I clear my throat and attempt to get over the obvious attempt at character assassination by Luca’s father.
“So how are the newlyweds doing?” my father asks as Luca sits down beside me. “Enjoying the married life?”
“It’s only been a few days,” Jasmine says.
“More than enough time before the honeymoon period ends,” Lex says, snorting.
“Honeymoon period?” I mutter, confused.
“It means you hate him now,” Jasmine explains.
A-ha.
“Father, don’t you have a toast to do?” Luca says as the server quickly pours us some drinks.
Lex clears his throat. “Right. To new contracts, renewed partnership, and new beginnings.” He holds his glass high, and the rest of the family tips their glasses, and even we play along.
“So how is business going, Lex?” my father muses. “I’ve heard you guys have gone through a transition of sorts. Is that true?”
Lex coughs while holding a napkin close to his mouth. I don’t know why, but the way Luca looks away has me suspicious. “Yes, I think it’s about time my son took over. I’m ready to start enjoying the riches of life.” He chuckles, and so does the rest of my family, and it all feels awkward as hell.
“Sounds like you amassed quite a bit of wealth from all our ventures,” my father says.
“Can’t complain,” Lex responds.
“Exactly,” my father says, and it’s as if someone lit a fire on top of a frozen lake. That’s how chilly the room gets.
Lex stares him down. “Wouldn’t have done it without all my connections, of course.”
My father sighs. “Of course.”
I breathe a sigh of relief. These two have been at each other’s throats ever since Liam … passed.
“Well, I’m so glad our families are together again,” my mother says.
I can’t help but wonder what things would’ve been like if I hadn’t gone to the De Vos house to talk to Liam. If I hadn’t …
Anne clears her throat. “Apart from my son, of course.”
I grab my glass and quickly chug down the drink, but it’s too much, and I cough up some of the liquid.
“Oh, honey, you’re making a mess,” my mother says, patting me down with a tissue, but when she’s done, she grabs my wrist, and whispers, “Stop embarrassing me.”
“What did you just say?” I reply.
“Is there a problem?” Luca raises his brow at both me and my mother and butts in so much she releases my wrist just because of the way he stares her down. “If you have something to tell my wife, you can tell me.”
“No, there’s no problem at all,” she says, laughing it off. “I was just telling her how proud I was of her.”
Liar.
“She looks gorgeous.”
“You can say it to my face, you know,” I say.
“Did you buy this then?” My mother raises her brow at me.
“No. I bought the fabrics,” Luca says.
“See?” my mother sneers.
“She made the dress,” he quips.
She looks mortified, and it is quite honestly the best thing I’ve seen all night.
“And I’ll buy her a thousand more of these fabrics if it means you’ll finally see your own damn daughter for who she is.”
My mother isn’t the only one who’s flabbergasted.
The entire table has gone silent from Luca’s comment, but he doesn’t seem at all bothered.
In fact, the smug grin on his face only grows.
“Let’s order some food. I’m hungry.” He rubs his hands together, and for some reason, I can’t stop staring at the veins in his arms. “Server!”
There’s no time to respond to anything going on as the server comes to take our orders, and everyone continues to pick their dish and order more drinks like Luca didn’t just try to one-up my mother in front of me.
I can’t keep up.
“Thanks for taking her off my back,” I murmur sideways.
“My pleasure,” Luca responds, and for some reason, that word makes all my sensitive bits tingle.
I don’t think he meant it in a civilized way.
Not that this dinner is any kind of civil.
“How are you doing?” my sister suddenly asks, breaking me from my thoughts.
“I’m fine,” I lie. I don’t want her to worry.
She grabs my hand, and it forces me to look at her. “Tell me the truth, Jill.”
I shake my head. “I’m fine. Honestly.”
“You don’t look fine. Is Luca treating you okay?”
My lips part, but I don’t know how to respond.
“If he’s hurting you, I swear to God, I’ll—”
“You’ll do what, Jasmine?” Luca suddenly butts in, making me hyperaware of the fact I can’t say anything to her without there being consequences.
But she refuses to back down. “She’s your wife.”
“Exactly,” he rebukes, narrowing his eyes. “Mine.”
The way he says that last word, like he doesn’t just own my hand but my entire fucking soul and body too, makes goose bumps spread on my body.
“Treat her right,” Jasmine says. “Our family won’t accept any less.”
“Oh, I’ll treat her right, don’t you worry about that,” Luca says, picking up the knife off the table to play with it, and I can’t help but notice the way he looks at her. “But it almost sounds like you’re jealous, Jasmine.”