Page 199 of Made in Love and Blood

“Are you okay?” he asked.

“Yeah. I’m sorry. I know I’m not supposed to hit people.”

He chuckled. “People like that? Hit as hard as you fucking can, Sunshine. As frequently as they need it.”

She shivered, still staring in the direction Marco had gone. Like just the thought of him made her shudder. “What is wrong with him?”

Salvatore had the answer.

She wouldn’t like it.

“He hates his father, and he hates himself because he’s the best reflection of Giorgio that there is. He hates his brother, too, but that’s the one thing he feels safe letting loose on the most. Because he’s bigger and older, and he used to be stronger in a lot of ways. Because he was old enough to understand how his life changed when Nico came around, and he hates him for it. He hated him from the moment Nico was born. It goes deeper than jealousy; it’s more twisted than we could ever understand. Not even a newborn was safe from Marco. People like him are born the way they are, but honestly, I think he was made that way. Or, and this is very possible, too, it’s a bit of both.”

Her gaze asked questions he wouldn’t discuss.

“Don’t ask,” Salvatore murmured, adding, “Not even Nico knows it all, and he shouldn’t. Neither should you. Some things, people just shouldn’t know. You can’t ever forget it once you do. And God, I wish I never knew. I wish it wasn’t in my head every day I live.”

She sniffled then and used the sides of her fingers to dab at her eyes. “Is it almost over?”

“Almost. I came to find you for a dance.”

She smiled, getting back to her sweet self. “Yeah?”

“Yeah. Where’s Nico, anyway?”

“Carmen asked if he’d read a bedtime story; Vanna said yes. I had to beg him to go, he didn’t want to leave me alone. He didn’t think I would be okay. I guess I wasn’t.”

“You are okay. You handled that situation better than he would’ve, and I don’t mean disrespect to Nico by saying so. He would really give Marco what he deserves, but Nico would pay for doing so ultimately.”

Regrettably, Salvatore wouldn’t get that dance he wanted with his daughter. The bedtime story must have been a short one, as Nico re-entered the room with annoyance written heavily across his face. It didn’t take long to figure out why when Marco’s date followed close behind him in heels that really weren’t made for running.

“Would you fuck off,” Nico snapped loudly. “To literally fucking anywhere, Mina.”

“At least let me say goodbye, baby.”

“No.”

All he saw passing him by was the red swish of his daughter’s dress. Salvatore wouldn’t have had the time to react if he’d thought to try.

He did say, “Frankie!”

But she didn’t hear him.

Salvatore headed after her anyway. Five steps too late for what she planned, though. Nico hadn’t scanned the room for Frankie, heading for another connecting one. Mina followed. So did Frankie. Marco’s date grabbed Nico by his arm at the same time Frankie snatched her by her wavy blonde hair.

Frankie grabbed Mina at the scalp, fingernails and all. She yanked her back so hard that the girl stumbled in her heels, and then she held her until Mina’s neck muscles visibly strained from the strength of Salvatore’s daughter holding her in place.

“Frankie, stop,” Salvatore ordered.

Nico, turning back, muttered only, “Shit.”

“I know I fucking told you not to touch him, didn’t I?” Frankie asked Mina, those maroon smoked eyes of hers narrowing viciously. She pulled on the girl’s hair again, forcing her closer to the floor. “Bitch, I will hurt you.”

“You’re hurting me now!”

“Good.”

“Frankie, hey,” Nico said, stepping closer again. “Come on, babe. Let her go.”