Page 49 of Autumn Ritual

“My apologies,” he bit out. “I was preoccupied with my friend in the hospital.”

“You don’t have to sound so bloody condescending,” I snapped.

Lucian rolled his eyes. “Camillo means the world to me.”

“Oh, does he?” I scoffed, choosing anger over tears.

This asshat crime king had done nothing but meddle. It should have been nice to see him filled with remorse—if it wasn’t Cam who’d paid the price.

“Yes!” Lucian hissed. “He deserves to be happy.”

He is….

“I even tried to set him up with a wife this summer. Maria is the prettiest girl in town, and she’s very connected to the family. She’s the picture of health and vitality, and I thought they would be happy. So yes, I do care about him. I just want him happy.” Lucian stopped talking and pursed his lips.

A happy, pretty mafia princess.

A healthy one.

Since the moment the don opened the door, the nausea had settled. It came roaring back with spite.

O, dio! I was going to be sick.

“Is he…is he going to live?” I croaked, pressing my fingers to my mouth.

Lucian snapped his black gaze to me. “Well, of course he’s going to live. They only sedated him because he wouldn’t stay in bed. He needs to rest.”

“Good.” I wheezed. “That’s…good.”

“They wouldn’t have released him from Our Lady of Mercy if he wasn’t stable,” Lucian mocked. “He didn’t even spend the night in the hospital.”

Fuck off…. “Okay, well, thanks for letting me see him.”

“I didn’t have a choice,” the don muttered.

I should have felt triumphant at that. I was too busy trying to breathe past the urge to puke tea over the plush rug that probably cost more than an economy car.

“Don’t tell him I was here.” I took one last look at the slumbering beast, turned, and began to trot back downstairs.

I couldn’t see reason. I didn’t have logic. The don had tried to arrange a marriage between his right hand and the most eligible mafia princess in town. Cam never said anything, which left me feeling hollow. Broken. And oh, so confused. I knew what we had was real enough, but the pieces didn’t fit the puzzle in my head.

I rushed to my car, dropped beside the driver’s door, and, with the vehicle sheltering me from the house, spilled my guts in the gravel.

This had to be why Cam refused to unmask in front of me.

It was all just a fun couple of filler chapters in his life.

“No….” I croaked. “Don’t make assumptions until he can explain himself.”

I hated miscommunication with a passion. The don said it happened over the summer, and Maria showed no interest at any autumn social events. It was just Lucian running his mouth. Since he couldn’t interfere with my relationship, he chose to hurt me.

But, cavolo, it freaking stung.

***

The next few days were pure hell. Even the chemo hadn’t made me this sick. I camped in the bathroom, crying when I wasn’t throwing up. I knew I was being ridiculous. Cam wouldn’t string me along if he was in an active marriage negotiation with another family. But my hormones refused to be swayed by logical arguments.

I wanted my monster.