“Jesus,” Marialena mutters. “Read my cards last night and read something about a beast of a man thinking he can boss me around, but I burned those cards.” She gets in his face.
Well, then. I haven’t seen her this fired up in a while. Sergio eyes them thoughtfully and pours cream into a little cup then splashes hot espresso in it.
“Marialena reminds me of my sister,” he says to Dario. “Feisty as fuck and into all that Tarot shit.”
“Uh, hello!” Marialena says. “I’m standing right here?”
Dario shakes his head. “Romeo’s put me in charge of security for you two, and there ain’t no way you’re sashaying your asses into town to do something as stupid and pointless as shopping.” He takes another cup of coffee from the staff.
“He didn’t,” Marialena says with her hands fisted. “If you’re lying to me—”
“What’re you gonna do?” Dario asks, a teasing smile on his face. He gives a fake shiver. “I’m so scared.”
Her jaw drops open in wide-eyed shock. “You—you—”
Sassy rolls her eyes. “Whatever, sis,” she says. “We’ll talk to Romeo. I made him cookies, and he’s always liked me.”
Dario smirks and drinks his coffee.
“Tell me about that sister of yours,” Dario says to Sergio.
I shake my head. Tempers flare and feelings abound in the Great Hall. It’s good to be fucking back.
Mario eyes me from a table at the far end of the room, nursing a cup of coffee. He crooks a finger at me. I walk to him, though it hurts to do it.
“Yeah, brother, what is it?”
“You got that look in your eye,” he says. “Like the one you get before a hit, or before you buy a car, or whatever the fuck hair-brained bullshit you’re planning next. You gonna rock a fuckin’ boat, aren’t you?”
I shrug but don’t respond.
“Jesus,” Mario mutters. “Give a guy one damn chance at life again and he loses his goddamn sense.”
“You oughta talk.”
At least I’ll have one brother who’s got my back. I hope, anyway.
When Romeo stands, the inner sanctum stands alongside him. Tavi and Orlando, me and Mario. Romeo gestures for all made men to follow him, talks low in Vittoria’s ear.
At the last minute, I change my mind.
No. I don’t want to do this in front of the inner sanctum. I want to do this in front of everyone.
I shake my head at Romeo. “Let’s chat here, where everyone can be present.”
Rosa eyes me and her fingers travel to her neck. She fingers a thin band of gold. I do a double-take and look closer. Goddamn, I didn’t know she still had that necklace. I gave it to her when I turned eighteen. Worked all summer to buy it, told her to take it back to college with her. She wore it until she married, and I assumed she’d lost it.
Solid gold, entwined around the most vulnerable part of her body where her lifeblood pulses. I feel the meaning in my core.
I draw in a breath and release it slowly. Stand and clear my throat. Soon, the room begins to quiet and finally all eyes are on me.
But I look at Romeo when I’m talking. He sits beside Vittoria. Pretty unlikely he’ll pull a gun on me while his wife is watching, though he could drag my ass to the dungeon, and it wouldn’t take long.
“I’ve got something to say.”
“No shit,” Mario mutters, but Tavi’s stern look silences him. I flip him the bird sideways so the ladies don’t see and he grins back at me.
Romeo’s eyes are like lasers on me. I meet his gaze head-on.
“Rosa told me the plans you have for her. To send her to Tuscany and marry her off. And I want everyone here to know, I object.”
The room is as silent as it could be. Even the staff’s frozen in place, as if waiting for the other shoe to drop.
Romeo says nothing.
I clear my throat and look to Rosa. This might be the last thing I ever say but goddamn, I’ll die happy knowing I said it.
“I love your sister. I’ve loved Rosa since before I knew what love even was. Rosa isn’t marrying anyone in Tuscany, Romeo. And if that means my life is forfeit for defying your decision, then I stand before you all now, and I’m here to tell you, I’ll lay down my life before that happens.”
A muscle jerks in Romeo’s jaw. Orlando’s on his feet. Tavi stares with wide eyes. Mario pulls out a flask and tips it into his cup. Sergio’s eyes dance at me, and Rosa’s quietly crying.
“Go on,” Romeo says, as he takes another sip of espresso. “This was worth jail time to hear.”
Mama stands and her voice wavers. “Romeo—”
“No, Mama. Let him finish, please.”
She clamps her mouth shuts with a stifled cry and sits.
“Santo, you know what this means,” Romeo says.