A Night With My Stepbrother

low over polished mahogany, vintage wine glasses, and more silverware than Isabel knew what to do with. A long rectang

ness associates. Vivian, in a silky cream gown, flitted between ch

pagne flute and tried to

o bolt," Jenna's message poppe

." Isabe

a black suit, speaking quietly with a pair of suited men. He hadn't looked at her on

ed. "I think he wants to murder someone. Probabl

gne. It did nothing to cool

an. "Darling," she purred, touching Isabel's elbow, "wil

d on a tight sm

ement, of course,

e middle of the long table-

rf

glanced up just once

. Controlled

ed through

seat and reached

waiters began to serve the appetizers-grilled octopus, crusty bread,

y around his glass. The way he adjusted his cuffs with precise, elegant ease. How he looked away fro

infur

buzzed with the m

aying, oblivious. "It's aged her

stabbed a piece of bread wi

chipper, "how are you finding

en... ad

ightly. "But Alessandro's traveled so much, he

e. But his gaze flicked toward Vivian just br

er, lips dry. "He'

flickered between them too s

nce-just to keep

rew attention toward the head of the table

th self-importance, "to have my beautiful daughter and new fami

t her when

ed down int

r of her eye with a cloth napkin lik

Alessandro raised his glass too

his voice wa

idn't ra

nd went, wine glasses refilled, and conve

dn't spoken t

didn't

n his voice as he answered someone else-it all tugged at her nerves

giving her tiny "are you okay?" glances. Isabel offe

t silk of her dress, and her stomach was too twisted to eat

ed her completel

ssandro's foot brushe

htly, thinking

ntentional this time. A

s flew

dly, wine glass in hand, gaze calm as ever. But his leg

ght. Her fingers cu

rd Vivian's voice drifting beside her. Some

hed for her wine. The rim of the g

h

rs brushed

the

oked across the table. Ales

g the soft fabric of her dress aside inch by inch un

breath

uld hav

di

ecret. Her pulse hammered in her throat,

ering away. Her father, laughing with a mouthful of veal. Guests,

l was his hand-heavy

sn't

sn't

. And it was ma

shallow. His thumb moved, barely a stroke over h

in

ruck the edge of her pla

heads

kly, forcing a laugh.

aze-from her, from the table. He leaned back in his s

heeks were flushed, and when she met Vivian's wide eyes ac

lass down slo

ldn't d

he

ag

a sharp clang. She stood too fast, muttered something

ook at Aless

it. His eye

rs leading to the garden when she h

One soft, deliberate

ice fo

Contr

abe