At last the party ended. Parents collected their children and left. Rafael spoke pleasantly with them and waited until he could be alone with Mia. Somehow he would make her understand. But when the last guest had left, Mia picked up Daniel and walked into the house. The rest of the family followed. When he moved to go with them, several of Joe’s security guards formed a line in front of the door.
“I don’t think you’ll be joining us for the post-party wrap-up,” Joe said with a smile. “Sorry about that, but we didn’t negotiate for more than the party.”
Which Joe had done deliberately. “You can’t keep me from my son forever.”
“Were you kept from Danny? Did you miss any part of his party?”
“I must see him. I must speak to Mia.”
Joe shrugged. “She doesn’t want to speak to you. When you first arrived, I warned you not to hurt her, and you didn’t listen.”
“I’m not afraid of you,” Rafael said contemptuously. “You are all talk and very little action.”
“I can’t tell you how much I want to prove you wrong right now, but I promised Mia I wouldn’t turn you inside out, and I keep my word. You blew it, prince. Mia’s reasonable and intelligent. She could have been on your side in this. She could have respected you. But you decided to trick her and she will never forgive you. None of us will. You may be Crown Prince Bla-de-bla from some fancy island, but right now you’re on my land. Marcelli land. We make the rules and the current rules are, you’re screwed.”
“Where’s my daddy?” Danny demanded, tears spilling down his cheeks. “I want my daddy. I’m the heir and you have to do what I say. Bring my daddy back right now!”
Mia did her best not to react to Danny’s tantrum. He was exhausted from the long day of celebrating his birthday and strung out on way too much sugar. But what she knew in her head didn’t prevent the helpless feeling in her heart.
“I want my daddy now!” Danny screamed. “Why did he go away? Why did he go aw-way.”
Danny collapsed on the family room floor, sobs making his whole body shake. Mia crouched next to him. “You’ll see your daddy soon,” she said quietly. “He came to your birthday and gave you a lot of nice presents. That was fun.”
“But he went away.” Danny raised his head and stared at her. “Mommy, make him come back. Please? Make him come b-back.”
The Grands swept into the room. “How’s the big birthday boy?” Grammy M asked as she pulled Danny to his feet and cuddled him. “What a fun day you had. So many friends and presents and just a little too much cake.”
Tessa crouched in front of him and smiled. “Imagine. You’re four now. Practically all grown up. You’ll be driving soon.”
That made Danny smile. “I can’t drive. I’m a little boy.”
“You don’t seem too little today,” Grammy M said. “You seem very big. I’m not sure I can carry you upstairs myself anymore. ’Tis a shame, because I liked that part of my day. Tessa, I’ll be needing your help.”
Tessa straightened and shook her head. “No, he’s too big for the both of us. We’ll need a crane. One of those large construction types. We’ll put it right there in the hallway and it can lift Danny up to the second floor.”
“I like that,” Grammy M said.
Danny giggled. “You don’t need a crane.”
“I’m thinking we do,” Grammy M said as she led him toward the stairs. “They’re yellow, which means it won’t go at all with the decorations. We’ll have to paint it. Maybe pink with flowers.”
Tessa moved closer to Mia and lowered her voice. “We’ll put him to bed tonight. He’s tired. Don’t take it personally.”
Mia appreciated the support but wasn’t sure she could take the advice. Danny had bonded with his father so quickly-how was she supposed to keep them apart now? She couldn’t trust Rafael, yet didn’t Danny deserve time with his father?
She waited until the trio was in Danny’s bedroom, then made her way to her own. She closed the door and crossed to the window.
The night was clear and cool. She could see stars, and when she opened the windows the scent of the ripening grapes filled her room like a strong perfume.
She wanted to turn back time. She wanted to have things like they were before Rafael had shown up, because his arrival had changed everything. In a matter of a few short weeks, he’d altered her world and nothing could make it as it was.
She knelt on the floor and rested her arms on the windowsill. Anger filled her. So much anger, and with it the uncomfortable realization that she was still in love with him.
Oh, she hated him and didn’t trust him, but none of that meant she didn’t love him. Even knowing he was a snake, her heart continued to beat out a rhythm designed to be heard only by him.
She supposed that’s what happened after being in love with the same man for over five years. She was going to need some time to get over him. Having to deal with him would make the process harder.
Danny would want to see his father. She’d made the mistake of talking about him to the boy long before Rafael had ever shown up. She’d said he was brave and strong and a wonderful man. There was no way she could now tell him the truth.
She felt trapped by circumstances. Trapped and alone and clueless about her next step. At least her family would help, she thought. The Marcellis would always be there for her.
She stood and crossed to her dresser. She pulled out the small box and looked at the silver ring Diego had bought her so long ago.
Purposefully, she went downstairs and into the kitchen. There she rummaged through the junk drawer until she found a hammer; then she walked out to the porch, put the ring on the railing, and crushed it with a single blow.
After returning the hammer to the drawer, she dropped the crushed piece of metal in the trash, but as she walked back to her room, she found she didn’t feel the least bit better.
The next night Brenna showed up with a box of chocolates and a bottle of Four Sisters cabernet sauvignon.
“You don’t get a vote,” she told Mia as she pulled her from the family room and herded her upstairs. “We’re going to curl up on your bed, get drunk, eat too much chocolate, and call everyone who’s ever pissed us off really bad names. You get extra points for creativity.”
Mia smiled as she plopped on her bed. “I’m in.”
“Good.” Brenna set the wine on the nightstand. “It was a great year. Just perfect weather and the sugar in the grapes couldn’t have been more right. I remember-”
“Uh, Brenna?” Mia interrupted. “Don’t really care about the process. Just the results.”
Brenna pulled a corkscrew from her jeans back pocket. “All my sisters are completely worthless about the magic of winemaking. How is that possible? How can I be the only one who cares?”
“A mystery you’ll have to take up with the Almighty.”
“I guess.” She expertly pulled out the cork, then poured them each a glass of wine.
Mia took a sip. “Not bad,” she said, reaching for the chocolates.
Brenna winced. “Not bad? Do you know how many medals this wine has won? Do you know how those brilliant people at Wine Spectator scored my wine?”
“No, and hey, don’t really care. But kudos to you.” She held out the now-open box of chocolates. “Want one?”
“Please.”
Brenna grabbed a truffle, her wine, and sank onto the bed. “I’m the only one with a soul. That’s all there is to it.”
“Then speaking for the soul-free contingent, thanks for stopping by.”
Brenna leaned toward her. “How do you feel?”
“Like crap. It still hurts to breathe. Most of the time I can’t believe how much I hurt and how hard it is to do anything. Danny is furious. He wants his father around. It was such a mistake to have Rafael live here. Now Danny has expectations and I can’t meet them.”
“Rafael was only here a few weeks. Danny will get over it.”