“Second that!” Stone put in and the dining room flooded with laughter.
***
“Such a bellisima,” Athena raved and stroked the back of her hand down a lock of hair that dangled outside the high coil Giselle wore.
“Where are your people from?” Athena queried, her violet stare virtually transfixed on the younger woman’s face. “There are people in Italy with your fairness, you know? But my guess is that you’re more Swiss or Austrian. You’ll make a stunning bride. My seamstresses are experts-they’ll make you an unforgettable wedding gown.”
“Oh, Mrs. Tesano, that’s very kind but I can’t afford-”
“Nonsense, it’ll be one of my wedding gifts to you and Gabriel.” Athena reached for her teacup to toast and mark the matter as settled. “We’re so pleased he’s chosen so wisely,” she added.
The ladies were all in the sitting room just down from where the men enjoyed after dinner drinks in the den. Candace, Imani and Rena watched from a trio of loveseats across the room. When Athena and Giselle left the parlor arm in arm, the other three women exchanged bored looks.
“Is anyone as ready to beat feet as I am?” Candace asked.
Rena snorted. “I was ready to get the hell out of here after dessert. That woman is a bitch, but she sure can cook.”
Candace looked to Imani. “Isn’t there someone else you can tell off and bring life back to the night?”
Imani laughed. “Dazzling audiences with my social studies knowledge is my only trick.”
“And don’t look to me,” Rena raised her hands in faulty defense. “I already told Humphrey Tesano off once, the horse’s ass. I promised Aaron I’d behave and make a good impression for G.”
Candace and Imani wore expressions of high interest.
“What’s this about a telling off?” Candace inquired.
Rena rolled her eyes but looked all too ready to share. Her excitement dimmed and she bristled at the sight of Humphrey and Vale walking into the sitting room. As the brothers approached, Candace and Imani began to bristle as well.
“You’ve got quite a brain on you,” Humphrey said to Imani. His tone didn’t quite lend credibility to the compliment, however. His stirring dark eyes lingered inappropriately on her chest before snaking back up to her face. “Somehow I don’t think that’s why Roman’s so lovesick over you.”
“No, that’s not why at all,” Vale sneered.
Humphrey grinned. “What’s he telling you, Princess? Do you think there’s a ring in this for you like Gabe had for Giselle-a girl truly deserving of being called a princess?”
“Ro’s just curious,” Vale said.
“And who could blame him?” Humphrey added. “Next to Gabe, Ro’s got the next best eye for choice girls. Bet you’re givin’ my little brother the fuck of his life between the sheets...or anyplace he’d like to have you. All he wants to know is whether everything we’ve heard about...black tail is true.”
“Son of a bitch,” Rena murmured, forgetting the promises she’d made to behave. She was standing, ready to move to Imani’s defense when Candace held her back.
Rena was seconds away from lashing out over the interference, but hesitated. She followed Candace’s wide eyes to where a shadow flickered on the corridor wall outside the sitting room.
Later, everyone who had witnessed the moment would find it difficult to mentally recap the sequence of events in order to make sense of it all.
Roman tore through the parlor doors like a storm. Imani had half a second to shriek and wrench herself clear of Humphrey who vaulted toward her behind the force of his brother’s rear tackle. The loveseat tumbled back with Humphrey in it.
Vale shrieked as well, having landed hard on the floor when he was knocked aside by Humphrey’s fall. The back of the loveseat landed on Vale’s ankle. No one cared.
All eyes were on Roman. A fixed, wild gleam illuminated his dark eyes. He laid into his older brother with a steady and measured barrage of savage blows. His gaze narrowed with mounting determination and he grinned menacingly when blood was drawn by the brutal contact. Humphrey’s face was reduced to a bloodied mass in moments. The room filled quickly as others rushed in to join Candace, Rena and Imani who all cried out for Roman to stop. The brutality ended, thanks to Gabriel’s and Stone’s combined efforts.
Vale managed to scuffle out from under the edge of the loveseat. Panicked and sobbing, he crawled to where Humphrey lay unmoving, his face badly swollen. “Asshole!” He glared at Roman who was being restrained between Gabriel and Stone.
Aaron, Pitch and Liam were last to arrive. Pitch muttered a curse, while Aaron stared down in disbelief at his brother.
“What happened in here?” Liam demanded.
Vale got to his feet. “Your favorite son happened!” He stumbled over to where Roman was being restrained. “As usual, this waste of space has to make everybody feel as shitty as he does!”
Roman’s acid glare was accompanied by an unreadable smile as Vale ambled closer. When Vale was close enough, Roman shook of Gabe’s and Stone’s restraints and punished Vale’s jaw with a cracking blow that sent him stumbling back on his ass.
“Roman! Enough goddammit!” Liam crossed the room, slamming a fist to Roman’s chest once Gabriel and Stone held him secured once more.
Male staff helped Vale to his feet. Meanwhile, Pitch and Aaron put the battered Humphrey on a long sofa on the other side of the room.
“Now what the hell is this, Roman?!” Liam cupped his son’s jaw and squeezed to encourage eye contact.
Roman’s gaze wavered, his voice rough but steady. “They were disrespectful to her. They said things to Imani,” he met his father’s eyes so there could be no mistaking his meaning.
Liam bowed his head and grimaced violently. He turned to speak to Imani and frowned. The girls were gone.
~~~
“Candy just wait, alright? You don’t need to do this-let me drive you guys.”
Candace continued to select numbers along the rotary dial of the no frills black phone in Liam’s study.
“Thanks Vic, but we’ll be fine taking a cab,” she said.
