Page 41 of Vow

Dante said nothing as he took his seat between his wife, and greeted her with a kiss to the top of her red-head. His aunt, Catrina, simply smiled over at Dante, but kept quiet. It was only once Dante was settled into a chair, and Andino into his own as well that the conversation started again.

“We’ve come to an agreement,” Dante said. “Something that works for both of our families, and will end the violence in the city. No more fighting, everyone gets what they want. I would consider that a win, wouldn’t you?”

“Yes, but how did that come about, son?” Antony asked from the head of the table.

Dante looked at his father, and shrugged. “A marriage.”

Antony’s old face didn’t even crack with a single emotion to give away how he felt about that particular news. “Between who, exactly?”

Despite the fact his grandfather asked the question like he didn’t already know the answer—there was really only one person in their family who was currently single and able to enter into an arranged marriage—all eyes at the table drifted to Andino.

He stayed quiet.

“Andino and a Calabrese daughter,” Dante said.

“Which daughter?” Lucian asked calmly.

Despite his tone, Andino didn’t miss the sharp edge to his uncle’s tone. Always looking out for his son, even when John didn’t know it. There was no way in hell Lucian would be okay with Andino marrying Siena … not after everything.

“Ginevra, wasn’t it?” Dante asked Andino.

Andino nodded. “It was.”

“Isn’t that …” At the other end of the table, his grandmother, Cecelia, frowned as she looked at her own husband. “Antony, isn’t that the mistress’s oldest girl? Matteo’s mistress?”

Antony cleared his throat, and nodded once. “As far as I know, yes.”

Before anyone else could say something, Dante was quick to hold up a hand. It didn’t matter that he was in another man’s house or that their family often let everyone have a voice when it came to things like this. When he decided to speak, everyone else was quick to be quiet, and listen.

Boss’s right.

“It’s been done, and decided,” Dante said. “This was the best course of action. Andino had his choice, before someone asks, and he agreed. It is done.”

“So, they got what they wanted, then,” Lucian murmured.

“I beg your pardon?”

“The Calabrese. The snakes.” Lucian shook his head, and smiled bitterly. “They got what they wanted brother—they got in.”

“It’s a marriage, not a business agreement, Lucian.”

Lucian nodded. “Right now. What comes later?”

That was a damn good question.

“Andi.”

The soft murmur of his father’s voice beside him took Andino’s attention away from the men glaring at each other across the table. No one noticed Gio talking, it seemed.

“Yeah, Dad?”

Gio frowned, but his face returned to a passive state when he asked, “Is this what you want?”

“It’s what has to be done.”

“That’s not what I asked.”

“I have to protect our family.”