The Vatican - M.E. Clayton Page 0,22

the end. Saveria was being handed to me on a silver platter, so there was nothing stopping me from falling in love with her completely. But that’s not the issue.”

“Then what is?” Aunt Robbie asked.

“Saveria doesn’t just want to be loved, she wants to love in return,” I explained. “She wants to give herself completely to a man who she can trust to do that with.” I shook my head. “I’m not that man for her. I lied to her about sometime monumental. She’ll never forgive me for that. And because she’ll never forgive me for that, she’ll never allow herself to love me. That’s the loveless marriage she was referring to.”

“You’re right,” Uncle Phoenix said, confirming my worst fear. “We fucked up.”

“May…maybe if…I don’t know. Maybe if we give her time, she’ll-”

“Mom, time is the last thing I can afford to give Ria right now,” I said. “She will run. If she believes, for even one second, that there might be a way out of this marriage, she’ll run.” I let out a dark laugh. “I can live with her hating me forever. I can’t live with her married to someone else.”

“Surely, there’s something we can do,” Aunt Robbie said, hope lacing each word.

I looked at my aunt. “I still don’t think you understand, Aunt Robbie.” I looked at each adult in the room. “Do you know what happened when I told her this morning?” None of them answered. “She came after me. And I don’t mean she slapped me across the face and got hysterical. She came after me with every bit of Fiore and Mancini in her blood. She came after me with every bit of Benetti in her soul. Her apartment looks like a tornado hit it because she fought me like I wasn’t a grown man twice her size and three times her weight.”

“Oh, my,” Aunt Robbie muttered, in shock.

“Yeah, Aunt Robbie. We fought like true adversaries. Like enemies,” I replied. “I can’t help but feel like I’m the only person who’s noticed what Saveria has truly grown into. You guys see the sweet little girl who played house with her dolls. You’ve been blinded by her grace and femininity. Saveria is that girl who can rock a six-inch heel, but have no problem pulling it off to murder you with it.”

“I think you’re exaggerating, Francisco,” Mom said.

I laughed. It wasn’t a pleasant laugh either. “You let The Holy Trinity raise her,” I reminded her. “You’re in denial if you think Luca Saveria Fiore isn’t just as deadly as the rest of us on that side of the business.”

“When are you getting married?” Dad asked.

“I’m going to give her tomorrow to cool down,” I answered. “But I’m thinking Monday. The sooner the better.”

“And…and the wedding?” Aunt Frankie asked, and I knew why she was asking, but I wasn’t going to be able to help her.

“I’ll call Father O’Rourke and have him meet us here on Monday.” I hated breaking her heart, but it couldn’t be helped. “We’ll do it as she requested.”

“You’re seriously going to get married in your father’s office?” Mom asked.

I was losing my patience. “Yes,” I bit out. “Yes, because I don’t have a choice, Mom.” I looked between all three women. “Have you guys not been listening? Ria already believes this marriage is a sham, Mom. If I force her to wear a white dress and drag her into a church, she will burn the entire thing down to the ground.” I shook my head. “You guys are going to have to settle for our marriage and forget the wedding. The other kids can give you guys the big, grand weddings you want.”

“What if she really never forgives us?” Aunt Frankie muttered out loud. And when Uncle Phoenix didn’t automatically console her, that’s when she knew; that’s when it registered.

Uncle Phoenix looked my way, and the misery was there in his hazel eyes. Maybe Aunt Frankie had been naïve, but Uncle Phoenix hadn’t been. He knew what they were raising her to be and, unfortunately, they did a fan-fucking-tasitc job of it. He had also been there that night his only daughter killed Trent. He knew firsthand what she was capable of. And every man here took note of how she had been able to sleep afterwards. Not one nightmare or morning-after regret in sight.

The room was quiet as everyone absorbed the picture I painted of the real Saveria. This shit wasn’t going to be easy, and I had a feeling