Page 67 of Driftwood Daffodil

Kato, pointed at me, said, “we’ll finish this conversation later,” then headed over to answer.

Beyond catching the guy’s name, I didn’t pay attention to the introductions my sister doled out. I was too busy inspecting her date.

Bill looked okay I guess. He was presentable in his suit with his dark hair neatly styled, but there was something off. The way he looked at my sister didn’t sit right with me…

Veda claspedher hands on my shoulders and said, “cake would be so good right now.”

I stared back into her bright eyes, wishing that I could change the past. If I’d listened to my gut then none of this would’ve happened. One little word or action could’ve stopped it all. Kato wouldn’t be in jail and Veda wouldn’t be lost.

“Let’s go make one.”

I smiled at my sister. “That sounds great.”

We used to bake all the time. Veda and I would sing and dance around the kitchen while Kato played the guitar. This wouldn’t be the same as that. It wouldn’t even be close. But I’d take it. I’d take the fake façade for as long as it lasted.

A tear rolled down my cheek, filling my fake smile with the bitter taste of hatred. I hated Atlas Mancini for what he did to her. I hated the way she viewed the world now. But mostly I hated myself for not stopping her from walking out that door.

“Come on,” Veda sang while skipping for the screen door.

I moved to follow then stopped dead in my tracks as a shiver shot up my spine.

Her date that night… Bill something… he had the same hint of green in his brown eyes that Knox did.

GIOVANNI

Make me.

Novalee had no idea what those two words did to a man like me. She may as well have dared me to fuck with her. All night long I thought about the day I wouldmakeher get down on all fours and crawl like a pet. I might even tell her to lick my shoes.

If Nova wanted me to make her, then fine. I’d drag her ego through the dirt andmakeher do every demeaning little thing I could think of. She had no idea who she was messing with. And the first thing I was going to make her pay for was the coffee she dumped on my lap.

“God damnit!” I grunted and shifted my slacks away from the raw patch on my thigh.

My dad paid enough for me to go to that school, one would think the uniforms would be made out of better material.

My fists balled as I stomped across the dark hardwood to the black tiled kitchen floor. “I’ll fucking show her.”

“I assume you’re talking about the Ford girl?”

I was so pissed off that I didn’t notice my father sitting on one of the island’s black leather chairs.

“Maybe,” I murmured while walking around the island to open the fridge door.

As if my morning couldn’t get any worse, my brother chose that moment to join us.

“Good morning Little Brother.”

Great, a family reunion. Just what I fucking needed.

“What’s so fucking good about it.” I snarled while grabbing a bottle of OJ.

Romeo strutted over to the coffee pot, “someone’s in a bad mood.”

Thank you captain obvious.

“What’s up your ass?”

“Novalee Ford,” my father answered.

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