“I just wanted to say hello to Gabriella.” His eyes shift to mine and I can’t help the tremor of repulsion that rushes over me at the way he looks at me.
“She’s not yours to fucking look at, Marco,” Nate growls.
He turns to Nate, nods and takes a few steps back before turning and returning to the rest of the guests. Guess that was all that needed to be said.
“Harsh,” I say, smiling.
“He might have chosen sides, but I don’t trust him yet.”
I don’t either.
I sip my champagne and scan the people who’ve descended on our home. Emily’s parents are here. A few people I’ve assumed are friends of hers. I can’t imagine Quinn has many friends, genuine ones at least. After what Nate said, there’s a question mark over everyone.
“Who’s Quinn talking to?” A tall man in an impeccably tailored suit talks conspiratorially with Quinn. A glimpse of a tattoo peeks from under his collar as he turns his head. They both wear serious frowns, their stances threatening to anyone else in the vicinity.
Nate’s body turns rigid beside me. He spins me away from Quinn and back towards the ocean.
“That’s Benjamin Vico.”
“Is that meant to mean something?”
“I guess not to you. We had some dealings with him several years ago.” He goes for his pocket, looking for the cigarettes I made him quit, then huffs. “We left that behind us, but I guess Vico’s a fair bet for Quinn to make again now. Certainly useful.”
“What does he do?” Every part of me knows that I’m not going to like the answer.
“Racketeering, drugs, trafficking, I could go on. They have…”
“They?”
“The Vico family. One of the biggest mob families in New York.” He stands behind me and his lips wander sensually up my neck. “Just stay away from him.”
I gaze at the view, trying to stop the uneasy feeling in my stomach, but his words seem to be making my anxieties worse, not better. “When will it stop, Nate? I thought we were here so everything would go away?”
“She should know by now this isn’t just going to vanish into thin air.” Quinn’s voice makes me jump. “It might be an idea for her to consider which side she’s really on.”
I turn around to see Quinn behind us, Benjamin Vico right beside him.
“Quinn, let’s not do this here,” Nate says, a sharp tone slicing the air as he takes my hand and steps in front of me a little. The expression on his face shows me that although I might not like what’s coming, I most definitely want to know what’s going on. “Give me a break and—”
“No. I think now’s a perfect time,” I cut in, ready to move this conversation along. “We’ve been waiting six months, Quinn. I want to know when we can get our lives back.” He looks me over, a raise to his brow.
“Bored already, Gabriella? Want to get back to those diamonds you’re so fond of. Missing your brother?” My eyes shift between him and Benjamin, unsure how much I can say in front of this other guy.
“Leave her alone, Quinn. She’s as much right as anyone to know what’s developed.”
“She has no fucking right, Nate. This is Cane business.” The Vico guy chuckles and backs away a step, which annoys the living hell out of me and makes me take a step forward. Nate’s hand is on my torso before I’ve got a word out of my mouth.
“She is a Cane, Quinn. I married her six months ago.” The gasp I try to hold in escapes. “Get over whatever the fuck your problem is.” They stare at each other for so long I question if a fight’s about to break out. “She’s my wife, Quinn. A Cane. Start showing her some goddamn respect before I knock some sense into you.”
I hold my breath as I wait for Quinn’s response. His eyes flick to mine and scrutinize me, as if he’s examining me for the first time. I fight my instinct to hide behind Nate and make sure my feet don’t betray me. He finally diverts his attention away from me and back to Nate. They don’t say anything for a moment, as if they’re in some unheard argument that only brothers can hear. If I weren’t looking at him so closely, I would never have seen it, but Quinn gives Nate the smallest of nods and swings his attention to Vico instead. He smiles in response, drinking a little of his Champagne as if he’s just enjoyed the show.
“Interesting dynamic,” he says before raising his glass in a toast, exposing his wrist and yet more ink. “Congratulations.” Both Nate and Quinn glare at him. “What? It’s a happy day for Cane. You should both drink some more and stop arguing,” he says, moving past Quinn to take my fingers in his. “Pretty wives deserve toasting.”
The kiss that lands on the back of my hand has me frowning, because regardless of the gentlemanly intent, his lips feel like ice against my skin. “And fucking.” He backs away, smiling at me, and at my shocked expression. Nate steps forward, but Quinn shoots him a warning look. If I wasn’t concerned about Benjamin Vico before, I am now.
He’s older than both Quinn and Nate—early forties perhaps—and holds an air of superiority regardless of the Cane company around him, and that warning glance means something serious. Even I know that as I watch him walk away from us. Quinn downs the tumbler of scotch in his hand the moment he’s gone, huffing at something before beckoning to Emily. He waits as she walks across to us all.
“Meet another Mrs Cane, Em.” He kisses her cheek and turns her to look out at the view. “She’s family now, too.”
