Page 211 of Vicious Intentions
“That was…” My mother wipes at her tears. “Very beautiful,piccolina.”
I try to smile at her, but it feels as hollow as everything else inside me.
Thankfully, Marcello’s phone rings, pulling everyone’s attention away from me. Isobel’s eyes follow him the moment he answers the call and rises from beside her, stepping away from the rest of us so no one overhears what’s being said.
“Something’s wrong,” Stella murmurs to Kirill, her eyes fixed on our older brother.
“Easy,milaya.I’m sure it’s nothing,” Kirill soothes, his large hand rubbing over my sister’s thigh.
I drag my eyes away from them. Watching anyone else’s happiness only reminds me of everything I’ve lost. And though I could never hate my siblings, it feels unnecessarily cruel to have a front-row seat to how beautiful their lives are while mine has fallen apart.
However, the second my gaze lands on Marcello and his locks onto mine, my entire body tenses.
“I’ll be there in an hour,” he says before hanging up the phone, finally tearing his gaze away from mine and turning his attention to my sister. “Stella. With me.”
The authoritative tone in my brother’s voice is still something I’m getting used to. My sister, on the other hand, seems more than accustomed to it by now. Stella immediately rises from her chair and presses a quick kiss to Kirill’s lips, while Isobel silently slips off the couch and moves to stand beside Marcello without him ever having to ask.
“See?” Stella teases with a smirk. “Told you.”
“And you think I’m staying here?” Kirill snorts, already pushing himself to his feet. “No,dusha moya. Wherever you go, I go. Remember?”
Stella beams at him, delight radiating across her face, only for it to dim the second her eyes meet mine.
It happens more often than I’d like to admit. My grief has a way of poisoning everyone else’s happiness.
Once upon a time, I would’ve felt guilty about that. The old Anna would’ve forced a smile onto her face just to spare everyone the discomfort of witnessing her misery.
But that Anna died in a church beside her husband.
No worries, sis. This version of me won’t be around much longer either, my mind whispers cruelly as Stella continues staring at me with concern.
“I’m coming too. It could be something serious, after all,” Jude remarks, grabbing Mina’s hand and pulling her up from the couch so they can follow Marcello back to his office.
“Sure, why not?” Mina shrugs. “Let me just check on Remus and Rolo first. I’m not sure leaving them alone in the gaming room with Kostya and Darius was a good idea.”
“Kostya can handle your cousins,” Jude replies.
“I still say you should have them neutered. The twins would be a delight to spend the holidays with if you just cut off their balls,” Kirill jokes.
“Funny,” Mina laughs. “I’ll remember you said that the next time I have a run-in with your prick of a brother, Sasha. If anyone’s bollocks should be cut off, it’s that wanker’s.”
“I’ll be sure to let him know,” Kirill smirks.
“Guys! Hussle!” Stella claps, grabbing their attention.
“Do you really need to leave?” my mother asks softly. “It’s Christmas Eve.”
“Let them go,bella.” Gio presses a kiss to my mother’s shoulder. “There were plenty of Christmas Eves when we had to leave you and the kids behind to work. Enjoy the fact that the baton’s finally been passed, and now they’re the ones carrying the burden.”
“You’re not helping,stronzo,” Dominic mutters, shooting Gio a disapproving look.
My father, Gio, responds by flipping him off behind my mother’s back.
Honestly, is it any wonder my family is the way it is when our parents still behave like overgrown children half the time?
Then again, they never really had a childhood to begin with.
Nobody born into the Outfit ever does.
