Page 13 of Urgent Vows
Miceli subtly guides us toward the edge of the dance floor and then drops his hands from my shoulders. He places one on my back and starts walking me toward the hallway I took earlier to reach the ladies' room. On the way, he catches the eye of one of his men, who immediately joins us.
"Get an icepack," Miceli instructs. "Fast."
The other man starts jogging down the hall. It must lead to the kitchens. Miceli does not stop at the ladies' room, but keeps going until we reach an empty room on the other side of the hallway. There are chairs stacked against one wall and round tables with their legs folded up on their sides near them. A storage room.
Miceli grabs a chair off the stack and puts it on the floor in the center of the room. I don't wait to be invited; I sit down. So grateful that at least the strain on my hip is lessened, my eyes sting with relief.
Miceli hits his palm with a fist. "That bastard."
Since I'm pretty sure he's talking about my father, I don't disagree.
"You should go back to the reception," I say to my brother-in-law. "We don't need gossip about us disappearing together. Not after everything else today."
"I'm not leaving you alone." But his expression says he knows my concern about the gossip is valid.
"I'll be fine," I say firmly. "Papà isn't going to track me down in here and your man will be back soon enough with an icepack."
"Severu would not be happy if I left you alone."
"Your brother will be downright furious if rumors start to circulate about what you and I were doing away from the ballroom so long together. You know people noticed us leaving, even if no one said anything."
Miceli shakes his head stubbornly.
I try for a smile I don't feel. "I am used to being alone. I will be fine. Please, Miceli. I cannot stand more of your brother's anger on top of everything else."
I don't like telling him that. I am not weak, but I am near the end of my tether.
Miceli must realize it because he finally nods. "Alright. Aldo will be back with the icepack, and I'll let Severu know where you are."
"You don't need to bother your brother. I'll ice my hand for fifteen minutes and then rejoin the reception."
Miceli just shakes his head and leaves.
Chapter 5
CATALINA
A knock sounds on the door only moments later. I get up and open it a crack to confirm it is Aldo, unsure what I plan to do if it is not. Relieved because it is him, I open the door wider, though not wide enough to let him in. The last thing I need is to be seen coming out of a storage room with one of Severu's men.
I put my right hand out for the icepack. He doesn't hesitate to give it to me.
I thank him and close the door before returning to my chair. Placing the ice pack against my sore hip, I set my hurt hand on top of it so it can do double duty. I am like that for about five minutes when the door slams open.
Severu storms inside, looking around, like he expects someone to be in here with me. I'm too exhausted to react. I simply stare at him in silence.
He shuts the door and turns back to face me, his expression stern.
"Your name fits you well. I wonder if you frowned a lot as an infant and your parents knew you would turn out to be like you are."
"What the hell are you talking about?"
"Your name. Severu. It means stern, strict, or severe." I looked it up.
Why? I do not know.
"What happened?" he asks through gritted teeth.
"Since you are here, I assume Miceli talked to you, so you already know."
