Evangeline
As the sun slipped below the horizon, Gian and I climbed the front steps of his childhood home. A two-story brick house with a black lacquered door loomed in front of us. The more I tried to convince myself meeting his family and representing we were engaged meant nothing, the more slippery the thought became.
I backpedaled a few steps, intuitively sensing if I breached the threshold of the Trassatos’ home, there was no going back.
Gian wrapped his arm around my shoulder. “You’ll be fine. Do your best to look excited, make small talk, and we’ll be free to leave in two or three hours.”
I rubbed my lips together, probably hopelessly smearing my peach-hued lipstick. “That’s a long time to act like we’re madly in love and engaged.”
He pressed the doorbell. “We’re not on a stage or anything. There will be plenty going on other than the two of us. Use those acting skills Carmela raved about, and it shouldn’t be a problem.”
Acting seemed like a cakewalk in comparison. Nobody got hurt. I wasn’t lying; I was working. Telling a story. Sharing my love of the theater with the world. Right now, I was about to strut into someone’s home and lie to everyone, including my best friend. The thought made my stomach flip. I didn’t like lying, and I didn’t like playing games. Yet somehow, I had managed to put myself in a situation that necessitated doing both.
“I thought you’d never show up,” said a dark-haired woman with eyes so similar to Gian’s I knew she had to be his mother. She wore an elegant light blue suit that did little to tame her abundant curves that wavered somewhere between sultry and matronly.
“Mom, you said to be here at five.” Gian glanced at his wristwatch. “And it’s five.”
“Hmm. I thought I said four-thirty. Everyone is already here. How’s my bambino?” She pulled him into a one-armed hug and kissed both of his cheeks, leaving smudges of red.
Gian mumbled something under his breath that I couldn’t understand.
“And you must be Evangeline. I’m Helena.” She took both of my hands, her eyes crinkling at the corners, a broad smile on her face. “Look at that hair, your dimples, and that skin…it’s so pale. No wonder Gianluca is so taken with you. You’re beautiful.”
“Thank you.” I grinned so hard I thought my cheeks would crack. For some stupid reason, I imagined the action would somehow magically tame the disquiet circling in my gut like a swarm of bees. “I can’t believe we haven’t met before.”
She nodded and clasped her hands in front of her chest. “I’ll have to show her how to cook your favorites. I’m sure she doesn’t know how to make to real Italian food. She’ll probably open a jar of canned sauce and pour it over plastic noodles.”
My mouth hinged open, and Gian slotted his fingers through mine. Granted, I didn’t cook much. Raw vegetables and canned soup were what I lived off when I moved to New York, which meant I only needed a refrigerator and a microwave to stay alive. My eating habits hadn’t changed when I moved in with Kevin either. He worked late most nights, and when he came home at a normal hour, we went out to eat or ordered delivery. Gian’s mom would probably freak if she knew how limited my skills really were.
“I don’t know, Mom.” He pulled me inside the house, his mouth tight. “Evangeline is really busy for the next month with her job. Maybe after things slow down.”
Helena nodded. “Of course, of course. After the wedding, things will probably calm down. She’ll have plenty of time then. I’m sure you’ll both want to start having babies real soon.”
My stomach knotted. I didn’t know how to respond. I never thought about having kids. I’d spent most of my life singularly focused on my career. When I got hurt, I threw everything I had into planning a wedding I didn’t care about. At the time, I would never have admitted it, but I didn’t think I would’ve made it down the aisle with my ex even if I hadn’t barged in on him and his current protégé in flagrante delicto.
“Yeah, maybe. We’ll see. That’s a long way down the road,” Gian answered, his voice as deflated as I felt.
A two-story foyer with a sweeping staircase greeted us. Laughter, shouting, and the hum of steady conversation echoed off the white and black marbled floor. Shit. This was a full-blown party, not an intimate gathering of a few family members. My insides quivered like jelly, and I stopped walking.
Gian squeezed my hand. “You’ll be fine.”
“You lied,” I said, dropping my voice an octave.
He glanced at me, the ruthless determination in his eyes making them darker. Harder. “I know. I didn’t have a choice. You wouldn’t have agreed if I told you the truth, and when my mom says a few people, it could mean anywhere from two to fifty.”
I wrenched my hand out of his, my heart rate increasing with every passing second. “Gian, I’m really freaking our right now. I don’t think I can do this.”
He pushed my hair away from my face, and a shiver danced down my spine. “I won’t leave you alone. We’re a team.”
“Is it too late to feign sickness? I’m pretty sure I could enact a catastrophic fall or projectile vomit on demand or some combination thereof if I concentrated really hard.” I pointed at my four-inch putty-colored heels. “A fall would be convincing with these stupid shoes.”
“Is something wrong?” Helena whirled around, her gaze swinging between Gian and me.
“Go ahead, Mom,” Gian said. “Evangeline is nervous about meeting the whole family. You know how that goes. She’s worried about making a good impression. Give us a minute.”
“Sure.” She flashed a close-lipped smile. “Don’t be too long. Your dad is tired today. He had a bad night. I don’t think he’ll stay awake much longer.” With that parting shot, she plodded down the hall, her low nude-colored heels clicking over the tiled floors.
“What the hell, Gian?” I stabbed my finger in the center of his chest. “I didn’t sign up for this.”
“Relax, sweetheart. We’ve got this under control.” He shoved his hands in the pockets of his black trousers, the corner of his lips twitching like I amused him. Like this whole thing amused him. “This is about doing what we have to do. I want both of us to have a long life, and that means doing whatever it takes to walk away from this without raising anyone’s hackles.”
I closed my eyes for a splintered second, fear and sadness creating a toxic brew in my gut. I sucked in a deep breath and dragged my fingers over the emerald necklace my brother gave me for my sixteenth birthday. I wore it everywhere. It reminded me of who I was and where I came from, and that I had family who cared about me no matter how far we drifted apart.
“I know. I get it.” I flung my arm toward the flurry of noise filtering from the back half of the house. “Lead the way, but do us both a favor and tell the truth next time. I don’t like being blindsided.”
“I love it when you’re reasonable, sweetheart.” He kissed the top of my head. I curled into him, inhaling his scent and running my hands up and down the tight weave of his suit jacket. His hand slid under the fall of my hair, and a thread of longing wove around me, which proved absolutely nothing except that chemistry between two people could defy logic. Or at least, that’s what I told myself.
With that thought, I shifted away from him, but I didn’t get far. His hand rounded my waist like an iron shackle, keeping me glued to him with little effort. Heat crackled from the roughened pads of his fingers, and the skin beneath my thin silk dress tingled, rendering my clothing nearly worthless.
The minute we entered the great room, loud applause mixed with a few whistles thundered through the air. I relied on my acting skills and channeled the feelings I’d be experiencing if this moment were real.
Carmela kissed Gian and then me. She was the first of a long line of people congratulating us with hugs and kisses—so many kisses, my cheeks were probably a kaleidoscope of reds, pinks, and peaches. Tony was there, along with a few other faces I recognized from the night my life imploded in the back of Gian’s club.
When the crowd of people showering us with well wishes finally dissipated, the distinct pop of champagne bottles opening reverberated through the room like a gong announcing the beginning of the ceremonies. Carmela and Helena filled glasses with pale yellow, bubbly liquid. My stomach sunk like I swallowed a boulder. Blood pumped through my veins loud enough to drown out the roar of celebration.
“Smile,” Gian whispered next to my ear. “You look like you’re going to be sick.”
“I feel like I’m going to be sick,” I muttered.
Carmela held up two flutes with our names etched into the glass. “Gian. Evie.”
I accepted the glass from her, and yeah, it was awkward. I did my best to avoid direct eye contact with her and anyone else in the room. Unfortunately, a man with his forearm resting on the fireplace mantel had a different agenda. His cold, dark, glittering eyes zeroed in on me like a bird of prey, calculating my weaknesses and extracting my secrets. The heat of his stare burned through me like the fire of a thousand suns. Goose bumps spiraled down my arms.
He cleared his throat. “As the head of this family, I’d like to make a toast.”
Almost as if this man were Moses parting the Red Sea, a hush fell over the room, and everyone lined up like good little toy soldiers.
I leaned into Gian. “Is that your dad?”
“No. My uncle, Dominick. Why?”
“Just wondering, because that man sure as hell doesn’t look sick.” His arms and shoulders, although bulky, didn’t disguise the muscles straining and pulling against the seams of his custom-tailored suit. He had the right amount of gray to achieve a distinguished salt and pepper look. While he was shorter than Gian, he didn’t need height to make an impression. His eyes alone would scare the shit out of anyone—maybe even Lucifer.
“Gianluca, I’ve told you this many times, and I’ll repeat it again now. I am proud to call you my nephew and my godson. You know I’d do anything for you. Anything. Now that you’re taking the next step in your life, I have every faith that you’ve chosen well. I have a few words of counsel for you and the lovely Evangeline.” He rotated his square chin to the side, his lips flat and lifeless. “You earn respect from your spouse with actions, not words. Always respect and listen to her because a real man takes care of his family. Be careful of lines crossed that can never be uncrossed. Every betrayal starts with trust. Every enemy starts as a friend. Every lie has a grain of truth. Behind every sin is a sinner.” He lifted his glass, and the entire room followed like minions eager to implement their evil leader’s plan. “May your days be numerous and your troubles trivial. Famigila per cent’anni!”
Dominick’s stare never wavered from mine as his rubbery lips engulfed the rim of his glass. Then he laughed—though, he hadn’t said anything funny. I forced myself to meet his deadened gaze, trying to bury my fear. Like a snake preparing to strike, his lips curled upward, and he made a slashing motion with his hand across his neck. The air went from festive to heavy with tension. I couldn’t get enough oxygen in my lungs.
Oh my God.
Oh my God.
What the hell am I doing? This is insane. These people are certifiably crazy.
Gian kissed my temple and tapped his glass against mine. “Drink, sweetheart, or you’ll insult my uncle.”
With more than a little tremor in my hand, I raised the glass to my lips and took a giant sip of the champagne, craving immediate anesthetization. I didn’t taste anything. It could have been a glass of arsenic, and I wouldn’t have noticed.
The sugary bubbles clung to the walls of my throat, suffocating me. My eyes flared, and for a second, I seriously thought the drink would make a less than graceful reappearance on the spotless ivory Aubusson rug beneath my feet.
My emotions seesawed from breakdown to out of control laughter and back again with alarming frequency. Frost coated the walls of my veins, only to be replaced with scalding heat a few seconds later. My vision muddied. Fleetingly, I remembered I hadn’t eaten all day. Voices became garbled like someone had shoved my face under water. My body swayed, and I clawed at the sleeve of Gian’s suit jacket.
“Gian,” I rasped, and everything went black.