Page 31 of His Vicious Vow
Sighing, Dominic grasps the back of his neck. “I tried to talk to him about it. What the hell are so many from New York doing here? Our people in the FBI are not happy. There are FBI from New York who have Milos’s family under surveillance. Valdez is rerouting them from following the Levins here.”
At the mention of the Levins I find Celia far away on the other side of the room with Milos keeping an arm around her and pressed up against him. The Feds were interested in the Levins?
Dominic seems to understand my fear without me saying a word. “Not his family here or even in Philadelphia. He has family out of New York who do very bad things. Milos has no connection to them.”
Relief fills me. Sandro’s firm hand runs down my back. My mother leans around me to catch his attention. “I’m going to run and check if there’s anything the caterers need.”
I’m basically being handed off, anger fills me at it, but I don’t dare react. I look around to find everyone has melted away. Only men I barely know and most of them I can’t stand are around us. People my mother knows I wouldn’t talk around.
“Stop it.” I hiss at him.
“Behave, my dear wife—”
“Stop fucking calling me that.” I spit out.
His hand shifts to my arm. “You are my wife. Your father will announce it tonight.”
Fuck them all. “No!” Flies out of me.
The bastard simply picks me up and carries me from the crowd into Carlo’s office.
I’ll never escape him. Escape. Escape. I have to get away. He doesn’t want me. Trapped with someone who doesn’t want me. No. No.
“No! No! No!” I’m screaming now. My throat aches, no, I can’t breathe. Not again. My heart is pounding so hard it’s going to explode any minute. Sweat is pouring down my back and my face. I want to hit the floor this time. I want a different pain from this agony only I never hit the floor. Strong arms are around me, a brick wall is at my back holding me up.
“Breathe. Breathe deep.”
Gradually, I realize the words aren’t in my head. It’s Sandro whispering them in my ear. A strong arm is around my waist, my back to his chest with a large hand patting gently on my chest. “Breathe, piccolina, that’s it. Breathe. I’m right here.”
“What the fuck is going on?” Carlo is above us. We’re on the floor of his office.
“She had a panic attack. Get me a glass of sherry.” Sandro orders Carlo.
For the first time in my life I watch Carlo do something for someone else as he goes to the corner of the room and pours a small amount of sherry into a glass and brings it to Sandro. “You want me to call a doctor? He can give her something to, you know, keep her quiet or whatever.”
Stung, I take the glass Sandro offers me and sip slowly. All I want to do is curl into a ball and sleep for a day or two. It didn’t get as bad as they have in the past but they always drain me.
“No, she’ll be fine. Give us a minute.”
“Look, I didn’t know about her…issues. I haven’t announced the engagement. I don’t have to. If you don’t want her, you don’t have to—I get she’s—”
Pain unlike anything I’ve felt before flares throughout my entire body.
“Get the fuck out of here. You will announce our engagement in twenty minutes as planned. If you don’t, I’m taking her with me and I’ll marry her in Vegas the minute we land.” Sandro growls at Carlo. He’s rock hard at my back.
“You don’t have to marry her to keep Vegas—”
“Get. The. Fuck. Out. Of. Here. You gave her to me. I’m keeping her.” Sandro is ice cold.
“Fine. Fine. You want her she’s yours.” Carlo goes throwing one hand up as he slams the door closed behind him.
Sandro lifts the cup up to my mouth again. “Drink a little more.”
I push it away. “Why did you do that? He gave you an out.”
He lifts me up then sets me on the couch. Kneeling in front of me, he takes his pocket square out and runs it over my cheeks. I grab his hand to stop him. “Go tell h—”
“Shut up. Like I told him. He gave you to me and I’m keeping you.” He grits out the words. I flinch at the aggression in him. Sighing, he shakes his head. “I’m angry at him. Not you. How are you feeling?”