Page 122 of Vow

“Good.”

Dante’s attention was taken away when Catrina leaned closer to her husband to whisper something in his ear. He nodded, and kissed her cheek before she stood from the table and excused herself from the room.

Gio came to sit beside Andino, smiling in that way of his. So fucking cocky—even at his age—and proud. “She did okay, though, didn’t she?”

“Who, Haven?”

“Who else, son?”

Andino smirked. “She did okay with everybody, yeah.”

To say the least.

The Marcellos could be overwhelming. They were not, by any fucking means, a small family. Unless someone grew up under everyone’s feet, it was ridiculously easy to get confused about just who everyone was.

Haven, on the other hand, barely acted like it fazed her at all. If she had been the least bit confused or overwhelmed, she didn’t show it. And Andino had been watching just in case she needed him to step in and save her from something awkward. She hadn’t needed him to do that at all, clearly.

But …

Well, he had enjoyed watching her. A little too much maybe. The woman could dominate a room when she was in it, and she probably didn’t even realize she was doing exactly that. Her laughter drew attention, and smiles. When she talked, people turned to listen even if she wasn’t talking directly to them.

It was … enthralling. Sure, that seemed like a good enough word. After all, she’d enthralled him from the very beginning.

Andino loved watching Haven. He planned on doing exactly that for the rest of his fucking life. Nothing less would be acceptable.

“My wife adores her,” Dante said, bringing Andino’s attention to the table. “Loves her already.”

Andino raised a brow in question.

Dante chuckled at the sight. “I can tell, if you were wondering. You know your aunt, Andi. She doesn’t even try to pretend when she could do without a person.”

That was true.

Catrina was just about the only Marcello in their family that did not subscribe to the normal politeness of society like the rest of them did when it came to new people. She could be incredibly cold, and intimidating. Especially to other women.

And yet, she hadn’t been like that to Haven at all.

It was also not lost on Andino that … in a way … Haven would be the woman taking over Catrina’s position in their family. Eventually.

Sure, his aunt had her own thing as a successful Queen Pin sitting alongside her equally dangerous husband. But she was also—next to his grandmother—the matriarch of the Marcellos as the boss’s wife.

Dante smiled at Andino’s sudden quietness. “I suggest you allow my wife to spend as much time as she possibly can with Haven. It will make that transition easier, believe me. Haven may be naturally able to handle a room, but that doesn’t mean she wouldn’t benefit from having an influence, if you get my drift.”

He’d never thought of that before. All over again, he found a great need to be grateful for the way his uncle was making a conscious effort to do whatever he needed in order for Haven to be comfortable and welcomed.

Even after all he’d done …

“I’m a bit of a shit, aren’t I?” Andino asked.

Beside him, his father laughed. As did the rest of the people at the table. He was more curious about the amused smile his uncle wore.

“You are you, Andino,” Dante replied, “and I no longer care to make you into someone else. Why should I? You’re doing fine being exactly who and what you are, Andino. Even if you are a bit of a shit.”

• • •

“Oh, my God, you’re awful.”

“But you love it.”