Let Me In

Chapter 46 - Marriage Proposal

Daniel POV:

I should really stop drinking.

But where's the fun in that? I mean, other than the painful headache I was experiencing right now, saying stupid shit I regret the next day, and forgetting things, it's really not that terrible.

Alcohol was used by many people for many different things. Coping, leisure, it's not the worst hobby I could have picked up. It's better than dealing with things sober. That's what I tell myself so I don't feel bad about doing it, and it works every time.

Sitting up in my bed, I fell right back down. That was too fast. My body felt like someone ran me over, somehow I still wasn't used to it. I let my eyes close for a second, but the door opened and startled me.

Enzo walked in, holding a glass of water and a bottle of Advil. I thanked God for this man, I don't know what I would do without him. He placed the items on the bedside table and began to exit.

"Thanks, sweetheart, you're the best," I said, tilting my head back and swallowing the pills.

He laughed and gave me the finger before shutting the door. Then, Lorenzo called out from the other side. "Don't call me sweetheart, and we're leaving in an hour so get ready."

I groaned, picking up my phone from beside me. It was 4 pm, fuck. What time did I even go to sleep last night? I couldn't remember. I couldn't remember most of last night...maybe I really should stop drinking.

After gathering all of my strength to leave the bed, I got in the shower and prepared myself for the day. I had only been to a few of these dinners a long time ago, somehow I never recalled Bianca being there. She probably wasn't. They didn't really include her in those until she got older.

The hour had passed, so I joined everyone in the foyer. My parents asked me to drive with them, I reluctantly agreed. Spending long periods of time with my father was something I never enjoyed. Not me, my mother, or my brother Elias.

How was he doing? I should call him later, to check on him. He was looking after things back home, although he didn't know much about the business. Elias was always a quiet child, and my father didn't like that. He was treated worse than all of us.

Sitting in the back seat, I looked out the window, waiting patiently to arrive. That was until my father spoke, leaving me quite confused.

"I have a surprise for you today." he turned the corner, parking on the sidewalk in front of the restaurant.

A surprise? Well, I'm sure it wasn't a good thing. It never was with him. But I didn't question. I would see soon enough what he was talking about. Yet that did make me nervous, what was he doing that I didn't know?

We stepped inside the building. All the tables and chairs had been cleared out except one long one in the middle of the restaurant. The whole Vitale family was here. Bianca, Lorenzo, Leonardo, Giovanni, her mother Valentina, her uncle Giuseppe and her cousin Romeo. Plus Raphael and Niccolo, those were the only guards that seemed to be allowed.

My father sat down beside Bianca, which surprised me. Raphael was on the other side of her, which also surprised me. I sat beside my father, and my mother next to me as well.

Conversation flowed easily. It was mostly about Luca and Silas, and I really felt for all of them. Luca was a good man, and Silas was a great father. I knew them for years, I almost couldn't believe it when Enzo called me and broke the news.

It seemed so weird, that someone on the inside could betray them. Every family had its issues, but I couldn't imagine one of them being involved. Whoever it was, they would pay. I would make sure of it as much as the rest of them.