since we haven’t met her yet, nor has the entireFamiglia, your wife will be throwing a party. An introduction for her to the heads and their wives, as well as any of our partners. It’ll be a sign that you have your wife, and she’s capable of throwing a decent event.” Mother pauses, her next question icier than anything she’s said thus far. “She can do that at least, can’t she?”

Pushing away from the counter, I grab my phone. “You want Ariella to throw her own event to welcome her into theFamigliaand that’s when you and Father will meet her. You truly think that’s best?” Although, a party will mean numerous people for Mother to stress about, which means she can’t spend all her time stressing out Ariella. I suppose, there’s a win in there somewhere.

“Yes.”

“I’ll talk with her.”

“Erico—”

“Stop,” I cut her off. “Just stop. Look, I’m fucking exhausted. You know I’m in Vegas for the next while. I will discuss it with my wife when I’m home because she barely knows her way around my mansion, let alone hosting a party.”

There’s silence and knowing Mother, there’s a million insults she’s presently biting her tongue on. Thankfully, she goes with none of them and instead, in a sour tone, mumbles, “Fine. But there was another reason I called you. Your father wishes to speak with you.”

Oh, good fucking hell, the pain doesn’t end.As the phone shuffles in the background, I kick off my shoes and strip my coat, tossing it onto a nearby settee until I hear a deeper voice replace the shrill of my mother’s.

“Erico.”

“Good morning, Father.” Just speaking with him has my body tensing.

“I won’t be joining you for the meeting, but I will be there after.”

“Okay.” It’s not the first I’ve ran it alone but usually he skips informing me.

“Despite our disagreement the other day over Ariella, I did say a year ago, that with your marriage, I’d be handing you theFamigliaas well. Even though that wasn’t supposed to happen until the end of the month, I think now’s the time, son. Time for you to be Boss.”

Boss.Fucking hell. Every thought of Ariella, the conversation with Mother, even my exhaustion as I drop onto the bed is gone. Wiped away by only excitement. Pride. No fear, no nerves. Father’s trained me well.

“Th-thank you,” I manage after a moment. Father did say after I was wed, but my father also changes his mind so often, I’d have no doubt he wasn’t ready for retirement quite yet.

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