Page 161 of Sins of the Orchid

I hated these two bickering. I was tired and having Santi so close to me, set me on edge. My pulse thundered and my hand came to my chest. Like I could calm my pulse or the agitation welling inside me. “Well, I’m going to—”

“Stay,” Grandma ordered. I had to bite my tongue not to snap at her and tell her I wasn’t a dog.

I glared at both of them, frustration crawling through my skin.

Dad’s phone rang at that moment. “This is business,” he muttered, looking at his phone. “I’ll be right back.” He pointed his finger at Grandma and gritted through his teeth, “You and I will talk later.”

He strode away, leaving me in this clusterfuck.

Grandma’s gaze shifted to Santi. “You ready, Russo?” Her gaze went cold. “I seem to recall you claiming you were more trouble than your father. It might be the only time that I agree with a Russo.”

My eyes ping-ponged between the two.

What. The. Fuck. Is. Going. On. Here?

Santi eyed her coolly; he had that primal killer look about him and gave off warning signals in all directions. I noticed his fist clenched at his side and the edgy silence persisted. My nerves teetered, watching his dark gaze unwavering and threatening on Grandmother.

Grandma Regina usually evoked fear from people. Not from Santi.

Out of the blue, Grandma chuckled, glanced in the direction Dad disappeared then shook her head, dark amusement in her eyes.

“I’ll happily watch as Bennettis and Russos kill each other off,” she announced randomly.

I stared in confusion at Santi, but I couldn’t read a single emotion in his eyes. This was the Russo Don, no soft edges. I had no idea what was going on between the two, but I knew it was nothing good. My blood went cold as I held my breath.

“Okay, let the show begin,” she cackled. “Bennetti was always slightly blind. He couldn’t see things right in front of his eyes.”

“I don’t give a shit what Bennetti sees or doesn’t, Regina.” His words were a dark warning as he watched her with a clear threat.

There were too many loaded looks happening between the two. I was clueless on the hidden meanings these two had going on. My pulse rate climbed to an all-time high, the anxiety replacing my earlier anger.

A shiver of uneasiness coursed through me, my eyes darting between the two of them.

“Grandma?” I whispered, dread pooling in the pit of my belly.

She looked away from Santi, and our eyes connected. Taking my hand, she patted it gently. “Not to worry, granddaughter. I have an announcement to make.”

She strode off like the queen she was, and suddenly my temple throbbed like a fucking bitch. And I blamed Santi for it.

Glaring at him, I spat out bitterly. “What the hell was that?”

Santi smirked and did things to my insides. I bit into my lower lip, trying to replace this hot desire with pain. His eyes fell to my lips, darkening around the edges. His gaze burned like dark coals, sending my pulse into hyperactive mode. A nervous shudder trickled down my spine. This response to him was downright unhealthy. An aching pulse exploded between my legs and my body quivered with a lust that I was desperate to kill.

I had to get a grip on all this shit.

I had to tear my eyes away from him. I had to… I had to stop this scorching heat whenever I was around him. Then why was I standing here like a statue, staring at him, while the whole room faded into a background.

“Ladies and gentlemen. Amore Bennetti.” Grandma’s voice boomed over the loudspeaker, prompting me to jump. My eyes flickered towards the exit. It wasn’t that far. If I speed walk, I’d be out of here in no time. Then the night would be over, and we could leave the family drama for another day.

Grandma tapped on the microphone, clearly aware that I wasn’t paying attention. With an exasperated sigh, I slowly turned towards the elevated runway where my grandmother stood. Everyone had their attention on her like she was a goddess up there, and she relished being the center of attention, unlike me. The flashing of cameras, chattering of the reporters, it all ceased with anticipation of what Regina Regalè had to say.

I felt her gaze on me, and something unsettling came over me. I knew that look. She always wore it when she had to make hard decisions, the ones she didn’t like but knew were the best outcome for the company. Or her family.

“You all know how proud I have been of my granddaughter.” Grandma’s voice spread through every corner of the room. Even on Russo territory, she dominated. “And today, I have two major announcements to make.”

Her eyes shifted to Santino right next to me and I wondered why. With a side glance, I pondered what was going on between the two of them.

Without a shred of doubt, I knew I hadn’t fooled her in Italy. She knew I fell for Santino Russo. She called him the wrong man. Then why did it feel so right? My damn, stupid body wanted him and nobody else. My heart rejected the idea of letting another man in. It didn’t matter how much this love hurt or if it killed me because a life without Santi wasn’t worth living. He was part of every heartbeat and every breath.