Page 70 of Ruin

This year’s Demonio New Year’s Eve party is back on the rooftop of Matti’s building, Dragovari Tower, and walking in on Tommy’s arm, I half expect the guards stationed along the walls to raise their guns.

A year has changed—well, nothing except our clothes. Tommy is in a tailored suit I had made for him, and I’m wearing a sparkly midi dress that hugs my curves. Last year, he shoved a hoodie over my head to cover me; this year, I had to get dressed twice because he bent me over the dining table before letting me leave.

Tommy leans close, lips grazing my ear, his hand firm on my back. “Am I dripping out of you yet?”

I laugh under my breath. “Want to find out for yourself?”

“Yes,” he says gruffly, and turns me back toward the exit.

“Tommy!” I stop him, still laughing. He drops his chin to his chest and heaves a sigh before reluctantly following me back to the party.

Neither of us really wants to be here, but this party is astatement. Tonight, we go public as “us.”

It’s not just about shutting our fathers up. It’s part of Tommy’s plan to network his way into law and politics so that he can be a successfulconsiglierefor Vin when he takes Aurelio’s place.

He grumbles, and I nudge him with a smile. “Remember what we talked about. This is a great place to practice your conversational skills. Everyone here already fears you, so they won’t judge if you make a mistake or slip back into your icy persona.”

“What icy persona?”

I arch a brow, and we both laugh. “Yeah, you’re a teddy bear.”

As we head to the bar, I catch Antonio watching us. His expression is flat as he looks from Tommy to me then back at his date. She’s pretty, bright smile, blonde hair piled on her head and red nails that match her dress. She looks perfect for him.

But Tommy stiffens beside me, and I follow his gaze—straight to Aurelio, already drunk and stumbling toward us. My grip tightens on Tommy’s hand before I paste on my best camouflage smile.

“Well, if it isn’t the little heiress,” Aurelio sneers, whiskey thick on his breath as leers too close to me. “Eredita. Heiress is the right word, Tommaso, no?”

Tommy says nothing, his hand heavy on my back.

“Yes, but I don’t know if it suits me,” I answer lightly. “An heiress is handed her place. Status is more powerful when you earn it.”

Aurelio lurches back with a sneer. “Is that what you are doing in my son’s bed? Earning status?”

Tommy stiffens. My pulse spikes, but I keep my voice even. “His bed isn’t where I earn anything. It’s where I remind him how powerful he is.”

Aurelio sneers over his glass. “Insolence isn’t a good look for a wife. If you are smart, you will move on. Antonio Abbiati already found a prettier whore, so you’ll need to spread your legs for another Demonio associate to gain the status you seek. My son isn’t the man for you.”

“Apologize.” Tommy’s voice cuts through Aurelio’s slurring rant like a knife.

Matti glances in our direction, and I nod my head toward Tommy and Aurelio, eyebrows raised. Matti immediately heads over, grabbing Vin along the way, the two of them flanking Tommy with expressions as stony as his.

“Do not tell me what to do, Tommaso, and never put a whore in front of your family. I will never apologize to this little Marinoputtana,” he snarls.

Tommy lunges, and Matti shoots his arm out to stop him as Vin grabs Aurelio and pulls him back.

“She’s going to be my wife. Show her the respect she deserves,” Tommy growls.

Aurelio’s laugh morphs into a sneer. “Iamshowing her the respect she deserves: none. She gave her virginity to an underling. You cannot marry her.”

Matti darts a glance at me, and Vin spits on the ground. “She didn’t fuck Tony the Hack, Pop. That’s just a rumor.”

“True or not, it doesn’t matter. It’s what people believe. And you cannot marry her even if it were not true, Tommaso. It would be an abomination!”

Surprise briefly shoves the calm reserve off my face. An abomination? That seems extreme.

Vindirects Aurelio’s attention across the rooftop as Matti leans in, his voice low. “People are starting to look, bro. This isn’t the place. You’ll just prove the rumors true if you let him cause a scene right now.”

I know that look on Tommy’s face. He doesn’t care what other people think. Tommy looks at me, and I show him the camouflage smile I taught him, hoping he’ll follow suit.