Xander’s mother smiles at me, takes my hand in hers, and presses a kiss to my cheeks. ‘Mel. It’s so good to see you.’
I let her hug me before pulling away. ‘It’s good to see you too, Martha.’
And it is. Whatever Xander and I had, whatever our past is like, Martha has always been kind to me. Six years later, there are streaks of gray in her dark hair and lines around her eyes, but it’s obvious where Xander and his brothers get their charm.
‘Come sit. I’ve had Asher make a feast. You’ll like it.’
She leads me to the table where a meal is spread out already. Xander pulls my chair for me before settling into his.
‘Where is your father?’ I ask, turning to him.
Silence greets my question, and I wonder if I’ve said something wrong. But how will a family alliance be forged without the man whose very business it is that Xander would be taking over?
I ignore the thought of just what it is that business is. The fact that we are who we are makes it all the weirder that Xander’s father isn’t here. It’s not like we’re in the grocery business or anything, but hey.
I can’t sit and judge. It is, after all, the same thing that my father does. I can’t afford to point fingers or throw stones from a glass house.
‘He’ll be down in a second. Alec will be with him.’ Martha replies. The table is silent, the ticking of the grandfather clock on the wall the only sound.
Father has probably gone ahead to speak to him. I don’t understand how they can stand each other now after ruining their children’s lives. But it is not my place to question the way the men run their business.
In truth, there’s a maelstrom inside of me, zipping through my veins, and I find that I am tapping my hands on the table when Xander’s hand covers mine.
I pull away and turn to him. ‘This will not be any different. All we need to do tonight is sign the contract.’ He says, his voice a caress that sends a shiver arrowing to my core, much to my distress.
Seems my body hasn’t gotten the memo that this isn’t the past.
I let my hair fall over my face to hide the rush of color to my cheeks.
‘There’s a contract?’
“Our families have not seen eye to eye in years. Of course, Amore mio, there’s a contract.’ Xander says.
Amore mio? The use of the old name has my thighs clenching under the table, my hand almost fisting, too, except he’s got his hands over them.
I lean into him, note Daniel has his eyes on me, and hiss my words. ‘Don’t call me that. I can’t take it. Please.’
His lips tighten, and he fills my space. ‘You can take it, and I can’t wait to have you begging for every inch mia mor.’ Then his hands leave mine as though he’d asked for the time of the day, as though he hadn’t left me grateful I’m sitting because my knees are suddenly jelly.
I miss his warmth immediately, but it’s better this way. Getting involved with Xander would be a terrible idea, especially as this time, we’re signing a damned contract.
The rattle of a wheelchair fills the oppressive silence, and Xander shoves his chair back. I turn towards the sound, stifling a gasp when my eyes meet his father’s.
Amory Vittoria has a blank look on his face like he has trained the rest of his children to be. I leave my chair, walk up to him, and bend to kiss him on the cheek as my sign of respect.
‘Mel, never thought I’d clap eyes on you again. You’ve grown.’ His voice is half lost in his throat, no longer the deep timbre of a man who recognizes his own power.
He looks a step away from the grave, his eyes droopy, his hair as ashy as his complexion, and it comes to me finally: the reason Xander needs a wife. I lift my eyes to his, and I know he can read the look on my face.
He needs to take over the Famiglia, and he cannot do that without a wife.
‘Come, let’s sit. We can talk later. For now, food in the stomach as is our due.’ Amory says.
Alec rolls the wheelchair to the table and helps his father into his chair. My father comes down the hallway with Declan, murmuring to him words I cannot hear.
Everyone settles at the table, and soon, dinner is underway. Their chef, Asher, has outdone himself. Chicken so tender it practically melts off the tongue, steak seasoned with herbs and spices.
I eat hungrily, having been too nervous all day to eat much. And finally, a dessert of my favorite chocolate cake, so decadent I go in for a second and third round.
We finish the meal off with wine, a Penfolds Grange that is still my favorite. I send a look to Xander, wondering if wine is his one concession to me. But he doesn’t look my way.
With the meal done and the table cleared, Amory clears his throat, and I know we’ve finally meandered our way to the reason we’re here.
‘There’s no need to pretend we’re here to eat alone. The families have decided to merge their businesses. The contract will be signed by morning in the presence of our lawyers, but I thought it best that we spend time this way, together, without the animosity that always has brimmed between us two.’
He addresses the words at Father, who nods and shifts forward on his chair. He holds his hand out to Amory, and the two men shake on it. The marriage contract will be between Xander and me, but with their handshake, the marriage is basically sealed.
Father smiles at Amory, but it lacks humor. He’s never gotten along with the man. And neither has Amory with him, and if it were not for the threats of the Russians, then they’d probably head to their graves fighting each other.
Xander places his hand on my thighs and squeezes. I look up at him, my heart in my throat. The imprint of his hand feels like a brand on my skin.
‘You’re as good as mine, Mel. Didn’t think I’d ever see the day.’
‘I had no idea you were looking forward to this so very much. I’d have made some allowance for you.’ Much to my dismay, my thoughts wander off to just what sort of allowance he would’ve made. And just like that, it’s warm in the room.
The rest of the table is watching us, and I wonder why he wants to start a fight here. With their eyes on us like a mother hen with its chicks when a hawk circles above.
Father bangs a hand on the table and glowers at the two of us. ‘Do not take the feud up between the two of you.’
We jerk our gazes from each other, but there’s a challenging glint in Xander’s eyes that has my back up.
Amory breaks into the battle of wills. ‘Isn’t this what you two have always wanted?’ He turns to me first. ‘What do you think?’
I have no idea why he’s asked my opinion. The Mafia have no use for their women. I know the marriage is a sham, and I am a figurehead.
I release a pent-up breath and shy away from an answer. ‘Xander is the head of the family. Perhaps he should do the speaking.’
