My eyes slanted to Aria. If she were pregnant, I wouldn’t have Dante anywhere near her, but Aria wasn’t and I was glad. Life was too dangerous at the moment, and I wasn’t really cut out to be a father.
“It’s a pleasure to have you over for dinner,” Valentina said with a small smile. Dante inclined his head but his eyes sent a very different message. My grip on Aria’s hand tightened as we followed them into the dining room and settled around the set table. Dante and I sat across from each other, and my muscles tightened because of his expression.
“Your sister will be a gorgeous bride,” Valentina said, trying to break the tense silence.
“Maybe it will distract from the fact that she was given to an old man like a piece of meat,” Aria said with a sharp look toward Dante.
I squeezed her hand in warning, but she didn’t look away from Dante. I didn’t either because I wanted to make sure I knew when I’d have to pull my gun.
“Your father wants the best for…”
“Himself,” Aria interrupted Dante, and I tightened my hold. She winced but still didn’t stop. “After all, he got a child-bride in return for selling off my sister.”
“Aria, that’s enough.” My voice was sharp like a whip.
Her eyes finally found me. If we’d been alone she might have stood up to me, but we were in a room with Dante and she knew I had to show strength in front of him. Reluctantly she lowered her eyes, swallowing hard. After a moment, she turned to Dante. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean any disrespect.”
Dante gave a terse nod. The maids showed up with the food not a second too late. We managed to go through the rest of dinner without any further incidents, and Val and Aria soon engaged in a relaxed conversation about the south of Italy, which Dante and I could join without any risks of more conflicts.
My mobile vibrated in my pocket and I took it out, risking a glance down. It was Matteo. I held up my phone. “I have to take this,” I said as I rose from my chair and walked out of the dining room and into the entrance hall. Dante’s eyes followed me. He obviously didn’t like the idea of me walking through his house alone, but he had no reason to worry. If I had something devious in mind, I wouldn’t have left Aria alone at a table with him.
“Matteo? What is it?”
“I’m worried about Romero. He looks like he’s going to lose his shit. I’m not sure it was a good idea to take him to Chicago with us.”
I sighed. “I know. Make sure he doesn’t do something stupid.”
“I’m not sure I’m the right man for the job.”
“I don’t give a fuck,” I muttered in a low voice. “I’m busy over here.”
I hung up, wanting to return to Aria. Her being alone with Dante and Val didn’t sit well with me.
Movement up on the stairs made me tense and turn to face the source, my body going into high alert. I paused with my hand on the gun, then slowly lowered it when I saw a tiny girl on the second to last step. Dante’s daughter, Anna.
“Where are Mommy and Daddy?” she whispered.
“In the dining room,” I said, not moving. Her green eyes scanned me from head to toe, and I hoped she wouldn’t start crying. I didn’t think Dante would wait for an explanation before he tried to shoot me, and I really wasn’t looking forward to killing him in front of his kid.
“Who are you?” she said accusingly, and I had to stifle a laugh.
“I’m your godmother Aria’s husband.”
A grin spread on the girl’s face and she stumbled forward. I moved without thinking and stopped her fall by circling her body with my arm and lifting her up. She didn’t cry as I’d expected. Instead she wrapped her arms around my neck. “Is Aria with Mommy and Daddy?”
I nodded as I tried to set her back down, but she clung to me. “No!” she protested. “Take me to Aria!”
I glanced down at the girl. “Is that an order?”
She gave a sharp nod.
Sighing, I held her against me with one arm as I made my way back to the dining room. Dante wouldn’t like this, but if she started wailing because I didn’t do what she wanted, things would get even uglier.
The moment I stepped into the dining room with the girl, Dante rose and his eyes would have sent most people running. “She came down the stairs and wanted me to take her to Aria,” I said firmly. I got that Dante was protective. Fuck, I probably would have put a bullet in his head if our positions were reversed.
Aria stood, probably to go to me, but Dante gave a shake of his head and she froze.