Page 160 of When She Tempts (The Fallen)
I finish adjusting my hair and put my thoughts about work on the back burner. Now that we’re married, I’d much rather steal Mari away and spend the evening alone with her, but the party is important forpiccolina, so I’ll play along.
When I step out of the bathroom, I hear someone arguing.
Two voices talk over each other from a room down the hall, and my body moves closer out of habit.
“Look, all I’m trying to tell you is that you have a choice.”
Valentina. I guess Mari and I weren’t the only ones who snuck away during dinner.
“Vale, enough,” Gemma, her sister, says. “You only make it worse by constantly bringing it up. I’m marrying Rafael. It’s settled, and I’m fine with it.”
“But you don’t even know him.”
“So what? This is what I’ve expected my whole life.”
“That doesn’t make it right or normal.”
“We aren’t normal. We sacrificed normal to be powerful.”
“Wedidn’t do anything. Our father did.”
“You say that like you’re making some kind of a point. We’re a family. A fucked-up, messed-up family, but a family nonetheless. Papa's made it clear that my marriage is important for our family’s survival.”
Valentina makes a frustrated sound. “I don’t understand. I thought that after you found out what they did to me by marrying me to Lazaro, you’d stop being so blindly loyal.”
“What they did to you was a horrible mistake. They both acknowledge it now. You know that, right?”
“Father only acknowledges it because Damiano forced him to. His apology to me was said through gritted teeth.”
“He’s proud, but deep down, he knows what he did was wrong. And Mama cries in her bedroom at night. One time, I went to her, and she told me she’ll never forgive herself for putting you in that situation.”
“I don’t believe her. She suspected what was happening, at least in broad strokes. She knew Lazaro wasn’t right in the head. When I tried to give her the details, she wouldn’t listen.”
“You know she’s never gone against Papa. She didn’t know how to change anything.”
“God, Gem! I’m not ever going to forgive them, all right? I feel sorry for Mama, I do, but it’s not enough for me to excuse her for her role in all of this.”
“Fine. I won't try to change your mind. Now, do me the same courtesy about my upcoming marriage.”
Valentina sighs. “There was a time when you weren’t okay with marrying a Messero.”
“Maybe I've grown up since then. I was there when Tito, our cousin, died. You weren’t. They brought him to our house while he was bleeding out, and I held his hand as he took his last few breaths. I’ve seen what perceived weakness can do to our family, how it makes our enemies foam at the mouth. My marriage to Rafael will ensure things like that won’t happen again. So just stop it, okay? I’m fine with my decision. I don’t need you to try to make me feel bad about it.”
“That’s not what I’m trying to do.”
“It’s what it feels like. Now can we please get back to dinner? Your husband will worry about you.”
“Will yours?”
Gemma doesn’t answer. I duck into the shadows as they pass right by me, and a few moments later, I follow behind them. Gemma turns into the kitchen, while Valentina continues outside.
I knew Valentina’s father, Stefano Garzolo, was on shaky ground in New York, but the way Gemma spoke about it makes the situation seem far worse than I would have thought. I catalogue the conversation and make a note to bring it up to De Rossi after the end of the festivities.
When I step outside, the appetizers are being cleared away. Despite Mari’s worrying, no one except De Rossi seems to have registered our absence. He shoots me a glare when I sit back down, and I arch a brow in response.
He has no ground to stand on. I’d bet my right arm he and Valentina will be disappearing throughout their wedding dinner as well.
When Mari slides into the chair beside me a few minutes later, she grasps my arm and leans into my ear.
