Chapter 1
“How long has this been happening?”
Sofia looked at me.
Not Delia.
Not Marcus.
Me.
That hurt first.
Her hands rested inside mine, red from hot water and detergent. A faint tremor moved through her fingers.
Lily pressed herself against Sofia’s hip.
My daughter was crying.
My sister was frightened.
Those two facts belonged together somehow.
“Raffaele…”
Sofia’s voice broke.
I waited.
“Twelve days.”
The kitchen disappeared around me.
Twelve.
I had returned from Philadelphia that afternoon after twelve days away settling a dispute between two crews.
Every night, Sofia had told me she was fine.
Every night, Lily had blown kisses into the phone.
Every night, Delia appeared somewhere in the background smiling.
I looked at my sister.
“Twelve?”
She lifted her chin.
“Sofia needed to learn how this household functions.”
I turned back to my wife.
“What does that mean?”
Sofia lowered her eyes toward the sink.
“Cooking.”
A pause.
“Cleaning.”
Another.
“Laundry.”
Her fingers tightened in mine.
“Serving Delia’s guests.”
The room became colder.
I had staff for all of those things.
More importantly, Sofia was not staff.
“Why?”
She looked at Delia.
Then at me.
“Because she said you changed your mind.”
About what?
Before I could ask, Lily pointed at Delia.
“Daddy.”
My daughter’s voice shook.
“Aunt Delia took Mommy’s pretty box.”
Delia went white.
I turned.
“What box?”
Sofia closed her eyes.
The answer came from the doorway.
My house steward, Vincent, spoke carefully.
“The presentation box you left in your dressing room before Philadelphia, sir.”
I knew exactly which one.
Black walnut.
Silver clasp.
Inside it had been my mother’s Montoro brooch.
I had planned to give it to Sofia tonight.
Not because jewelry made her my wife.
Because tonight was supposed to be the first time I publicly introduced the woman I had married privately eight months earlier as the lady of my house.
My gaze moved slowly toward Delia’s gown.
There, pinned above her heart, was my mother’s brooch.
May you like
My sister had put my wife in the kitchen—
and dressed herself for Sofia’s place at the table.
