Page 198 of Made in Love and Blood

Salvatore intended to get at least one dance with his daughter, but after hours of standing next to Giorgio acting as the man’s personal sounding board for all his grumblings, he headed for the bar first. He didn’t typically drink at these parties, let alone his own, as alcohol tended to slow him down. He could not afford that tonight, but three good gulps of whiskey wouldn’t hurt him at this point.

Thankfully, Marco and his date had left the bar. Salvatore wasted no time getting that drink from the woman making them behind the counter and then slamming it back. So much for three gulps. It went down in one big swallow that burned.

Feeling like he could now handle—maybe—another hour at this shitshow, Salvatore went in search of his daughter. It didn’t take him long to find her in the connected gallery room that doubled as a space to dance and enjoy music during the gatherings. The space had practically cleared of people but for a handful that weren’t really paying attention to what was going on in the corner.

Sal did. He saw.

Marco had Frankie practically backed against a wall, towering over her with a sinister smile that chilled him. Neither noticed his approach, but his steps slowed, and he came to a full stop once he could hear their conversation.

“Come on,” Marco urged her, “one dance.”

“How many times do you need to be told no before you listen?”

“It’s a dance, Francesca.”

“And I said no. Three times.”

“Why not?”

Her expression sparked with annoyance. “What do you mean, why not? Because I said no. Because I said it three times. Because I don’t want to. Because no is an answer whether it’s the answer you want or not. That’s why.”

From his side profile, Salvatore could see the way Marco’s lips pulled back to show his teeth in a sneer just before he lifted the glass in his hand to take a drink. Then, he pointed at Frankie, nodding.

“I know what it is,” Marco muttered, “you think you’re better than me, right? A spoiled, special little princess, that’s what you are. Daddy’s perfect brat,” he continued taunting, edging closer to Frankie. She just kept staring him down, not moving an inch. “I wonder what Daddy would think if he found out what I heard in the bathroom between you and my brother. I think he’d find that very interesting.”

Frankie snorted. “Seriously? You’re trying to blackmail me for a dance?”

“Oh, no. I only offer a deal once. My price just went up.”

Her laugh stung. “By all means, tell me how much.”

“Head in the back of my new Jeep sounds good, doesn’t it?”

Frankie folded her arms across her chest, and took a step forward, never breaking eye contact with Marco the whole time. “Not if your dick was made of gold, asshole.” She took another step, forcing him back one. “Not if you were God.” Another step took her farther from the wall, and Marco jerked his chin up in mock bravado. “And not even if it meant living to see another day. Not. Going. To. Happen. Do you understand me?”

“Be careful what you wish for,” Marco murmured.

Frankie’s gaze sharpened like Carina’s would when someone needed cut down. “Kinda wish you were dead, honestly.”

“Two minutes. Backseat of my Jeep.”

“You’re disgusting, Marco. Go to hell.”

She moved to push past him, probably to find someone safe, but he grabbed her arm on the way by. Leaning in close to bare his teeth, he started to say something, but it got lost on the way.

Frankie slapped the words right out of him. Hard. “Let me go.”

She yanked out of his grasp, and while he turned fast on her to continue his nonsense, they both stopped at the sight of Salvatore. Frankie stepped closer to her father, while Marco straightened to his full height.

“Are you looking for a problem, Marco?” he asked the idiot of the hour. “Because I can help you with that.”

“No,” Marco muttered, teeth clenched.

Coward.

“I suggest you go find your date before the next thing that finds you is a grave.”

Just like that, Marco darted off. Salvatore kept a keen eye on him until he’d exited the space entirely, and only then did he turn to face his daughter again.