Page 122 of The Savage

And I watch Giada absorb it all – the baby, the love, the chaos – with a dazed wonder that makes something vicious and tender twist in my ribcage.

Mine.

All fucking mine.

Rafa and Sofiya exchange one look that makes me roll my eyes.

The courtyard falls quiet.

Cesare folds his arms. ‘Haven’t had a chance to officially welcome you yet,’ he says with a smile that is softer than anyone expects from him. ‘To the family.’

Giada falters. ‘Thank you. But I… I don’t know how long I’ll be part of it. I still intend to return to the convent to complete my training.’

Cesare stares blankly. Then bursts out laughing.

She goes scarlet.

‘Sorry, cara,’ he gasps, wiping his eyes and lifting his cognac glass halfway to his lips. ‘But let me save you time and tell you, you can kiss that thought goodbye.’

She stiffens. ‘Why?’

Cesare’s expression evens out. His voice drops into that cool, commanding tone that makes entire cities kneel.

‘Because you belong to a Salvatore now. And Salvatores… don’t give back what’s theirs. Not to God, not to fate, not to ghosts.’

He tilts his head, eyes glinting. ‘You think you can hide behind walls again? No fucking chance. You’re one of us.’

Giada’s gaze flicks to me, shocked.

I shrug. ‘I’ve been telling you for weeks. Accept it.’

Her lips part.

Her breath catches.

And somewhere deep inside her, something shatters open.

* * *

Dinner breaks into smaller conversations.

Rafa and Sofiya murmur to each other but every now and then I catch my brother sizing Giada up with that stupid gleam in his eyes that makes me want to punch him again. It’s like he’s waiting for her to slip up, show that everything she’s said is a lie.

He ignores my ‘watch it’ glare as Giada excuses herself with a tight smile and a whisper-soft ‘I’m fine, truly.’

But I know that look.

That trembling in her fingers.

That glassiness around the eyes that means her mind is spinning like a runaway wheel.

I let her go.

For now.

I step out into the narrow courtyard walkway, needing a breath before I follow her, and immediately spot Cesare and Dante standing on the terrace, cigars glowing like tiny embers in the Sicilian dark.

My twin reaches into his pocket and hands me one when I approach.