Page 89 of Vows of Blood

Shyly, I pull my hand back and rest it on my chest. “I picked it out. He’s had it all this time.”

“Oh, jeez,” Rebecca mutters, appreciating the romance but still not agreeing with what I’m doing. “I mean, that’s great, Sienna, sweet, really. But a week? Could you not date again first? Like, maybe even until his fiancé is cold in the ground?”

Pressing my lips together, I consider carefully what I can and cannot say.

“It was an arranged marriage. Kate was in love with someone else. It sounds sad, actually.” I stare out the window behind Rebecca, fear gnawing at my gut every second Luca is out there doing God only knows what. “And I met her mother. She even gave us her blessing.”

“You met her mother…” Rebecca gasps. “That must have been awkward.”

I nod. That’s an understatement.

"But I thought you hated him. Didn’t he break your heart?" Rebecca winces, afraid to bring it up but doing it anyway because she’s a good friend.

Even though she’s right, a fierce, protective feeling rises up inside me. I want her to understand, to like Luca, and to know it wasn’t his fault.

“I thought he just ghosted me.” I wrap my hands around my glass and stare into the pale gold liquid. "But his father forced him back to Italy, made him believe I'd stood him up. Convinced him I was the one ending things while he made me believe Luca abandoned me. We were both lied to."

Rebecca stares at me and blinks hard. "His father."

I nod. “Yes.”

Rebecca clears her throat and shifts her weight from one foot to the other. "His father, Alfonso Calvano?"

I nod again. “Yes.”

Slowly, she speaks again, processing all of this out loud in real time. "Alfonso Cavano, the mafia boss?"

"Yes."

She pauses for a moment. "Okay, so his scary, mob boss daddy didn't approve of you as his college girlfriend and made sure you broke up, dragging his son to the other side of the world to get him out of your clutches.”

I frown. “Yes.”

“So, what about that disturbing story makes you think it’s a good idea to get involved with him again now?” She glances around like she’s expecting Alfonso to just pop out behind her like a pantomime villain. “What if he does more than just try to split you up this time? What if he tries to take care of you this time. Not in the welcome to the family kind of way, but in the…” she makes stabbing gestures with her hand “...way.”

I shrug. “I ID’d the shooter. He knows I saw him. So the alternative, being out there alone, isn’t much better, Rebecca. Plus, it’s kind of nice to get my own revenge, to fuck with Alfonso a bit.”

Rebecca looks at me like I have two heads, then downs the last of her wine in one go. “Jesus.” I give her a minute to process the implications of this. "So, Luca's protecting you?"

"Yes."

That’s not all he’s doing, but yes.

"By moving you in here and now marrying you?"

"Yes,” I grit out. Of course, it sounds crazy when you say it like that.

“And giving you dick.”

“Rebecca!” I hiss, stifling heat crawling up my neck, though there’s no denying it to my friend. "I mean, I get it. Him and this.” She sweeps her hand around our luxurious surroundings. “It’s all very tempting, especially coming from the dives we’ve been living in. But have you considered the police? Witness protection? Anything that doesn't involve selling your soul to the devil?"

I did, but that involves turning my life upside down all over again. Starting from scratch. Letting the Calvano’s ruin my life again.

And giving up Luca.

"It's complicated," I mutter stubbornly.

Rebecca’s not convinced. "It's really not. What happens long term? Can you really live as a mob wife? If you want to leave, would he even let you?” She glances around and leans in conspiratorially. “Or will you know too much?"