Placing the short stack in my arms down, I choose to sit in the second row.
“Have you ever been in love?”
Smiling fondly, he gazes over at the cross, and I wonder who he’s thinking about.
“I’ve been in love for a long time. Not in the conventional sense, mind you, but I have my love for Christ.”
Disappointment courses through me. “Have you never loved a woman?”
“No. Our destiny is written before we’re born, and I was destined to lead the people of Vita under His path. Why do you ask?”
“Since I’ve been with Raphael, I feel whole, like I was waiting for him to complete me, and it’s been making me think about others. Do you feel complete?”
Focusing on his bushy brows, his smile never wavers.
“Doing the Lord’s work completes me. There’s no need to concern yourself with me, as I’m more than happy.”
The side door creaks open and Raphael darts inside.
My day brightens at the sight of him, and his smile grows when his eyes land on me.
“You’re early,” I point out.
He said he couldn’t meet us until after lunch.
“My father wants me to attend a benefit with him this evening out of the city. If I didn’t come now, I wouldn’t have been able to make it at all.”
“You’re leaving the city?”
I’ve only ever left the city once, and that was because my mother had threatened to leave my father and take me with her, and he couldn’t trust her to still be at the house when he returned from his business trip. I spent three days holed up in a hotel suite while he went off to his meetings, and my mother locked herself in her room and cried.
“My father is the main benefactor, and he says I have to familiarise myself with his dealings. It’s the last thing I want to do, but… you know, appearances.”
I vow that I’m never going to live my life for appearances’ sake. I am who I am, I’ll be who I choose to be, and I won’t hide the true me from anyone.
Chapter Twenty-Nine
Raphael
“She’s taking the fucking piss, Cousin,” Cristian growls to my right.
Drumming my fingertips on the highly polished tabletop, my agitation builds as I roam my gaze over Frankie and Carlo to my left.
“He’s not wrong,” Frankie adds.
I sent for Mila over an hour ago, and she has yet to show her face. After Cristian and I were dropped off, I first made sure my sister was unharmed, and had her sit and tell me everything about her time spent with the DiMarco’s. She sits beside me now, and it’s a strange notion to think I was close to playing with her life and not calling for peace. Besides Cristian, she’s my only family left in this world, and I’ll be doing more to protect it in the future.
The door opens and Mila walks in, the ever-loyal Trey at her side. Standing from my seat, I sweep my hand toward the chair at the end of the table for her to take.
“Who would’ve thought a Camarco would be my saviour?” Sienna purrs, sipping her wine.
Mila’s reply is to smile tightly as she takes her seat before focusing her attention on me as I sit.
“Explain why I’m here? Just because we’re allies, doesn’t mean we have to break bread together.”
Her gaze roams over the food covering every inch of the table, but it was more for Sienna’s benefit. I wanted her belly full upon her return.
“Because I’m owed answers, Mila.”
Plus, I like the sight of her at my table. “How did you extract my sister?”
“How did she succeed where you failed, you mean?” Trey counters.
Slamming my hand down on the table, I let my frustration with him show.
“If I had tried, I would have succeeded.”
“Charming,” Sienna snorts, sitting forward to top up her wine.
I take the bottle from her when she’s done and set it out of her reach. She’s had more than enough already.
“Big brother,” she tsks. “I’m plenty old enough to drink however much I like.”
Setting my glare on her, it doesn’t take long for her to shrink into herself.
Mila begins to speak. “I had my men go in after the day shift showed up. They’re all dead, and your sister can confirm it. One of my soldiers has their phone and will send a text every hour confirming to DiMarco she’s okay. He won’t know the truth until the night shift shows up and see the pile of dead bodies.”