It was almost midnight when people started to shout for Luca to bed Aria. She didn’t manage to hide her panic. When she stood and took Luca’s offered hand, her eyes met mine but then Luca was already leading her away, followed by a crowd of shouting men. Anger surged through me. I pushed to my feet, determined to follow and help her. Mother gripped my wrist, jerking me to a stop. “This isn’t your business, Gianna. Sit down. Aria will do what’s expected of her and so should you.”
I glowered at her. Wasn’t she supposed to protect us? Instead she watched without a flicker of compassion. I wrenched away from her, disgusted by her and everyone around us.
Father stood beside Salvatore Vitiello, who shouted something that sounded like “We want to see blood on the sheets, Luca!”
I almost tackled him. What a bastard. New York and its sick traditions. Despite Father’s warning glare, I turned and followed after the men. Luca and Aria were almost at the house, and I had trouble fighting my way through the male guests to get to them. I wasn’t even sure what I was going to do if I reached them. I could hardly pull Aria into our shared bedroom and lock the door. That wouldn’t stop anyone, least of all Luca. That guy was a beast.
A few of the men made lewd comments in my direction but I ignored them, my eyes firmly focused on Aria’s blonde head. I’d almost reached the front of the crowd when Aria disappeared into the master bedroom and Luca closed the door. My breath caught, worry and anger taking center stage in my body.
I was wavering between storming into the bedroom to kick Luca’s ass and run as far away as possible so I didn’t have to hear what was going on behind that door. Most of the male guests were on their way back outside to resume drinking, only Matteo, who was shouting disgusting suggestions through the door, and a few younger Made Men from New York were still around. I backed away, knowing there was nothing I could do for Aria, and hating it more than anything else. So often in the past Aria had protected me from Father, and now when she needed protection, I was unable to help her.
Instead of returning to the party, I decided to go to my bedroom. I wasn’t in the mood to face my parents again. I’d only get into a huge fight with Father, and I really didn’t need that on my plate today. Before I could head down the corridor toward my room, two guys stepped in my way. I didn’t know their names. They weren’t much older than me, maybe eighteen. One of them still sported some baby fat and acne. The other was taller and looked like more of a threat.
I tried to sidestep them but the taller guy blocked my way. “Piss off,” I said, glaring at the two idiots.
“Don’t be a killjoy, Red. I wonder if you are red down there too?” He pointed between my legs.
My lips curled in disgust. As if I hadn’t heard those words before.
The acne guy snorted with laughter. “We could try to find out.”
Suddenly Matteo was there. He gripped the tall guy in a headlock and held a sharp long knife to the guy’s crotch. “Or,” he said in an eerily calm voice. “We could try to find out how long it takes for you to bleed out like a pig after I cut your dick off. How about that?”
I used the moment to ram my knee into acne guy’s balls. He cried out and dropped to his knees. I probably shouldn’t have enjoyed it as much as I did.
Matteo raised his dark eyebrows at me. “Wanna have a go at this one too?”
I didn’t need to be told twice. Instead I landed a good kick and sent the second guy to his knees as well. Both guys looked up at Matteo with fear-widened eyes, ignoring me completely.
“Fuck off before I decide to cut your throats,” Matteo said.
They scrambled off like dogs with their tails between their legs.
“Do you know them?” I asked.
Matteo sheathed his knife. He didn’t look as drunk as he’d seemed at the party. Maybe it had all been for show. A quick glance around made me realize that we were alone in this part of the house, and from the way my heartbeat quickened and my stomach fluttered, I knew this really wasn’t a good idea.
“They are the kids of two of our soldiers. They aren’t even Made Men yet.”
Inducting them into the mafia probably wouldn’t turn them into nicer human beings. “I could have handled them myself,” I said.
Matteo scanned my body again. “I know.”
That wasn’t the answer I had expected, and I wasn’t entirely sure if he was pulling my leg or not. “It’s funny how you can act like a knight in shining armor one second and the next you’re encouraging your brother to sexually assault my sister.”
“Luca doesn’t need encouragement, believe me.”
“You make me sick. All of this does.” I turned and stalked away but Matteo caught up with me and barred my way with an arm against the wall.
“Your sister will be fine. Luca isn’t cruel to women.”
“Is that supposed to reassure me?”
Matteo shrugged. “I know my brother. Aria won’t get hurt.”
I searched his face. He seemed serious. I wanted to believe him but from what I’d witnessed, Luca was anything but a kind man. He was brutal and cruel and cold, and I wasn’t sure if Matteo’s definition of not being cruel to women matched my own.
“I really want to fucking kiss you,” Matteo said in a rough voice, startling me.
My eyes widened. He didn’t move, just stood in front of me with his arm propped up against the wall and his dar eyes boring into mine. We weren’t engaged, thank God, so speaking to me like that
