Page 100 of The Viper's Wife

“Of course,” I say weakly, and move to the kitchen to lean against the counter. “That’s why I’m marrying her.”

She passes me a plate of cold antipasto from the fridge and sets herself to whipping up a few eggs. “No, it’s not. That wedding is just something to ruffle your papà’s feathers.”

That’s one way of putting it.

“If you’re talking about me protecting her during the drive-by?—”

“I’m talking about the way you’ve been working yourself to the bone these past few days. How you fussed over her tiny cut. At dinner, the way you looked at her every time she spoke.” She meets my eye. “Darling, you were hanging off of her every word.”

I smirk. “Well, she doesn’t speak much.”

“I saw the way you left your hand on her chair, the way you took every chance to touch her with affection. And darling, she loves you too.”

Emotion surges through me. I grip the edge of the counter so I don’t float to the ceiling.

“She’s a tough nut to crack,” Mamma says, smiling down into her cooking pan. “But Alessia tells me she only had kind things to say about you. She’s a good match for you.She’ll keep you at peace and ground your more reckless decisions.”

“Thanks, Ma.”

She walks over with the plate of eggs. “I know you and your sister think that the marriage between your papà and me is… unconventional.”

“The relationships with your tennis instructors seem much more conventional, if it helps,” I say through a mouthful of eggs.

Mamma slaps my arm. “That’s between your father and me. What you and your sister don’t see is that your papà and I have a partnership. We have an understanding of each other. And what I see between you and Valeria can be the same thing.”

“So, you’re saying I should let her pick up tennis?”

Mamma sighs. “Darling, please. What I’m saying is, you and Valeria have something special. I think you two could form a formidable partnership, but also have what your papà and I did not. Affection. Love. You need to let that woman know how you feel, and do whatever you can to keep her at your side.”

I shrug, trying to act unaffected, even as every cell in my body lights on fire at her words. The final puzzle piece has snapped into place, and now I can see the entire picture.

This isn’t about Father or intense chemistry with a beautiful woman—it’s more. It’s about choosing the person I want to spend the rest of my life with.

I love her. She loves me.

I wonder if she knows.

Mamma touches my forearm lightly. “Nico, there’s something else I need to tell you.”

My gaze snaps to hers. There’s never been good news in history that starts with that phrase.

“I’m going to come out and just say it. Papà is not well.”

I set the plate of eggs down on the kitchen counter. “Ma, please, for fuck’s sake.”

“He hasn’t wanted to share this with you or Alessia, because he doesn’t want you to worry. He has cancer.”

A buzzing sound erupts in my ears like a gun has just gone off.

Mamma continues, “We found it a few months ago, and he’s been going to chemo, but it’s very aggressive. Your papà is a strong man, and he’s doing everything he can, but it’s stage four and there is a very real possibility that it will get much worse.”

I blink several times as a storm of emotions rage through me—shock, grief, elation, guilt, and a huge fucking sense ofwhat the hell do I do now?

“Nico, you are going to need Valeria at your side. Leading in the family is more difficult than you could possibly imagine. You need someone strong and steady like her to help get you through it all without losing yourself.”

I step back, letting her hand fall from my arm. “What do you mean, lead?”

“I mean, your papà wants you to take over—he always has.”