Page 147 of Brutal Revenge

The jewelry store smells of velvet, polish, and quiet wealth. Glass cases gleam under soft lighting, and rings sparkle like tiny stars. Camille presses her face to a display of watches while Dante saves his credit card from irreparable damage by placing a gentle hand on her shoulder.

I stare down at the men’s wedding bands, unsure which ring to purchase. I’ve already chosen a simple band for myself, but Matteo deserves something that reflects him.

This decision is harder than the one Dante made at the pharmacy. He bought one of every pregnancy test and happily carried them out of the drugstore in a see-through plastic bag.

“Do you think he’d like the onyx ring?” I ask Dante after narrowing my choices down to two.

He doesn’t hesitate. “He’ll love whatever you get him. It’s from you. That’s all he’ll care about.”

All my worries vanish as my chest warms.

I request the onyx ring, and the jeweler disappears into the back to see if he has it in the size he measured on Dante’s finger earlier. Out of all his siblings, both in height and weight, Dante is the closest match to Matteo, hence me asking for his help.

As I impatiently wait for the jeweler to return, Dante joins Camille near the window. She’s staring at a sweets shop across the street, licking her lips.

“Do you want to get some treats for Mama and you?”

Camille nods so hard her curls bounce.

Dante turns to me. “We’ll be right back. Stay in the store until we return.”

Accustomed to his tone—it’s the same tone my brothers always use—I agree without pause for thought.

He waves to the jeweler, who is returning to the front with the ring I hope to purchase. “I’ll be back next week to collect my purchase.”

Purchase?

My head snaps to the display cabinet he was standing near earlier, and my mouth gapes.

That cabinet only holds engagement rings.

My heart squeezes, confident that whatever Dante purchased will be as special to Lucia as I hope this ring is to Matteo.

This ring isn’t just a ring.

It’s a promise.

Matteo spent his entire life sharing everything. His mother’s attention. His father’s expectations. His brothers’ chaos. Even his identity has always been tied to something. He’s a Caruso, and although he loves that, I want him to have something that is solely his.

I am the first thing in his life that belongs solely to him. Not because he claimed me or lied to force me to marry him.

But because Ichosehim.

This ring is my way of showing him that.

I want him to look at his hand and remember that what we have is his alone.

After polishing the ring, the jeweler places it into a ring box. “Cash or check?”

I curse under my breath. I was so caught up in the hype of spoiling Matteo that I didn’t consider the price tag. I might not have enough money to fund the purchase.

I’m logging into my checking account to check the state of my funds when a voice behind me says, “Let her use the credit from thereturn of our rings. From what I’m hearing, the lies she’s telling guarantee I won’t need it anytime soon.”

My blood turns to ice when I turn in enough time to watch Antonio enter the jewelry store and lock the entrance door behind him.

As he fans out his jacket to announce he’s carrying, my eyes dart to the window. Dante is just inside the sweets store, scanning the street for danger he doesn’t realize is already here.

“Hi, Antonio,” I say, forcing politeness.