Rage

♠THIRTY FIVE♠

•Salvatore Camara•

I was arranging Raquel's and my luggage in the back of my car when I glanced at the time on my phone.

A little past 10:00 a.m.

We needed to get moving.

I was hoping to make it to New York as early as possible, especially considering I had a meeting waiting for me. Lawrence had some good news to share, and after everything that had happened lately, I was desperately hoping it was the kind of good news I had been waiting for.

I shut the trunk after making sure the last bag was secure.

When I turned around, Princess Zanaida was standing beside me.

It was strange how much could change in such a short amount of time.

There had been a time when Zanaida was nothing but light. She had this effortless ability to draw people toward her, to make everyone around her feel welcome. She had practically been a sister to all of us growing up.

My mother had been the one who started calling her Princess. She'd always wanted Zanaida to feel like part of the family, and she'd made sure she received the same affection and attention as the rest of us.

I had a feeling she'd be particularly thrilled to know that the girl she'd practically raised as a daughter was now married to her first son.

"Hey," Zanaida said.

"Hi."

She studied me for a moment before sighing.

"I'm sorry about Rocco. He's so caught up in this idea that he's supposed to be the glue holding the family together that sometimes he starts thinking out of his ass."

"Tell me about it." I shook my head. "He can be a real dickhead when he's feeling like it."

Especially when he was trying to make me jealous.

Last night was proof enough.

Zanaida's lips curved into a knowing smile.

"I can tell you care a lot about her."

Of course I did.

I cared more than I wanted to admit.

Every time I convinced myself that I didn't need her, she'd do something completely ridiculous, completely Raquel, and somehow I'd fall even harder.

"I wasn't that jealous," I scoffed.

"I didn't say you were."

She laughed softly.

"But you did break Rocco's nose."

That made me laugh.

The image of Rocco glaring at me with a bruised face had done wonders for my ego.

Zanaida shook her head, amused.

"Don't lose her, Sal. She seems like the one."

My laughter faded.

I looked at her properly this time.

She wasn't joking.

"Besides, I need a sister-in-law. You boys are boring."

I narrowed my eyes.

"See? I knew there was a hidden agenda."

We both laughed.

"What are we laughing about?"

The voice came from behind us.

We turned simultaneously.