Luiz, Tonio, Jake¸ and Donnie, were taking over the family with the intention of making it better.
“Congratulations,” Maria said, hugging Paige. He saw her wince and Paige loosen her hold on the other woman.
“I’m sorry.”
“Don’t worry about it.” Maria held her hand, admiring the ring, and doing everything that two women were supposed to do.
He released her arm and stood with Luiz. Donnie hadn’t let her go, and he wasn’t going to let her go now. Rafael excused himself. The coward couldn’t handle the two of them together.
“I swear, I’m going to take great joy in breaking every fucking bone in that bastard’s body before I’m through with him,” Luiz said.
“Silence. We can’t risk anything here.”
“Okay. Can you see Maria? She’s badly bruised, and I got a call from the doctor. Before she came over here, he had to bind up a fucking rib. He’d cracked her rib, Donnie.”
“We will handle it.” He placed his hand on Luiz’s shoulder, trying to give his friend some support. Whatever he said, it wasn’t going to bring him any comfort, not for either of them. “Let’s dance.”
He grabbed Paige’s hand, leading her out onto the garden where several couples were embraced, dancing together. Luiz held his sister lightly, making small movements.
“She’s in so much pain, Donnie. How can you stand it?” Paige asked.
“In this life you learn to look the other way.”
“Do you really look the other way? I don’t see you looking anywhere but at the problem.”
He stared down into her blue eyes, wishing he could take her away from this nightmare. If the men he was intending to kill wouldn’t become suspicious, he’d have taken Paige and Maria out of the city, putting them both into a safe house. As it was, he could do neither to keep them safe.
“I see the problem, and I need you to trust me, Paige, to handle it.”
“You’re always asking me to trust you.”
“One day you’re going to understand everything that is happening.” He placed his arm on the curve of her back, stroking his fingers over the line of her panties. She tensed in his arms, and he drew her closer to him. “I’m going to let you in on a little secret. I know how good you are at keeping secrets.” He breathed the words against her ear, watching her whole body change, curving in toward him. “One day, Maria will never have to worry about Rafael again.”
He spun her around so that her back was to him.
“I won’t say anything.”
“Good. When we’re married, I’ll tell you everything.” He wasn’t going to risk it before he claimed her. “Now, forget about all of your fear and concentrate on me. That’s an order.”
She laughed, and he held her tightly, dancing with her. The rest of the night went by uneventfully. He refused to leave her side, and they spent a great deal of time out in the garden dancing.
When it came time for the cake, he stood by her side, holding her hand. She made a wish and blew out the whole eighteen candles. The only time he saw her struggle with the party was when she had to embrace her mother then his father. He imagined in that moment, the loss of her father really hit home. Richard should be the one congratulating her, not Anthony.
Around midnight, the guests started to leave the party, and he thanked them for coming. He kept his hand on her waist throughout the whole experience. When Jake, being the last person, left, Donnie made his way over to the table of gifts that had been left unopened. Paige followed behind. His father was on his phone, barking out orders.
“Are you going to open them?” he asked.
She shook her head. “Not tonight.” Her blue gaze landed on him. “Thank you for making this night memorable, and not in a bad way.” She reached out, touching his arm before her lips landed on his cheek. “I appreciate it.”
He watched her turn away, moving toward the stairs. His future wife, heading up to her room where there was only a wall that separated them. Within a month there wouldn’t be a wall that held him back from taking exactly what he wanted.
****
Paige sat on her bed. She’d taken a shower and placed the red dress in the laundry basket. Tonight hadn’t been a nightmare, and it could have easily turned into one. She moved so that she was sitting on her pillows, plumping them up. Pulling out the photograph album from the top drawer beside her bed, she opened it up on a picture of her with her father.
“Happy birthday to me,” she said, running her fingers across the photo. “I’m sorry, Dad. I didn’t run away, and now I can’t. I’m not like you, and I do trust Donnie.”