“Why is it my responsibility to keep him in line?”
Dario gives me a pitying look. “Because you’re his wife now. And that’s what wives do in the mafia. They are the rocks to their husbands.”
“Is Pia that way for you?”
“She is.” His voice softens when he talks about her. It’s sweet, actually. “She helps keep me centered and grounded. I want you to be that way for Matteo. Am I asking for too much?”
I sigh, keeping my eyes on Matteo’s dancing form. “No, it’s not. I’ll make sure Matteo doesn’t rush into danger.”
“So, we’re good, now?”
I smile tightly. “Dario, you’re my brother. I’ll always love you. But right now, you’re not my favorite person.”
He nods and stands up, squeezing my shoulder. “I understand. I hope you’ll see in time that this was for the best.” He walks away, grabs Pia’s hand, and pulls her onto the dance floor.
I turn my eyes back to Matteo. He’s now nuzzling his face into the neck of another woman. Great. He’s flirting with a woman who isn’t me on our wedding day. I know I told him to seek attention elsewhere, but on our wedding day? Really?
I stand up with a huff and walk past Matteo and his new lady friend, heading into the hallway where it’s a little quieter. I feel like I can breathe for the first time since this morning.
I lean against the wall, taking deep breaths. The door next to me squeaks as it opens, and Matteo sticks his head out, his eyes landing on me.
I look away but can feel him approach me.
“You stormed out of there like the devil was on your heels.” He settles next to me. “What’s up?”
“It doesn’t matter. I just needed some air.”
“Itisgetting crowded in there.”
“You would know,” I mutter.
I can sense his eyes on me, but I refuse to look away from the wall across me. “What’s that supposed to mean?” he asks.
“It’s nothing.”
“I think it is something, given how annoyed you look right now.”
“It’snothing.”
“Fine.” He lets out a sigh. “Your bad mood has nothing to do with me dancing with another woman, does it?”
“I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
“No, I think you do. You know, you told me to enjoy other women. You didn’t want me near you.”
I turn to face him. “And that’s true. So there’s no problem here.”
His eyes search my face—for what, I don’t know. All I do know is that it makes me uncomfortable. “All right. If you say there’s no problem, then there’s no problem.”
“Thank you.” I plant my gaze back on the wall.
“Though, if there was a problem, I doubt you’d tell me.”
This man. He’s going to drive me insane. “I already said there wasn’t.”
“Yeah, I know. But honestly, I don’t believe you. I think you like to keep a lot of things close to your chest, and you don’t want me seeing what you have hidden.”
“I’m not hiding anything.”