“Who is laughing?” Valentino said coldly. I knew it wasn’t directed at me, but I could still feel it down my spine. My brother could be downright scary when he needed to be.
Dad could sense that, too, because he sputtered out something nonsensical.
I stuffed more food in my mouth, hoping I didn’t look like I was rushing, but I also didn’t want to linger, especially since Valentino looked like he was almost done with his meal. The last place I wanted to be was here with my dad when Valentino left for his day.
“Isa will marry when I find someone suitable. I don’t want to talk about this anymore,” Valentino said, interrupting Dad. I moved in a little closer to my brother, wishing so badly that Ihad even an ounce of his strength. I felt so weak sometimes. So helpless.
What would I do without him?
He could sense my discomfort because he tapped my hand gently to get my attention. I looked up to meet his light-brown eyes. While I was the spitting image of my dead mother, Valentino was a mix of both our parents. He had my mother’s smile and my father’s eyes.
But unlike my dad’s eyes, my brother’s didn’t look hard or mean. They were soft and beautiful, giving me a glimpse of what life could have been like if I’d had a kind father.
He smiled a little at me. “Do you want to go?”
I nodded. I heard Dad coming home late last night and knew he wouldn’t be leaving the house until later, so I had taken the precaution of texting Valentino to take me back to his apartment today. The last thing I wanted was to be stuck in this house alone with Dad.
I pushed my plate away, looking over at my dad before quickly glancing away when I noticed the dark look on his face.
“Let me go get my stuff.”
“And just where are you going?” Dad asked, making me freeze.
Thankfully, Valentino answered for me, his lie coming out much smoother than mine would have. “I’m taking her to Giulia’s.”
Dad didn’t say anything to that.
Giulia De Luca was Elio’s younger sister… and also Massimo De Luca’s, who was thecapo dei capiof the De Luca Famiglia. Dad wouldn’t oppose my hanging out with Giulia.
He nodded, and I quickly moved upstairs to grab the backpack that held everything I would need before coming back downstairs. Valentino was already waiting for me by the door.Unfortunately, I had to pass the dining room table on my way out, where Dad was still sitting, clearly fuming.
“Don’t think this is over, girl,” Dad said quietly. I froze in my step and turned toward him. “How long do you think your brother can protect you for?”
Hopefully longer than Dad would be alive. The chances of Dad being killed from his job had drastically decreased since he stepped away from his position as the underboss of Nevada, and Valentino’s had increased. I knew that.
I hated it.
Not just because I needed Valentino here to protect me, but Valentino was the only one in my family whom I truly cared about and loved with everything in me, whereas my dad…
I didn’t think I would bethatsad if something were to happen to him.
I didn’t know what that said about me, to not care about my dad anymore, but I truly didn’t.
“Isa,” Valentino called out.
I took that as my excuse and quickly moved away from the dining area, away from Dad, and straight to my brother.
He cupped my shoulder and bent down so that we were eye-to-eye.
My brother was tall.
Taller than most men around, and much taller than my five-foot-three stature by exactly a foot at six-three. He was about as tall as Elio. I shook away the thought. I was trying hard not to think about Elio so much.
He frowned at me. “Are you okay?”
I shot him a small smile I didn’t feel and nodded.
He didn’t look like he believed me, and I didn’t blame him. I never mastered the art of lying, and I knew my face showed too much, something I very much hated about myself.
