Vittoria’s face turned solemn. She placed her hands onto her lap and sat unmoving. In her eyes was… nothing.
My wife had checked out.
“Daniele,” pops warned, while I stood fast enough that my chair hit the ground with a hard smack.
I pointed a harsh finger at my brother and snarled, “You know what? I’ve fucking had it with you, you spoiled as fuck, useless shit. I know you like to poke and prod until you get a reaction and usually, I don’t bite, but today, you pushed the wrong person. Today, you pushed too far.” Giada tried to intervene but, I lifted my hand and received the silence I demanded. Only then did I look at the miserable fuck, sunk into his seat, and tell him how it was. “I’m the fucking heir and you’re nothing but the spare.” There was no mistaking it. I did not come to play. I glanced him over, disgusted. “Look at you, living with all the glory from the name pops built, living with all the benefits that the power I maintain keeps. Stayin’ warm from a fire,” I poked myself hard in the chest and thundered, “I fucking stoke.”
From beside me, I felt Vittoria’s cold hand curl around my wrist and her broken, “Tor, stop. Please,” held me motionless.
My chest rose and fell as molten lava pumped through my veins. But her gentle plea cut through it and all I could do was curl my lip at the childish asshole. My voice sounded rougher than intended. “You get one. That’s it. One warning. Your next one comes in the form of a missing limb.” Before I sat, I met his eyes and saw the regret there, but I didn’t care. It was too late and he’d pushed too hard. “Good to know you’ve got my back like I’ve always had yours. Fucking with my happiness like I haven’t been through hell and clawed my way back, like my family doesn’t deserve a goddamn break.” I shook my head at him. “With family like this, who needs enemies, right?” Daniele attempted to speak but my firm gaze held him silent. I only had one more thing to say. “You ever disrespect my wife like that again and I will put you through a fucking wall.”
And I meant it.
With that, I picked up my chair and took a seat besides my soft-hearted wife.
Under the table, my hands shook.
* * *
The meal endedas gracelessly as it began. Silent and still, with tension sizzling in the air. It was only afterwards that I realized I needed to speak to my daughter, but when I went looking for her, she was nowhere to be found. I checked every room, twice, and it was only when I went into panic mode and headed for the backyard, I heard her speaking to somebody.
“Why are you so mean to Vittoria?”
From his sigh alone, I knew who she was with. Daniele returned, “I’m not being mean. That’s just how adults joke around.”
Would you listen to this guy?
I waited to hear my daughter’s response.
Ella thought about that a moment before she said, “It’s only a joke if everyone is laughing.” She paused a moment. “Mama taught me that.”
My brothers voice lowered some. “Sounds like something your mom would say.”
When Ella spoke up next, I almost couldn’t believe what I was hearing. “She’s not so bad, you know?”
Daniele groaned in annoyance. “Aw, shit, Ella Bella. I thought you were on my team.”
“I don’t know,” Ella replied. “It’s kind of nice to have another girl in the house. She got the boys to stop touching my things. And papa likes her.”
“Yeah,” he conceded quietly. “He does, doesn’t he?”
“Maybe…” Ella paused then, and when she began to speak again, it was almost as if she were hearing the words from a fresh perspective. From a new angle. Like advice given to oneself. “Maybe you’d like her too if you gave her a chance.”
My brother kept quiet and just when I thought he wasn’t going to bother responding, I heard it.
“Maybe.”
Chapter21
Only human
Vittoria
Ella avoidedher dad for the rest of the day. Daniele smartly stayed away from him too. Giada tried her best to lighten the mood afterwards, but the damage had been done. Tor and papa Nunzio retired to his office a while and I knew it wasn’t business they were discussing. They both needed a minute where they didn’t have to appear strong, and men like these couldn’t do that amongst prying eyes. Now, we were home again. The boys were in bed and Tor and I had the difficult task of talking to his daughter about what she’d heard.
I assumed Tor would take the head of the table, but when I took the seat to one side of it, he surprised me by choosing to take the chair beside mine. This left Ella opposite us and, in true Ella fashion, she didn’t hesitate to hit the ball right off the bat. “Is it true, what Zio Danny said?”
The question was directed at me so it made sense that I answer it. “I-” I started, but stopped to think about my response.Yes. No. I don’t know. It’s not what you think.I turned to him with raised brows.