115

Dante was not in bed when I woke up the next morning. His side of the bed was cold as I pressed my palm against it.
Keeping my anger in check, I made sure the door was closed before slipping my hand into my panties. Over the years with Antony I had learned to pleasure myself with my fingers. I buried my face in Dante’s pillow, inhaling his musky scent and imagining that he was touching me as I stroked myself to orgasm. After that I lay on my back for a while, staring at the ceiling, wanting to cry and laugh at the same time.
I slipped out of bed and went to the bathroom and took my time to make myself presentable. I chose a tight brown dress that ended above my knees and a pretty red cashmere cardigan. Although Dante didn’t mind, I felt more comfortable if I committed to my outfits. I left the bedroom, hesitated, and looked down the long hallway, wondering what was hiding behind the other doors. I would have to explore at another time. Instead I went down the stairs. I wasn’t sure if I was expected downstairs for breakfast. I didn’t know my new home, I didn’t know the people who worked there, and worst of all: I didn’t know the landlord, my husband.
The double doors were ajar and I approached them, then lingered in front of them for a moment before entering . I expected Dante to have already left and was surprised when I found him sitting at the dining table in the spacious living and dining room. Like the rest of the house, the floor was dark wood, the walls light beige, and the furniture dark and imposing.
The newspaper hid Dante’s face but he lowered it when he heard me enter. My brown heels clicked on the wooden floor as I slowly approached the table, unsure of how to behave around him. Antonio had been my friend first, and then my husband, but between Dante and me there was nothing .
We were strangers.
The table was set for two people, but my plate was not next to Dante; it was set at the other end of the table. I stared at the distance between me and Dante, thinking to ignore the situation and sit next to Dante, but then I lost courage and took a seat at the end of the table.
“I hope you slept well?” asked Dante in his soft voice.
He had not put down the newspaper, he was still holding it tightly, and I had a feeling that he would soon rise again as a barrier between us . Was he serious? “Too well,” I said, unable to stop the jibe. Hadn’t he realized that I had expected more from our first night together? “I still have to prepare for the meeting with Luca. He will be here soon when he gets back to New York tonight, but I told him you would be happy to keep Aria company while we discuss business.” I doubted that Aria needed my company. She had her family here. This was a way to keep me busy, nothing else . If he had wanted a naive wife, perhaps he should have agreed to marry someone younger. But I liked Aria and it would have been rude to withdraw the invitation, so I smiled tightly. “That’s very thoughtful of you.” Sarcasm tinged my words. Now that we were married it would be harder to maintain the mask of politeness. Dante met my gaze, and there was something about them that made me lower my eyes and reach for a croissant. I wasn’t hungry, but it was better than doing nothing. The rustle of paper brought my attention back to the other end of the table. As expected, Dante had disappeared behind his paper. Was this how he wanted our marriage to go? He hadn’t even given me a tour of the house yet. ” Can you give me a tour of the premises? I can hardly welcome guests without knowing my way around the house.” Dante put the paper back down and folded it on the table. I felt an unreasonable need to shred it. ” You’re right.” Excitement boiled up inside me but dissipated quickly at his next words.
“Gaby!” A moment later a door half-hidden behind a huge closet opened and a short little girl entered the room and walked toward Dante. “Yes, sir, how can I help you?” I had a hard time masking my surprise. Gaby looked like she belonged in high school.
How could she be the maid in this house? “My wife,” Dante said, nodding in my direction. Gaby turned briefly toward me with a shy smile. “I would like to take a tour of the house. I’m busy, so please show her around.” Gaby nodded and came toward me. “Would you like to go now?” Her voice was hesitant, but I could see the curiosity in her eyes. I swallowed the last crumb of my croissant and poured coffee into the cup. “Yes, thank you. If it’s okay with you, will you have coffee with me?” Gaby’s eyes widened and she cast a glance toward Dante, who had gone back to reading his newspaper. He didn’t seem busy.
If he had time to read the news, why couldn’t he take me around? But I wouldn’t make a scene in front of Gaby. Dante must have felt that Gaby and I were looking at him expectantly because he looked up. “This is your home now, Valentina. You can do whatever you want.” So he had been listening to our conversation. And I wondered if what he was saying was really true. I wished I had been braver so I could have tested the theory. I turned to Gaby and clutched the cup in my hands. “Then let’s go .” She nodded and led me toward the door she had entered earlier. “Could we start in the kitchen and the teacher’s lounge?” “Do whatever you think is best,” I said. “You know the house better than I do.” Once again a shy smile crossed her face. Behind the door was a narrow hallway, leading into a large kitchen. Vases hung from hooks attached to the ceiling. Everything was stainless steel and reminded me more of a cafeteria kitchen than a place where family meals were prepared. A rotund old woman stood by the oven and checked the temperature. Inside she was cooking what looked like roast lamb . I assumed that was the cook, Zita. When she heard us enter she turned and dried her hands on her white apron. Her black hair had gray streaks and was secured in a hairnet on top of her head. I guessed she was in her fifties. “I’m giving our mistress a tour of the house,” Gaby said excitedly. I was surprised by the use of mistress. It seemed like I was a dominatrix wielding a whip. Maybe Dante was comfortable being called “sir,” but I definitely could not live with “mistress.” “Please call me Valentina,” I said quickly. “Both.” I smiled at Zita but she did not return the gesture. Her lips were pursed and she was scrutinizing me from head to toe with a disapproving expression on her face. “It would have been nice to know you before the wedding,” Zita said haughtily. I forced my face to remain calm even though I didn’t like her tone. I didn’t want to get off on the wrong foot with the housekeeping staff. “Dante never invited me and I didn’t see fit to invite myself.” She huffed. “He introduced us to Mrs. Carla before the wedding.” I stiffened upon hearing mention of Dante’s first wife; I couldn’t help it. I could hear the judgment in her voice. He thought me less worthy than Carla. I had a feeling he would not let me forget that. I was looking forward to a clash of wills with her, and I certainly did not have the patience to do so today. Instead I looked around the kitchen, trying to pretend I wasn’t bothered by her comment. “So Carla used to cook here a lot?” Zita looked at me shocked. “Of course she didn’t. She was the lady of the house. She didn’t cook or clean. That’s what Febe and I did, before Gaby took Febe’s place. Gaby moved nervously. It was clear that she did not know what to do. “Well, you can often wait for me in the kitchen. I love to cook,” I said. Zita straightened her shoulders. “I don’t know if Master Dante will allow it.” I took a sip of coffee, returning her gaze firmly. “Dante told me I can do whatever I want.” She looked away from me with a frown. I knew it wasn’t over yet.
“Why don’t you show me the rest of the house, Gaby? I need to make sure I’m ready when Aria arrives.”
Gaby quickly shook her head. “Of course, Miss… Valentina.”
She led me into the room behind the kitchen. It appeared to be a kind of common room for the staff. There were two cribs, a small TV, and a couch. No chairs or table, but I assume that the staff usually gathered around the wooden table in the kitchen, since it was obviously not used for Dante’s meals. There was also a small bathroom with a shower behind a white door. “Is this where you and Zita spend your time when you’re not working?”
Gaby shook her head. “We stay in the kitchen. This is mostly for the guards because they spend the night.”
“Where are they now?” So far I hadn’t seen any guards.
“They are outside. Either on patrol or in their guardhouse.”
“Are there security cameras?”
“Oh no, Mr. Cavallaro didn’t want them. He’s a very private man.” No surprises there.
He headed for another door. “This way.” We entered the back part of the hall. Gaby pointed to the two doors in the hallway. “This is Mr. Cavallaro’s office and that is the library. Mr. Cavallaro does not like to be disturbed when he is in his office. She blushed, “By us, I mean. He’s probably happy to be disturbed by you. She bit her lip.
I touched her shoulder. “I see. So there are other rooms on this floor?”
“Just the living room, dining room and guest bathroom.” As Gaby led me upstairs, I asked. “How old are you?”
“I’m seventeen.”
“Shouldn’t you still be in school?” I sounded like my mother, but Gaby’s shy nature brought out my motherly side even though she was only six years younger than me.
“I have been working for Mr. Cavallaro for three years. I came into this house shortly after his wife died. I never met her but Zita really misses her, that’s why she was rude to you.”
My eyes widened. “For three years? That’s horrible.
“Oh no,” Gaby said quickly. “I’m grateful. Without Mr. Cavallaro I would probably be dead, or worse. She shuddered, a dark look passed in her eyes. I could tell she didn’t want to talk about it. I would have to talk to Dante about her later. She quickened her pace and pointed to the doors on this floor. “These are the guest rooms. And next to your master bedroom, there is a room you could use for your own purposes. The children’s room and two other rooms are on the third floor.
My eyes rested on a door at the end of the hallway that Gaby had ignored. I headed in her direction. “What about this one?”
Gaby grabbed my arm before I could turn the handle.
“That’s where Mr. Cavallaro keeps his first wife’s things.” I had a hard time keeping a straight face. “Of course,” I said instead. It couldn’t be locked, otherwise Gaby wouldn’t stop me from opening it. I would have to go back alone and find out more about the woman who was casting such a big shadow over my marriage.
*** An hour later I took Aria into the living room. It was strange to act like the lady of the house; as if I were an impostor. Aria looked tired as she dropped onto the sofa beside me. Dark shadows widened before her eyes. I supposed she had spent a longer night than I had.
“Coffee?” I asked her. Gaby had set a pot on the table, as well as assorted cookies.
“God yes,” Aria said, then smiled apologetically. “I didn’t even ask you about your night. You probably got less sleep than I did.”
I poured her coffee and handed her the cup as I tried to come up with an answer. “I slept well,” I said evasively.
Aria watched me curiously but did not insist.
“So have you and Dante gotten to know each other better?”
“Not yet. There was no time.”
“Because of us?” asked Aria worriedly. “Luca and your husband need to discuss some things regarding Matteo and Gianna’s wedding.” I could hear the tension in her voice.
“Gianna is still not happy about it.”
Aria laughed into her cup. “That’s an understatement.”
“Maybe she just needs a little more time. I remember how scared you were before your marriage to Luca, and now you two seem to be getting along very well. Of course, I knew that appearances are deceiving. I didn’t know what happened behind closed doors.
“I know, but both Luca and I wanted this to work. Right now, I think Gianna’s main goal is to get Matteo so fed up with her that he cancels the wedding.
“Not all couples work well together,” I said quietly.
“I’m sure you and Dante can make it work. You are both always so balanced and controlled.
I huffed. “I’m not as balanced as Dante.”
Aria smiled. “He’s a little cold outside, but as long as he melts when he’s around you, it’s okay.”
“So Luca isn’t always so scary?” I joked.
Aria’s cheeks turned red. “No, he’s not.”
Seeing Aria’s happiness gave me hope. If she could make it work with someone like Luca, then I could make it work with Dante.
The conversation between Luca and Dante lasted longer than expected, and I was beginning to worry. They were not exactly friends, but eventually they emerged and we decided to have lunch together. For this Zita had prepared roast lamb.
We settled down at the table. Unlike this morning, Dante did not sit at the head of the table. Instead, he and I sat on one side while Luca and Aria took seats across from us.
The tension between Dante and Luca was palpable, and I began to wonder if lunch was really the best idea.
Fortunately Zita served the food only moments after we were seated , so we were busy enjoying the lamb, which lifted our spirits at least for a while, but the moment our plates were empty things quickly went downhill.
Dante’s face was even colder than usual. It looked as if it had been carved in marble. Luke did not look much happier, but the hardness of his mouth was accompanied by a burning fire in his eyes. I looked at them, but it was obvious that they had nothing more to say to each other than what had been discussed during their meeting.
Aria gave me a pleading look.
As the hostess, it was my job to save the day. “So when is the wedding?”
Dante made a dismissive sound. “If things go as they are now, never again.”
“If things go as they are now, there will be a red wedding,” Luca said dryly.
My eyebrows rose and Gaby, who had entered with a new bottle of wine, froze.
“There will not be a red wedding,” Aria said. She turned to Dante. “You could give Matteo another Outfit bride .”
I almost choked.
“Aria,” Luca said in warning. “Matteo will not accept another bride. It’s either Gianna or no one.” He turned his hard gaze to Dante, who did not seem impressed. “I’m sure the Boss has enough control over his Familia to make sure Gianna obeys.”
I motioned Gaby to approach the table. Perhaps the wine would distract the men from clashing with each other.
“I’m not worried about the extent of my control. There are no members of the Outfit trying to overthrow me.” He bared his teeth in a smile that sent a chill down my spine.
It seemed the two men were seconds away from drawing their weapons. I wasn’t sure who would emerge victorious from such a fight. They would probably both die and bring the Outfit and the New York Familia back into open warfare with each other.
Luca stood up, pushing back his chair. Gaby, who was about to refill his glass, screamed and dropped the wine bottle, her hands raised protectively in front of her face. For a moment no one moved. Dante stood up, too.
Only Aria and I were still sitting, almost frozen in our chairs.
“Don’t worry about New York. Just make sure you keep your end of the bargain,” Luke growled. He held out a hand and Aria took it, rising from her chair. “We have a flight to catch.” She gave me an apologetic smile.
I straightened up, then cast a glance at Gabi. She still stood paralyzed beside the table, red wine pooling around her shoes. “I’ll accompany you,” I said to Luca and Aria. As I led them into the lobby, Dante followed me closely, as if he was worried that Luca might do something to me, which was highly unlikely.
Dante and Luca did not shake hands, but I hugged Aria tightly. I would not let our husband’s quarrels get in the way of our friendship. Or at least I would try to. If things got really bad between Chicago and New York, I wouldn’t even be allowed to talk to Aria anymore. I watched them walk away , then turned back to Dante who was still standing behind me. “What was that about?”
Dante shook his head. “My father should never have agreed to marry the second daughter Scuderi in New York. This is not going to end well.”
“But things between Aria and Luca seem to be going well, and the Outfit has been cooperating peacefully with New York for years now.”
“Theirs has been a marriage of convenience, but Matteo Vitiello wants Gianna Scuderi because he has gotten it into his head that he needs to have her. That is not a good basis for a decision. Emotions are a responsibility in our world.
I blinked. Once again his beautiful reasoning. “Haven’t you ever wanted something so badly that you would do anything to get it?” I knew it was the wrong question the moment the words left my mouth, but I couldn’t take it back.
Her cold eyes met mine. “YES. But we don’t always get what we want.” He was talking about his wife. He wanted her back.
I swallowed hard and nodded. “I should call Bibiana. I want to meet with her tomorrow.”
I turned and walked up the stairs, feeling Dante’s gaze on me the whole time. I was glad he couldn’t see my face.