Eventually I excused myself and headed toward the terrace door, which allowed a view into the small snow-covered garden. My reprieve was very short-lived however.

“Beautiful, isn’t it?” a high female voice said.

Nina Vitiello stood beside me, her mouth stretched wide in the imitation of a smile. She no longer wore black. Her husband’s funeral had been more than a year ago. She linked our arms to my utter disdain and led me outside despite the cold. I knew this wasn’t going to be pleasant. Even though she was Luca’s and Matteo’s stepmother, she’d never come to visit. I had a feeling she was scared of her stepsons.

The moment we were away from privy ears, she turned her back to the windows and faced me with a face devoid of any pleasantness. She reminded me of an ugly toad. “You might be parading around like you are one of us, like you belong in our circles, but if it weren’t for Matteo, nobody would invite you.”

I raised my eyebrows. Did she really think I gave a damn? I’d never wanted to be part of this world, that was why I had run away. It took immeasurable control on my part not to say what I wanted. Instead I tried to return to the party but Nina Vitiello held my arm, obviously not done. “A decent girl would have died from shame after being caught with another man. The only reason you’re still alive is Matteo’s good-heartedness. That boy is too dutiful. Although nobody would have blamed him if he’d discarded you like a dirty rag after what you did. If my husband were still alive, he’d have fed you to our dogs.”

Dutiful and good-hearted? That didn’t sound like Matteo.

Deep breaths, Gianna. Don’t cause a scene.

Again I tried to leave, but her fingers dug into my skin. “Aren’t you ashamed of yourself? You’ve dishonored your family, and now you are bringing shame to the name Vitiello. Your mere presence is an insult to every honorable woman in this house. Your existence is sin.”

I couldn’t help but laugh. “Sin? You want to talk to me about sin?” I pointed toward the windows, behind which New York’s worst criminals were gathered. “That room breathes sin.”

Nina Vitiello lifted her chin. “Do us all a favor and kill yourself.”

I wrenched my arm away, shocked. “I won’t ever do any of you a favor.” I turned and headed back inside. Matteo spotted me from across the room where he was talking with a younger version of Mr. Bardoni, Luca and a couple of other men. I quickly looked away, hoping he wouldn’t approach me. I wasn’t in the mood to talk to him now. Aria was still where I’d left her, completely entrenched in conversation.

I crossed the room as quickly as possible, pretending I didn’t hear the whispered “whore” a couple of people called me. Despite my best attempts not to let those insults get to me, I felt relief when I finally left the living room and found myself alone in the front hall. I needed to find the bathroom to freshen up and clear my head before I entered that room again. I was seriously worried that I’d attack someone if I didn’t get a grip on myself. Taking a deep breath, I went in search for the restroom. I hoped I’d come across someone leaving the bathroom so I didn’t have to open every single door. I definitely wouldn’t ask Mrs. Bardoni to point it out to me. Unfortunately the only thing I found was Mr. Bardoni who must have been following me. The leer the bald idiot sent my way made me want to puke.

Matteo

If Bardoni thought I hadn’t noticed the way he’d eye-fucked Gianna when we’d arrived, he was even more stupid than I thought. If it weren’t for Luca, I would have plunged my knife into the fucker’s face right away. But Luca was a new Capo and couldn’t use any more trouble, so I had promised him to stay on my best behavior. As the party progressed I slowly came to the realization that I might have to break my promise.

Gianna was trying to put on a brave face but I could see how upset she was after a talk to my bitch of a stepmother. I didn’t want to know what the old goat had said to Gianna. She would never dare say something to my face. She was scared of Luca and me, had been for as long as I could remember.

Unfortunately, it took me a few more minutes before I could finally follow Gianna after she’d fled the living room. Luca’s warning glance almost made me want to laugh. I had no intention of doing something stupid, except for having a quickie with my wife to lift her spirits. What was wrong with that?

When I stepped out into the lobby, I didn’t see Gianna anywhere. I paused, listening closely, but the sounds of the party behind me were drowning out everything else. What if she’d run? I should have told Romero or Sandro to keep an eye on her at all times, but I hadn’t wanted to embarrass her further. People had enough to gossip about as it was.

I headed in the direction of where I remembered the bathroom to be, hoping I’d find her there. A deep voice made me quicken my steps and when I came around the next corner I found Gianna alone with old Bardoni. One look at her face and I knew she was on the verge of a freakout. She didn’t see me as I approached, her narrowed eyes directed at Bardoni.

“Why don’t you show me what you learned in Europe. I bet you’re very talented with your lips. That’s why Matteo was so eager to marry you, hm?” Bardoni said and reached for Gianna’s arm. Before she or I could react, he pulled her against him and fucking kissed her while groping her breast. My blood boiling, I stormed toward them, pulled my knife, shoved Bardoni away from Gianna and slammed my blade into the soft spot below his chin, piercing his fucking brain. Gianna gasped and stumbled back against the wall, her eyes darting from my knife to my face.

“Fuck,” I muttered. I chanced a quick glance around, then dragged Bardoni’s body toward his office, letting my knife in his chin so blood didn’t shoot out.

“You killed him,” Gianna whispered harshly.

“He shouldn’t have touched you.” I nodded toward the door. “Open that for me.” After a moment of hesitation, she stumbled forward and pushed the door open for me. I dragged Bardoni inside and Gianna quickly followed me inside before closing the door.

I put Bardoni down in his desk chair, then took a step back. This was bad. Luca would kick my ass when he found out.

“What are we going to do?” Gianna asked in a toneless voice from her spot near the door.

“We are going to make it look like I didn’t kill him.”

“Your knife is in his head.”

I grinned but sobered when I saw Gianna’s expression. It reminded me of the look she’d had after Sid had been shot. Sometimes I forgot that not everyone was as used to blood and death as me.

Slowly she came closer, gaze frozen on the body. “Why did you kill him?”

“Because he was an asshole.”

Gianna stopped beside me and dead Bardoni. She looked like she couldn’t quite believe what she saw. She raised her arm as if she was going to touch the corpse to convince herself of its existence.

“Don’t touch anything,” I ordered a bit too harshly, gripping her wrist to stop her.

She stared up at me with huge eyes. After another moment, she nodded almost robotically. She looked like she was going into shock. That was the last thing we needed.

Ideally I would have gone in search of Luca but I couldn’t leave Gianna alone with the body. If someone came in, she’d have more trouble dealing with that person than I did.