Page 27 of Ravage God
I gave him a small smile. “Thank you.”
He playfully tapped my forehead. “You’re welcome. Normally, I would let you sleep in, but I have things to do this morning, so I can’t stay long, and I don’t want you to spend all day in bed. It would only make you feel worse.”
That had been exactly what I wanted to do.
“I thought you would want to wash up and go home to get ready.”
“Get ready?” I asked. It wasn’t like my day was all that exciting. What would I be getting ready for?
“For Luna’s birthday party.”
My eyes widened, and I sat up on the bed. “That’s tonight?”
Valentino nodded. I had completely forgotten about that. And while I wasn’t in the mood to socialize, Luna had always been nice to me. Plus, I overheard Elio tell Valentino that the reason Massimo was making such a big deal about her birthday was that she didn’t have anyone do that for her when she was growing up. He wanted to give her everything she had never gotten the chance to experience before.
My heart hurt for Luna for not having a better family.
I could relate to that. But I was luckier, I supposed. At least I had Valentino, who always protected me.
I nodded, and Valentino turned and walked out the door. I sat there for a moment, taking in the room before grabbing the glass of water and the pills, popping both in my mouth and taking a huge gulp of water.
Just another day. I just had to get through another day.
I grabbeda flute of champagne off the tray when the server came by.
Everyone who was in town was present, and even some of the ones who usually weren’t in Las Vegas had made the trip, all to get into Massimo’s good graces.
And Luna stood at the center of it all. She kept herself in her small circle, surrounded by Massimo and his siblings, while I stood in the far corner of the huge ballroom, people-watchingand trying hard not to draw attention to myself. I winced when I heard the unmistakable, clear sound of Dad laughing across the room. He was also keeping himself inside his small circle of the traditionalist men. During one of the rare instances when Massimo wasn’t by his wife’s side, I watched him make his way over to my dad and his friends. While his face was impassive and emotionless, there was something about the way he walked that made me believe Massimo wasn’t approaching the traditionalist men to socialize but for something else. Elio was walking beside Massimo.
Massimo didn’t trust my father and his friends.
I didn’t blame him.
Even if I wasn’t in the life, I had heard talk of the traditionalists’ dissatisfaction with the way Massimo was running things. Something Dad was pretty vocal about when he was home.
The men quieted when Elio and Massimo approached. The masks were firmly in place as the men greeted each other.
I took a small sip of champagne as I watched the scene unfold. I doubted that anything exciting would happen tonight, considering this event was little more than a birthday party. Even still, it felt like all eyes were watching the interaction happen.
Movement from my side drew my attention away, and I turned to find Chiara standing next to me. Her sister and her friend were nowhere to be found. I didn’t bother smiling or put up any pretense. And she didn’t either.
“What do you want?” I asked.
“For you to leave Elio alone,” she said, getting straight to the point.
I let out a small laugh. “Is that why you approached me? To stake your claim on a man who’s not even yours in the first place.”
Her jaw clenched, obviously not liking that. “Yet.”
“Yet? Does Elio know that?”
She flipped her hair over her shoulder. “He will soon. Daddy will be putting in the request for my engagement with Elio to Massimo.”
“And you think Elio will just agree to marry you?”
I couldn’t even remember a time when Elio had spoken more than five full sentences with her. While I didn’t like the idea of Chiara’s father trying to set up an engagement between her and Elio, I was comforted by the fact that Massimo would let Elio choose who he would marry. Unlike the young women in this life, most of the men were offered choices.
“Why wouldn’t he?” Chiara asked.
