CHAPTER FIFTEEN

DALIA

The anger is rippling off my brother as we walk into the kitchen. He turns to me with a glare, "Sit."

Normally I'd tell him to stop being a grumpy ogre, however, he is clearly not in the mood.

"Aries Lombardi, Dalia? Are you fucking kidding? This is a prank, right?"

I shake my head before glaring at him, "No, Domenic, it's not a prank. I love him and he loves me."

The lie tastes bitter on my tongue, but I deliver it the best I can. He arches an eyebrow at me, "We don't lie to each other, Pipsqueak. Why are you doing this? Is he threatening you?"

I swallow hard, "No. He treats me well, Dom, so well. Isn't this what you want for me? For me to be happy?"

Domenic runs a hand through his hair before dragging the same hand down his face, "Jesus, Dalia. Of all the men in the world, this is who you pick? You couldn't have chosen worse if you tried."

"It could've been an Aiello."

He crosses his arms over his chest as his glare intensifies, "Not funny. If you brought an Aiello into my house, they'd already be dead."

"I want you, Giada, Natalia, and Kat to go upstairs so we can talk."

Shaking my head, I refuse, "No. I'm not leaving you alone with him, Dom. He's my husband and I won't have my brothers killing my husband, while I sit upstairs waiting like a good little wife."

"Have I ever lied to you?"

I can't argue with him about that, because he has never been untruthful with me. None of them have been.

"No."

He nods, "I give you my word he will be safe for tonight. As long as he doesn't do something stupid, like attacking someone in this house, he will leave here with everything intact."

"Fine. I'm holding you to that, Dom. If you hurt him, I'll never speak to you again."

With a chuckle, he says, "My world would suddenly be so quiet."

It's my turn to glare at him, "I'm not joking, Domenic."

His expression tells me he's surprised at my seriousness about him not hurting Aries.

"I swear to you, Pipsqueak."

ARIES

After the girls walk upstairs, Domenic comes in with drinks and sets them on the table. He glares at me, "Take whichever. None of them are poisoned, unfortunately."

I smirk at him as he sits on the other couch across from me, "I wasn't worried. I know you better than that, Domenic. Poisoning isn't the way you'd go."

He leans forward with his elbows on his knees, as his brothers watch our interaction with obvious interest, "Which way would I go?"

I grab one of the glasses of what I assume is whiskey, "Well, I have heard you're partial to rats. You could always go with the simple gunshot to the head, but I don't think you would do that either. More than likely it would be a savage beating combined with cutting. Gauging of eyeballs, chopping off fingers, stuff like that. It wouldn't be quick and easy."

He's quiet for a few minutes, as if he's considering his options, before sighing, "Explain it to me, Lombardi. You come to see me, asking for help that you must have known would've never been given. I say no, and two days later you're married to my sister? Sounds a little suspect, doesn't it?"

I lean back against the couch, trying to appear like I'm relaxed, "Yeah, it really does, but it wasn't like that. I didn't even know who she was when I met her in a bar."

Yeah, that's a bold fucking lie, because of course I knew. She was the single reason I walked in there. I was the one that sent her the text she thought was from her friend, but all this is on a need to know basis, and right now he doesn't need to know.

"So you met when?"

I shrug, "A couple of days ago."

He chuckles obnoxiously, "And you're in love already? Already married? Don't you think you missed a few steps, asshole?"

"Ever heard of love at first sight? I knew when I saw her she'd be my wife. And she agreed. The feelings are very mutual, Domenic. I'm not saying I'm a great man because I'm not, but I'll take care of her. Keep her safe."

He arches an eyebrow, "The way you did with your sister?"

The rational part of my brain tells me to not react, because he's simply trying to get me to be the first to attack. The other part wants to get up and punch him in his smug fucking face. I think of Dalia upstairs, probably terrified that is exactly what's going to happen.

"The same could be said about you and your sister. Only there were four of you, and your father, and still you couldn't keep her safe. And then there's your wife? Taken right under your goddamn nose."

He clenches his fists, "Don't talk about my wife. I'm pretty sure you've already been warned about that."

Drake says, "I don't trust you. Normally, it doesn't bother me, but married to my sister?"

He sighs, "I don't fucking like it."

Dante nods in agreement, as does Damian, who says, "Is this about sex?"

I roll my eyes because that's ridiculous, and with a snort, I respond, "No. Do you really think I have to marry a woman to get her to fuck me?"

Drake goes to stand, but Domenic holds him back, "I promised Dalia he'd be safe."

He growls at Domenic, "Why the fuck would you make assurances like that? You realize he's fucking her, right?"

Damian glares at me, "Is that so?"

I laugh at them all, because it's the most ridiculous question of the entire evening, "She's my wife. Figure it out for yourself."

"One more question," Domenic says with a shit eating grin, "What's going to happen when she finds out that you could've helped us find her, minimizing what was done to her, and if you had, both our parents might still be alive?"

I shake my head at him in disgust, "I'm hoping you won't stoop that low to give her that information, Domenic. The only person that's going to hurt is Dalia. Quite frankly, I feel my wife has been through enough. I'm not interested in causing her any more pain. Are you?"

His smug grin disappears quickly, as he grabs his phone and dials a number, and barks into the receiver, "Dalia, get down here."

Quickly he pockets his cell and glances at me, "Intercom, not that you deserve an answer to your unspoken question."

Dalia races down the stairs, and pure relief crosses her features, "You're okay," she gasps.

"Yes, baby, come here."

She comes over and sits beside me, all four of her brothers give me threatening looks as I place my arm around her, and pull her tight against me, "I told you everything would be fine, Wife."

I give her a quick kiss, which is met with groans from all four of her brothers. I notice that the other women are still upstairs. It makes me wonder if they'll stay put until they're summoned, like Dalia was.

Drake stares at us with apprehension, "Dalia, are you really happy with this asshole?"

She takes my hand and smiles at me, "Yes, I am."

Damian clears his throat, "Has he hurt you? Is he threatening you? We can keep you safe."

Standing up quickly, Dalia places her hands on her hips and glares at all four of her brothers, one by one, "If you can't accept my husband, then you can't accept me. We are a package deal. Take it or leave it. Will it kill me to not have my family? Yes, but you know what? When all of you got with the women that are now your wives, I was nothing but supportive."

She wags her finger in Domenic's face, "You. I helped your wife after what she went through. When she couldn't even remember you, and just wanted you to go away, I all but begged for her to give you a chance. All of you, I've always been welcoming of your women into this family. Giada was from a rival family. Have we forgotten that? Yet I didn't bat an eye." She glares at Drake and Dante before starting in on them, "You two. Seriously. You decided you wanted to share Natalia. Did I tell you how weird I find it? No, I didn't. Do you know why?"

They both shake their heads, but don't dare to say a word, "Because," she yells, "You were happy. And it doesn't matter if I understand it. The only thing that mattered was that I love you, so I accept things that don't necessarily make sense to me."

She glances around, her eyes darting between the four men, "I am not asking you to love Aries. I'm not even asking you to consider him your family, but he is mine. So I'm demanding you accept that, the way I accepted your choices."

Walking over to me, she takes my hand and pulls, "Let's go. I've had enough of this." We start to go toward the entryway when she turns back to them, "I can't believe you're acting this way. Here I thought I might get you to help my husband find his sister, the way someone should've helped you when I was missing. In fact, I can't believe you said no to begin with when he asked you, because, Domenic, that would be the right thing to do. I'm finding it hard to believe that my brothers," she stares at Damian, "You, of all of them, would let a fourteen year old girl suffer what I went through or worse. And now you act like this over my choice of husband. I don't even know any of you anymore."

I swallow hard as Domenic glances at me with a shake of his head. He wants to tell her the total truth, but he knows I'm right. That dose of honesty will only hurt her.