Kiss de La Notte - Book III (Mafia Romance)

Chapter Sixteen: My Hell is You

Instead of gripping his glass from me, Lucius gripped his glass and turned toward my family. "If it's alright with you guys, I'd like to say a few important words. To Korinna..."

My expression fell as Lucius took my hand in his.

I give him a small shake of my head.

He nodded.

Another small shake of my head.

"Korinna, I know I haven't known you very long," Lucius began.

No, no, no, no, NONONONO!!!

"And I know this hasn't been an in ideal situation for you..." I could see behind the façade on his evil eyes that he was savoring every moment of this. "But over the past few weeks, I've really gotten to know you, and I think I might have been arranged with the most perfect woman."

Nonna gasped and reached for Gemma's arm. Gemma balled up her napkin in her hand, looking like she might burst into tears.

"You are a charming, intelligent, and so beautiful in that sweater," Lucius continued, and only Mia seemed to catch on to the subtly sarcastic sweater comment, as she covered her hands with her mouth to cover a laugh.

I imagined sucker punching Lucius in the eye that didn't already have a black eye. Just to even things out.

"Korinna, over these past few weeks, I've forgotten this was an arrangement. I'm really starting to feel like part of the family, and I'm so thankful for that." He gave the back of my hand a kiss. "Anyway, I just wanted to get that off my chest. What I'm thankful for. Since it's Thanksgiving."

I was just stunned.

"I'm thankful for butter," Mia said, cutting off the turkey butter head to spread on a fresh roll.

Gemma still had her hand to her chest, a single tear streaming down her cheek. She frowned, looking across the table at my father, who was polishing off a turkey leg.

"No ring?" Nonna asked loudly raising her hand. "What the heck, boy?"

"Mamma," Papà scolded.

"Don't you worry, Nonna," Lucius said with a wink. "I have it all planned."

"Italian men play too many games," Gemma sighed.

"He's silly, I like that. My husband was very silly." Nonna waggled her finger at Lucius as she stood to plate him more meat. "Here. More turkey, you growing boy..."

The rest of the dinner I ate in silence. Mia wanted to make Christmas decorations with Nonna and my father wanted to show Gemma an old TV episode he recorded on the TV. I went into the kitchen to make some coffee for everybody, mostly to get away from Lucius. But as soon as started working the espresso machine, I could feel him enter the kitchen behind me.

"Make me one?" Lucius asked, and I knew he was talking about the espresso. Without looking at him, I reached up to get an espresso cup out of the cabinet.

"You know, you can't just pretend it didn't happen."

"His finger trailing up my spine as he moved to lean his butt on the counter beside me and cross his arms. "Are you ignoring me now, principessa?"

"I'm setting boundaries."
His laugh was humorless. "Setting boundaries? You were just dry humping me in your bedroom."

I eyed the steak knives by the sink, before turning toward him and brushing past his tall frame to get to the fridge. "That was a mistake," I said softly.