Page 31 of The Hidden Heir

“What, the marriage or the dinner party?” I mutter.

He gives me a devilish smirk. “The more you test me, the longer the wedding night.”

A lump forms in my throat. I’ve been pushing that thought away for a while. There’s no use postponing it any longer, and it bothers the hell out of me, because I’m supposed to dread our wedding night. Yet I spent an awful lot of time picking out the perfect lingerie, aware that Luca will see it.

Touch it.

Peel it off my body.

“Well done, Luca,” Carmine Caruso says with a laugh when he reaches us.

“Thank you, Carmine,” Luca replies with a wry smile, shaking his hand.

Carmine’s smile is cool. “Congratulations, Mrs. Petrucci. There’s no better family to be a part of, given your roots.”

“Thank you.”

“How’s the old man taking it?” he asks me, then glances back at the other guests. “I don’t see him around. Didn’t he get the invite?”

“Caroline came on his behalf,” Luca replies. “I’m afraid Mr. Mancuso was slightly indisposed.”

“Indisposed, my ass,” Johnny Mancini cuts in to shake my husband’s hand before he gives me a nod of genuine appreciation. “You’re much better off as Petrucci, ma’am, trust me.”

“You’ll get no argument on my part,” I say and smile softly, wishing the ground would just open up and swallow me whole.

I keep stealing glances at Susie and Michael, finding comfort in their gentle smiles while Luca entertains Carmine and Johnny.

“And how is Miss Mancuso taking the whole thing?” Carmine asks.

“As you can see, Caroline has given us her full support,” Luca replies.

Johnny doesn’t sound entirely convinced. “I don’t know. I’d be careful, if I were you, Luca. The Mancusos are notorious for complex vengeance schemes. You, of all people, would know a little something about that, eh?”

I catch the double meaning. The subtlety that isn’t so subtle. I feel the sting of his words as Johnny carefully analyzes Luca’s face, expecting a more volatile reaction. But my husband, the ever-discerning boss, simply responds with a cool smile.

“You know me, Johnny. I have backup plans for my backup plans. Always.”

This is the life, isn’t it?

My mother warned me about it long before she passed away. I saw it with my own eyes. Experienced it while growing up in the Mancuso family. Ran from it and managed to stay away from it for two whole years before Luca showed up. I was almost out of the life. Or maybe I was just fooling myself.

Maybe it was always going to end this way.

Caroline steps close to offer her congratulations. It’s awkward at first. Tense. But she smiles and congratulates us, then gently takes me aside and gives me a hug—the kind of hug I didn’t even know I needed, until her arms wrap around. I welcome the familiarity of the only sister I’ve ever had.

“I’m so sorry,” I tell her, hopefully out of Luca’s earshot.

He’s busy smiling and entertaining the other guests. Victor stays close to Susie and Michael. Eddie and the other security guards do their rounds, keeping the party safe.

Caroline looks confused when she pulls back. “What are you saying sorry for, Valentina?”

“For how everything turned out. I’m sorry I ruined everything.”

“Oh, no,” she shakes her head slowly. “You got caught in the middle. I get it now. You never asked for any of this.”

“I didn’t. But I’m still sorry.”

She squeezes my hands in hers. “Valentina. All’s well that ends well. We’ll still have a merger between the Petrucci and the Mancuso syndicates eventually. It’s a forced manner of imposing peace, but if it works, why ruin it, right?”