Page 55 of Endure the Pain

I made it a point not to look at Jamie. The don’s words were flattering, but it was just another tool of the game. He would undoubtedly prod and push to get us to react in a certain way to reveal something we didn’t want him to know. I knew this because I had planned to do the same. Now that I was here, I felt too worn out to play games. “Are you saying I wouldn’t have been worth the wait if I had shown up in jeans and a T-shirt that said, ‘Eat a Bag of Dicks’?”

I caught Ivano’s surprise before he snorted and quickly tried to cover it up by clearing his throat. Stefan’s blank mask was in place, but his eyes sparkled with unreleased laughter. I finally glanced at Jamie and he held a proud smile. I returned my attention to Nicoli. He wasn’t perturbed in the slightest. If his grin and intense gaze were anything to go by, I would have said I entertained and fascinated him.

“It’s not every day a woman renders me speechless,” Nicoli said.

I normally would respond to that with a witty remark. Instead, I just smiled. “If you promise to be a gentleman, I’ll sit next to you.”

The mirth in Nicoli’s eyes dimmed just before they narrowed in an assessing way. If I hadn’t been paying attention, I wouldn’t have noticed. He gestured to the chair to his left. “You have my word.”

We all took our seats. The waiter came in to give us our menus and to take my drink order. I decided on water. It earned me bemused glances from both Stefan and Jamie.

“Do you not drink?” Nicoli asked.

“I do,” I replied, not willing to offer any more than that. No one needed to know that I wasn’t feeling well. I moved my attention to Ivano, who had been obediently quiet. I perched my elbow on the table and rested my chin on my fist as I stared at him. Feeling my gaze, his eyes flicked up from his menu to meet mine. The corner of my mouth lifted. “Your brother has neglected to introduce us.”

From what I knew, courtesy of all the info Stefan had provided me on other crime families in and around ourterritory, Ivano and I were the same age, twenty-four, making him ten years younger than Nicoli.

Ivano lifted a brow and I found myself smiling fully. “It seems an introduction isn’t necessary, Maura Quinn,” he said.

I nodded. “I suppose you’re right, Ivano De Luca.”

The waiter returned with my water and went around the table to take everyone’s food order. The men ordered steaks, which this restaurant was famous for. When it was my turn to order, I went with salad and soup.

Again, Stefan glanced at me, confused. Jamie, however, gave me a look of understanding and slight worry. It had been only this morning that he'd been holding my hair back while I'd hugged the porcelain throne.

An awkward silence fell upon the room after the waiter left. I couldn’t help but chuckle.

“Care to share what you find so amusing, daughter?” Stefan asked.

“Were you men this quiet before I showed up?”

Their silence was my answer and I chuckled again.

“Did you get the flowers I sent you while you were in the hospital?” Nicoli asked me, attempting small talk.

“Yes. Very sweet of you and not to mention stalker-ish. You not only knew I was in the hospital but also that tulips were my favorite,” I replied dryly.

“I doubt I’m the only stalker at this table,” Nicoli said and took a sip of his drink.

He had a point. “Since we’re admitting to stalking…” I turned my attention back to Ivano. “Have you asked Alessia to marry you yet?” I might have had Vincent do a little more research on the De Lucas than what Stefan had originally given me. The main reason I had recognized Ivano right away was that I had found his and Alessia’s relationship was similar to mine and Jamie’s. Alessia’s father had been good friends with Nicoli and Ivano’s father. They had grown up together as close friends until Ivano and Alessia had started dating toward the end of high school. Ivano had bought an engagement ring six months ago and had yet to ask her when I'd been reading over his file while stuck on bed rest two months ago.

Ivano did nothing to hide his surprise, followed by a glare. Nicoli was losing against the battle not to smile as he looked from his brother to me.

“Maura,” Stefan said, admonishingly, which prompted Jamie to snort.

“At least I asked instead of having to sift through his personal life again to find out,” I argued.

Both Jamie and Nicoli laughed.

“Out of all the things you’ve probably learned, that’s what stood out to you—my little brother’s love life?” Nicoli shook his head.

Ignoring him, I met Ivano’s eyes. “If you tell me, I’ll do you the same courtesy. You may ask me a personal question, which I will answer honestly.”

The laughter stopped abruptly.

Ivano’s brow damn near touched his hair line. “I asked her two weeks ago and she said yes.”

I beamed. “Congratulations.”