Page 95 of Relentless Sinner
“Perhaps if your intentions were genuine, but they aren’t,” Jaxon snaps.
“Be that as it may, I’m just doing my due diligence. That way, fewer people will talk about us.”
I never even remembered I was worried about that, too, and concerned that if my relatives noticed we weren’t talking they’dstart gossiping. The bigger things on my mind cleansed those sorts of petty worries.
“Gabriella knows what I mean. Don’t you, darling?”
“Yes, unfortunately I do.”
Jaxon squares his shoulders and gives Dad a hard stare. “Well now that you’ve done your due diligence, you can leave.”
“Listen to you talk. Well done. You actually sound like theprotective husband. It’s a good act.”
“Watch it.” Jaxon steps forward
“You can’t bust my ass for speaking the truth. This is my daughter. She is young and inexperienced with men like you. I think I owe it to her to give her some words of wisdom.” Dad smiles, looking way too cocky as he switches his attention to me. “Remember, my dear, you are just a business contract. That is all.”
His words should be meaningless and run off my back like water. Instead they sink into my mind and crawl beneath my skin, fucking with my emotions.
Before I can even blink Jaxon releases my hand and steps into Dad’s personal space looking like he’s ready to fight. He doesn’t care who’s watching or who can hear. Granted, the men around us are mostly Jaxon’s, but my aunts Gina and Vanessa—Mom’s older sisters—are standing over by the roses, staring in shock.
They hate Dad, so they’ll probably have a field day with this.
“Don’t let me remind you what’s at stake, Salvatore,” Jaxon threatens. “Or maybe I could kill your ass and show you. Your daughter is my wife now. I don’t need you anymore.”
I stare at Jaxon, remembering the warning he gave me about not stopping him if he and my father ever clashed again. I’ll definitely be heeding those words.
I hate contention of any kind; the only good thing about this is that I know they hate each other. So it makes my secret that much safer.
“No need for that. I’ve said my piece.” Dad nods.
“Good, now fuck the hell off.”
“Enjoy the rest of the day,” Dad says with a curt bow, then he strolls away as if they were simply talking about the weather.
Jaxon grits his teeth, balls his hands into fists at his side, and stares ahead at Dad.
When he turns back to me everyone who was watching him looks away quickly fearful he may notice them. But he’s only looking at me and as he does, the harshness in his face fades.
He touches my face and stares at me with tenderness in his eyes that seems unbelievable for someone who just threatened to kill.
“Are you okay?” It feels like we could be those two people again from weeks ago. I almost wish we could be.
My father is awful and vile for all the horrible things he says, but he isn’t wrong. I need to remember that, no matter how much I wish things were different between Jaxon and me. Or how badly I want them to be. “I’m fine.”
“Come on, let’s go inside.” He holds out his hand for me to take.
I take it and go with him, following because I must.
Chapter Twenty-Two
Gabriella
The day draws to an end, closing on a happier note than I expected.
Things got better after Dad left. Even though I could see Jaxon’s cousins and uncles watching me closely throughout the day, my relatives made up for that.
I haven’t seen many of them in years and more than half of them traveled from Italy to witness me get married.