The Pawns that Gleam [Bk 3]

ch.68 Proud

I stared at Uncle Marco. He squeezed my cheek with his thumb and smiled warmly. Maybe I should have smiled or hugged him for 'accidentally' killing Karter.

But I didn't. In my dad's journals, Uncle Marco was just as slimy towards girls as Karter was. He had even tried to hurt my mom after she refused him. But he had tried to make amends by giving me and Harry tickets to see my parent's motherland. He was the reason I even learned how my parents fell in love. He was the reason why I had nonna now.

"I was the one driving, Marco" Nonna corrected him.

We all stared as my withering grandmother walked forward.

"My hand swerved" she defended plainly.

Her gaze met mine and she winked.

I gasped.

"Well" Uncle Marco spoke up. He turned to me and rubbed his hands together eagerly. "Where's the princess?" he asked expectantly. "I missed your wedding, now I've missed your baby girl's first birthday?" he raised a brow.

I smiled weakly.

"She's in the car with her aunt" I told him.

Marco walked over to Gemma and Gemma brought Darcy out again. Darcy looked up at Marco and stared at him. It was almost like she recognized him from somewhere even though she's never been outside Westwood.

Marco studied Darcy's face and then turned to look at me.

"She doesn't look a lick like momma" he shook his head a bit disappointedly.

I glanced up at Harry.

"But that's a good thing. One Angela is enough" Marco teased. "Two was heart-wrenching" he whispered carefully. He looked into my eyes before returning his attention to Darcy.

"She's got daddy's eyes. And daddy's smile. And daddy's messy curls" Marco laughed as he played with one of Darcy's curls.

Darcy smiled up at him.

Harry nodded smugly.

"JD would be so proud" Marco whispered to me. 

I swallowed hard.

"Proud" Marco nodded.

My throat tightened.

Darcy reached her arms out to me and I took her from Marco. She nestled her head against my chest but kept looking back at Marco.

"Marky Mark" a voice snickered.

We turned to see Carlo patting his blood lip. He stood up and walked toward Uncle Marco. I watched as my real uncle glared at my fake one.

A few footsteps picked up. I turned to see Tony and Becky leaving with Kendra, not even bothering to look at the damage to Karter's body. He was dead- no doubt- but none of them dared to clean up his lifeless body. And I ddin't blame them one bit.

"Chubby Carlo!" Marco cheered. "I haven't seen you since-since JD" Marco's  voice trailed off. He had come to Danny's birth. Then again for my dad's funeral (even though they never found the body). But that was it.

Carlo nodded smugly. He was the reason there even was a 'since JD.'

A deadly silence passed but I knew Carlo and Marco had one topic on their mind: my mom.

"She's gone, man. Go home" Marco hissed.  

Carlo stood his ground and scooted closer to Marco.

"And when were you planning on leaving her alone?" Carlo raised a brow. "When she left you for your little brother? Or when she came to me every night?" he hissed.