Page 82 of Vicious Intentions
“I… I don’t know,” I say, hating the way my voice wavers. “There wasn’t a name.”
My dads, Gio, and Dom exchange a look, as if carrying on a silent conversation all their own. But it’s the way my father, Vincent, studies me for a long moment that makes me feel themost exposed. His gaze is too perceptive for comfort, and it feels like he can read the lie right off my lips.
I force myself to meet his gaze head-on and shrug slightly, acting as if this is nothing more than an extravagant mistake. A complete misunderstanding.
“Should I send it back?” I ask, praying he lets me keep it.
“Of course not. You fell in love with it the minute you saw it,” Stella quickly says, as if hearing my inner thoughts. “You’re not going to make Anna return it, are you? It’s Christmas.”
“I would feel a whole lot better accepting such a lavish gift if I knew who it was from,” my father counters, his gaze scanning the piano as if it were some kind of bomb.
“Maybe Anna has a secret admirer,” Stella says, throwing her arms in the air in exasperation. “Or maybe some guy at the ice cream parlor heard she likes playing the piano and thought he could score some brownie points by sending her one. Or,” she exaggerates the word before continuing, “maybe one of the families sent it, not only to swoon Anna, but also to gain favor with you.” She pauses, letting that sink in. “Now that Anna is eighteen and the only one left to be married off to one of their sons, I wouldn’t be surprised if this gift encourages others to follow suit. My guess…whoever sent it is testing the waters.”
“The last option does sound the most likely, Dad,” Marcello says, not looking pleased with the idea that the Outfit families have set their eyes on me as a way to get their sons closer to the throne.
“Hmm,” my father mumbles, still sounding unconvinced.
“Well,” my mother interjects, still staring at the piano, “whoever it was has exquisite taste.” I nod, even though my chest feels tight.
I know who sent this. Only one person on earth knows me well enough to give me such a thoughtful gift. And sittinghere, pretending otherwise, feels like the first real betrayal I’ve committed against my family.
But what’s worse…is that it feels like the first of many to come.
Chapter 18
Matteo
Twenty-five years old
I should have never sent Annamaria that fucking piano.
What was I thinking?
Oh, that’s right… I wasn’t.
Not after that last song she played for me. It unraveled whatever control I thought I still had, leaving me a mess of emotion and raw impulse. It took everything in me not to jump on a plane and go to fucking Chicago and take her right then and there.
So I did the next best thing. I bought her a grand piano worthy of a queen.
I didn’t think of the consequences such a gift would conjure up. I didn’t think of how she would have to explain the gift to her parents, especially Romano. I didn’t think about how precarious a situation that must have been for her, springing such a grand gesture on her like that. I didn’t think at all, and that’s what unsettles me.
I’m a man who thinks through everything, down to the most minuscule detail. But when it comes to Anna… Fuck, what is wrong with me?
To make matters worse, she now wants me to call her to thank me properly. Not just a normal phone call, but FaceTime me. Which means she wants to see my face. And that can’t happen. All this time, she believes she’s been talking to Raffaele. Not me. In fact, I’m pretty sure I’d be the last person she would ever want to talk to.Cazzo.
Anna:Rafe? Are you there? Why won’t you answer my call?
Because I’m not the man you want, I think to myself, and curse under my breath.
Me:I can’t talk right now, with it being Christmas and all.
Anna: Oh. I thought we could talk tonight.
I did too, sweetheart. I’ve been looking forward to talking to you all day.
But not like this. Not in the way you want.
Me:I’m sorry.
