The Woman with the Ring (Costa Family)

Like my family.

“Listen, I’m okay with not knowing how to create the family meatballs. That’s why I have Mom and you. Hey, do you think you’re going to be dragging Primo to Sunday dinners in the future?”

“Oh, God. I hadn’t even thought about that,” I admitted.

But, of course, I would have to, wouldn’t I? They were my family. And he was, for all intents and purposes, my husband. It would be inappropriate for me to say he couldn’t go with me.

“What?” Mira asked when a strange, choked laugh bubbled up and burst out of me.

“It’s just… can you imagine Primo sitting across from Emilio and Anthony?” I asked, somehow able to picture it in vivid detail.

“The scowling,” Mira said, smiling over the rim of her coffee cup.

“Right?” I agreed.

“So, are you going to give me a tour of the house, or what?” Mira asked, waving around.

With that, I gave her a tour, and we ended up back in the living room on the couch, talking about her and our family and the Family.

Until she got a call.

“It’s Emilio,” she said, showing me the screen. “Do you want to talk to him?”

I did.

God, I did.

But would talking to him be stepping over a line? Would it set me backward, make Primo less likely to allow Mira to visit?

“No one is going to know,” she said, handing me the phone then jumping up to make sure no one was around eavesdropping. “Go ahead.”

What was that phrase I’d heard my brothers toss around all the time as kids? Something about it being better to ask for forgiveness than permission.

With that, I swiped my finger across the screen before the call could end.

“Emilio?” I said, voice small.

“Bells?” Milo asked, sounding choked.

“Yeah, it’s me,” I said, feeling the sting of tears in my eyes again, not realizing how much I needed to hear his voice.

“Did you run away? Where are you? I will come get you.”

“No. No. I didn’t. I’m… I’m at my new… home,” I told him, wincing at how forced the words sounded. “Mira showed up here today, threatening to break things and pour grease on other things. You know her,” I added, lips twitching a little as she shot me small eyes from across the room.

“Primo let her see you?” Emilio asked, dubious.

“I know. I was surprised too. I think… I think he’s trying, Emilio.”

“Trying to do what?”

“Not be a complete asshole,” I said, shrugging.

“It’s too fucking late for that,” Milo snapped.

I’d never considered my brother an angry person. That was all Mira’s department. Emilio was always laid back and kind of carefree. Sure, he managed to do work for the Costa Family, but he wasn’t an overachiever or someone who did a lot of the dirty work.

It was weird to hear him angry.

Not just angry.

Enraged.

“I agreed to this, Milo,” I reminded him. “And, really, it’s been okay. It’s like being roommates most of the time. He’s not around much.”

“Roommates,” Emilio scoffed. “Roommates would be able to leave.”

“I can leave,” I told him. “The day after the wedding, I went on an all-day shopping spree. I just can’t leave the area yet. And he has guards with me. But him letting Mira come up and see me today was a step in the right direction.”

Emilio was silent to that, knowing he couldn’t argue, but so dead-set on hating Primo that he didn’t want to claim anything he did was okay.

“I miss you,” I told him, feeling my heart squeeze.

“I miss you too,” he told me. “And I’m sorry. I’m so fucking sorry.”

“It’s not your fault. You need to stop blaming yourself.” From the side of me, Mira stiffened and gave me the wrap-it-up gesture, making me think the elevator had started. “Listen, Emilio, I have to go. But I love you. And I will talk to you as soon as I can, okay? And I’m okay. You don’t need to worry about me, okay? I’m fine.”

With that, I hung up and handed Mira her phone to tuck away just as the elevator doors chimed as they opened.

“Alright, Sunshine,” Vissi said, addressing my sister who shot him a glowering look at the pet name that in no way described her personality in the least, “let’s get you on your way.”

“Sunshine?” Mira griped, crossing her arms over her chest.

“Yep. Pretty, but will burn the fuck out of you,” Vissi said, getting a lip twitch out of Mira who was determined not to be charmed by him. Which wasn’t easy. Because Vissi was very charming.

“I just got here,” Mira insisted.

“Actually, you’ve been here a couple hours. Long enough to fill her head with all sorts of ways to murder her husband in his sleep, no doubt.”

“If you recall, I didn’t say I’d murder you. Just maim you pretty horribly,” Mira said, shrugging, but she seemed to sense that she didn’t want to push them. So she made her way toward me and gave me a hug that felt like it would break my bones, promising to come back soon, then following Vissi out.