She looked to see Thomas Rossi approaching with a woman who was easily thirty years his junior. This wasn’t a surprise. The men always liked to take young wives and young mistresses as well.
Her husband shook the Boss’s hand, and she tried not to draw too much attention to herself.
“And of course you know my wife, Valentina Romano.”
She wanted the floor to open up and swallow her. He’d been at their wedding. She’d never been formally introduced to him.
Offering her hand, she was polite, giving him the docile smile expected of her.
“Your wife. She certainly does look stunning,” Thomas said.
She bowed her head. “Pleasure to see you again, Mr. Rossi.” She had no idea what else to say to him.
Giovanni squeezed her hip, and to any onlooker, they’d notice the way he tightened his grip on her, drawing her back against him.
Thomas nodded his head. “We do need to talk later.”
“Certainly.”
That was business, and Valentina wanted to ask so many questions. Instead, she had no choice but to smile at the younger woman. She checked her over for any signs of pain, but there was nothing. No bruises in sight.
She sipped at her champagne as they moved through the crowds. She finished her first glass, and Giovanni waited at least half an hour before allowing her to have another. Valentina didn’t mind him monitoring her alcohol consumption. The last thing she wanted to do was to make a fool of herself in front of these men or embarrass her husband.
After an hour, one of the guards came to Giovanni’s side, and she felt him tense.
“I have to go,” he said.
“I’ll be waiting.”
He nodded at her. “Don’t leave the main hall, and don’t allow anyone to take you anywhere.”
They’d already seen her father, which had been awkward seeing as he had a woman on his arm who wasn’t his wife. He’d looked livid at seeing her. She wasn’t sure if it was because of the way she dressed, being Giovanni’s date, or because the ink she’d gotten was on display.
She took small sips from her glass as she moved around the hall, keeping an eye on the exit where her husband had disappeared to.
“I never expected to see you here.”
Valentina turned to see her ex-fiancé, Leonardo Rossi. Shouldn’t he be with her husband? She was tempted to ask him but figured it would sound impolite.
“Mr. Rossi,” she said.
“Please, Valentina, we were almost family.” He held his hand out toward her, and she didn’t want to shake his hand. In front of so many people, it was impossible to deny him. He was the Boss’s son. To deny him was to insult the entire family. This wasn’t a good place to be in.
So, she placed her hand within his, and he tightened his hold around her. Gritting her teeth, she forced a smile. When it was polite enough, she pulled her hand away. This man made her skin crawl. She’d never been able to stand him, and that hadn’t changed.
His wife was nowhere in sight. She wasn’t sure who he came with, but she hoped she could make her escape soon.
She kept checking the exit, to see if Giovanni had returned, and it was still very much empty. What could be taking him so long? She didn’t want to be left alone with this man. He was vile.
“You look absolutely stunning. I cannot believe Giovanni would even dream to leave you alone in a roomful of sharks.”