Kira
The last thing I want to do is attend another ladies’ function with judgy, gossipy mafia women but I know I have to make an appearance. Irina and Natasha are probably worried for me and I need to make sure I keep the peace between our families.
But when I arrive to find Francesca and Gianna are there again, it takes everything inside of me to not turn around and walk right out of the tea room.
Once again, they’re seated with Irina and Natasha, who give me pitying looks as I sit down beside them. Everyone must know all the bad things Francesca has been saying about me.
“Nice of you to join us,” Francesca snaps.
Gianna has her head ducked. Her one act of rebellion shattered now that she’s back with her aunt.
“There’s no set time to show up here,” I snap back.
Irina, who’s seated on the other side of me, clasps my hand under the table, silently telling me to be quiet. But being quiet is not my thing.
Francesca only sniffs and turns her nose upward so I do the same thing just to annoy her.
“So, how have things been with Enzo?” Irina asks.
I think back to how he put his mouth on me last night. How electrifying and thrilling. He made me forget all about what Matteo tried to do to me. It’s given me hope for the future.
“Good,” I say, unable to hide the blush on my face.
Irina gives me a knowing look. “That’s good.”
Natasha shoves a cucumber sandwich into her mouth, looking visibly uncomfortable. I know it’s because of when Enzo kidnapped her.
“I’m sorry,” I tell her. “About Enzo.”
“It’s not your fault. You had to marry Enzo for peace. I still don’t like talking about him though.”
“I get it. But Enzo has surprised me. In a good way.”
Natasha responds but I don’t hear it because at that very moment, I look over to the entrance of the tea room to see Matteo standing there. His face is covered in bruises but otherwise, he looks unharmed. Enzo fought him but left him alive. I’m still not sure how I feel about that.
With a confident swagger, he walks right up to our table.
“Hello, ladies,” he says in his warm voice. The other women at the table melt under his charm and handsome face but I know not to fall for it. I know not to trust him at all.
“Matteo!” Francesca exclaims. “Nice to see you again. A friend of my nephew’s is always a friend of mine.”
“Of course.” I detect the tightness in his voice but the rest of the women don’t. They don’t know what I know.
“This is a get-together for women,” I snap. “Not men. You should go.”
“Don’t be rude,” Francesca chides me. “Matteo can stay for as long as he wants.”
“I would like that.” He makes a point of sitting down directly across from me. Of course. “Kira.”
“Matteo.”
Everyone at the table must finally be able to sense the tension between us because they all exchange looks.
“You know each other?” Irina asks innocently.
“We met through Enzo,” Matteo explains.
Francesca looks between me and Matteo with a frown on her face. What is she thinking?