The Vendetti Seven - Sapphire Knight Page 0,1

wished. I was greatly mistaken and foolish to believe my life would be any different than what had been expected from my ancestors before me.

As I got older, my feelings morphed. I went from thinking of her as my long-distance best friend that I only got to see when we visited our Italian villa to realizing that she was, in fact, evolving into a beautiful young lady. Her sweet, rounded face had begun to shed the childish baby weight she’d carried in certain places. Not that I cared for such things, none of that sort of thing ever mattered between us. As we got older, though, I started to unknowingly pay closer attention to her changes. Hell, eventually, it took everything in me to stop myself from staring my fill and making things awkward between us.

I wasn’t the only one who noticed and stared at her, either. I’d discovered a few of the boys that she and I occasionally caught up with, speaking about her one day. I’d overheard a couple of them contemplating whether they should ask her out…if she’d agree. The talk bothered me more than I liked to admit at the time; I won’t try to deny it now. However, I continued to keep my thoughts to myself. She was my favorite friend, and I wasn’t ready for that fact to possibly change just yet.

Finally, one day when Ari was thirteen, the last straw snapped for me, and everything changed. The other boys and I were fourteen and fifteen, chock-full of raging hormones, with our minds filled with all the things we wanted to explore. Anyhow, I’d caught them saying how they were going to go swimming and hopefully catch a glimpse of Arianna’s breasts. One of the older kids, a fifteen-year-old, claimed he could get her to let him go even further. He wanted to touch her in places I’d heard my brothers often speak of.

I’d finally lost it at hearing his plans for her. Arianna was mine, and I’d always protect her. I was done sitting by idly, letting them chitchat at her expense. I pummeled that boy bloody, gave him a beating he’d never forget. I may’ve been a year younger, but I’m a Vendetti, goddamn it. Whether I’m somewhat pampered or not, I’ve been training to kill since I could walk, along with mio fratelli.

The rest of those bastardos stood back and watched as I’d wailed my fists on their buddy with a newfound vengeance. I didn’t have to touch any of the others for my threat of oncoming violence to set in. Arianna was an innocent, and to them, from that day forward, she was mine. My girl. Which meant none of them better consider coming near her. I promised to bring down the wrath of the Vendetti famiglia if they crossed me, and our name has significant weight anywhere we go. In the end, I knew I couldn’t have her in the ways I’d begun to dream of, but I was still somewhat selfish. If I couldn’t have her, then no one else would either.

When the time came for me to meet my betrothed, I was shocked to find she was Arianna’s cousin. I didn’t have the courage to inform either of them about the other and their significance in my life. I knew there was no way I could ever stomach Ari’s reaction, whether it was glee or heartache. I was a coward faced with the reality of my situation. I had no idea how to properly handle any of it. Then she’d stormed into the church, begging for the wedding to be called off, and it broke me inside. The girl I’d always played with, the one I’d protected, laughed with, and secretly loved, was shattered, and it was all my fault.

“Take your wife to Chicago with you,” Matteo says after I’ve already agreed to go to Chicago. I’ve been anxiously waiting for his orders on whatever job he wants to be handled while I’m away, not anticipating having Sofia tag along.

“Mia moglie?” I echo, with my gaze shuttered and frown deep.

Why would I take her with me? I want to be alone. I thought I was getting away from her.

He nods. “Si. Think of it as a late honeymoon weekend. You can check in on Dante and spoil Sofia a bit. Enjoy New Year’s Eve and the parties that come with it. Dante has an important meeting that evening, and I’d like another set of ears around him