Santino was trying to pull a hoodie over his head but his bandages and the injuries covered by it made it difficult. I handed Enzo a cup of coffee, which I抎 brought him yesterday as well. 揥hat抯 going on??
揝antino decided to release himself from the hospital against the explicit orders of the doctors.?
Santino finally managed to shove one arm into a sleeve and gave his father an annoyed look. 揝antino is a grownup and prefers to heal at home.?
I headed over to him and gave him a peck. Kissing him in front of others still felt strange but at the same time so wonderfully freeing. 揑sn抰 it too risky??
Santino waved me off. 揑 can handle it.?
I helped him into his hoodie, knowing full well it was useless to argue with him if he抎 made up his mind. He was stubborn as a mule.
揘ot to mention that Dante requires my help to contain the scandal Anna and her mother caused,?he said with a wink at me.
揈xcuse me? You were involved in the scandal too.?
揃ut I would have chosen a better moment to stop the wedding.?
揑 doubt it,?Enzo and I said simultaneously. We exchanged a look and smile. My heart expanded, glad he and I were finally making peace.
揥hat do you mean, my dad needs you??I asked. Dad hadn抰 mentioned anything to me, which probably meant it was risky or something he considered dishonorable.
But the Clarks were furious and refused to talk so we needed to act. Clifford had ignored all of my calls and texts.
Santino gave me a grim smile. 揑抣l help him handle the Clarks.?
Enzo抯 expression pinched with disapproval.
揌ow??I asked. 揧ou can抰 kill all of them.?
Santino lightly pinched my butt. Luckily the angle hid it from Enzo or I would have died from embarrassment. I slanted Santino a warning look, which he answered with a smirk. 揑 could, but I won抰。？
揟hen what are you going to do??
揟he photos you took when you caught me with Dolora Clark, I downloaded them to my cloud in case I ever needed them.?
揚erv.?
He smirked but quickly became serious again.
Realization widened my eyes. 揧ou抮e going to blackmail her??
He nodded. 揝he抣l do anything to prevent that scandal.?
揃ut she doesn抰 strike me as a woman who holds enough power over her husband to talk him out of plotting revenge.?
揝he isn抰， but I抣l try my luck.?
揑f she can抰 convince Maximo we can still blackmail him with the photos. He can抰 risk a divorce at this point in his career, especially one following such a scandal.?
揧ou抮e as cunning as you are gorgeous.?
揂nd you抮e prone to causing scandals.?
揂s are you, cherie.?He shrugged, then pulled me against him and kissed me again. 揕et me talk to Dolora now.?
Enzo excused himself, obviously uncomfortable with Santino抯 display of affection. My cheeks heated. I cleared my throat.
揇on抰 let me stop you. If my dad thinks the plan is worth pursuing, then we should give it a try.?
揧ou aren抰 jealous, right??
I made a face. 揚lease. You can either play in the Champions League, or in the village cup.?
揕ife in Europe left its scars. I won抰 ever get used to your soccer references, and I抦 not entirely sure they are accurate.?
He glanced at his watch. 揑 need to head to the country club where Dolora spends most of her afternoons now.?
揧ou want to drive yourself??
He kissed me again. 揑抦 a big boy, Anna.?
揂t least take your dad with you.?I still hated that Santino had banged Clifford抯 mom but at least it could now save our asses. Who would have ever thought Santino抯 homewrecking ways would ever be so useful?
Dolora left the country club. All of the Clarks were members, of course. It was an hour after her usual departure time and I抎 almost run out of patience. Not to mention that my wounds hurt like a bitch and I hadn抰 taken nearly enough painkillers. I parked in my car right at the curb in the hopes to catch her attention. Her eyes registered my car then me and she quickly looked around in worry. I rolled down the window and leaned out. 揥e need to talk.?
She rushed toward me and almost jumped in. 揧ou can抰 just come here. If someone sees us together, there抯 hell to pay. I had to hide in the restrooms because of you.?
I started the car and drove us to the parking lot of a nearby Starbucks. 揌ow did I do that??
揧ou caused a scandal and now everyone抯 talking behind my back. I can抰 even show my face in the club without people giving me condescending smiles. I simply couldn抰 bear it anymore.?
揑 suppose then you wouldn抰 want to have another scandal on your hand.?
She froze. 揥hat are you talking about??
揑 need you to convince your husband to keep his connections to the Outfit, and talk him out of any revenge plots he might be dreaming up right now.?