Fragile Longing

“Remo destroyed more than one life.”

“Maybe Remo began the process of tearing down my innocent view on the world, but you finished the job five months ago.” Her lips formed a thin line as soon as the words were out, her eyes growing wide.

I froze. I couldn’t believe she was comparing me to that man. I moved very close to her until she had to tilt her head back. “Don’t compare me to that monster. I’m nothing like him.”

“I don’t know who you are,” she whispered. “I thought I did but that night I saw a side of you I wished didn’t exist.”

“I never meant to hurt you. If I’d known it was you under that wig, I would have never laid hand on you.”

“I know,” she said bitterly. “If you’d known it was me, you would have ignored me like you have all these years.”

I shook my head. “You were a kid.”

“I wasn’t Serafina.”

My pulse spiked as it always did when I heard that name and the familiar wave of fury washed through me. I felt the almost irresistible urge to push Sofia against the wall and kiss her then slide my hand under her skirt and have my fucking way with her.

Anna appeared in the doorway, glancing between Sofia and me. “Can I have a word with you, Sofia?”

I stepped back from my wife, shoving my hands into my pockets. Anna slanted me a curious look.

Sofia nodded almost dazedly. A flicker of unease reflected on her face—a look I’d created. Fuck. I needed to keep myself in check around her. I’d already fucked up majorly once. I needed to stay in control and be the gentleman Sofia expected.

She disappeared with Anna without another word. It didn’t take a genius to know the girls would be talking about me.

Of course, Pietro intercepted me on my way back to the party.

“Can I have a word with you?” There was an edge to his voice.

I wasn’t in the mood for a worried-father lecture but offending my father-in-law on my wedding day wasn’t on my agenda, either, so I followed him back out into the courtyard. He took out two cigars and held one out to me. “Cuban. The best you can get. One won’t kill you.”

I took the cigar. Pietro took out his knife and cut off the end of his cigar then off mine. I suppressed a snort at this gesture. I had a feeling taking out his knife was supposed to send a silent warning. We smoked our cigars in silence for a couple of minutes before Pietro finally cut to the chase. “I couldn’t protect one daughter, but I’m determined to protect Sofia.” I didn’t miss his avoidance of Serafina’s name.

“Sofia’s my wife, and I can assure you, I’ll protect her, and if you worry that you’ll have to protect her from me, I swear you won’t have to. Have I ever given you a reason to doubt me?”

Pietro slowly shook his head. I wondered how this conversation would have gone if I’d admitted to the party incident. I had a feeling Pietro would have had a hard time not using his knife on me. “Samuel mentioned some concerns regarding your conduct with other women in the past.”

I’d kill him. “There’s a difference between those women and my wife. Not to mention that those women were into it, so even with them, I have nothing to feel guilty for.”

Pietro sighed and took another deep drag of his cigar. “Sofia is infatuated with you. That’s a consolation. Just don’t fuck it up.”

A little too late for that warning.

I nodded.It had been there again. That predatory look in Danilo’s eyes. This time it had been directed at me, but was I really the source of his passion? After all, he had turned into this unhinged version of himself the moment I mentioned Serafina, as if only her name could tease emotions out of him that I couldn’t. Anna’s fingers clamped around my wrist as she dragged me toward the restrooms. Once we were inside and alone, she turned to me with a look of concern. “What was going on?”

“Our first argument as a married couple,” I said with a small shrug, trying to play it down.

“He looked pissed, and you looked scared.”

“It’s nothing. He just reminded me of that night for a moment.”

The door swung open and two girls I was distantly related to came in, giggling. Anna and I pretend to reapply our makeup. The girls gave us shy smiles then quickly rushed back out after they’d gone to the toilet. Anna often had that effect on people.

Anna propped her hip against the sink and gave me that motherly look she could adopt. “Do I have to worry about you tonight?”

I rolled my eyes. “Danilo is my husband. Unless I mention Fina, I won’t get his heart rate up, or anything else, don’t worry.”