Kissing The Moon Goodbye - A Midnight Mafia Novel

Thirty Four

Kate

               I came into our engagement dinner late.

Alessio sat at the head of the table and across the very, very, very long table his father sat at the other head. Though Alessio generally kept his expressions neutral he did look relieved when I entered.

"Hey." I breathed. "Sorry. Sorry. I'm so sorry." I announced to everyone as my heels clicked rapidly while I walked quickly into the room.

"Relax." Alessio said and stood. My stomach collapsed when I saw him and I had to remind myself to breathe. He put a hand on the small of my back and went to kiss me but I gave him my cheek. He wasn't surprised and didn't hesitate this time, I had ignored his phone calls and texts for an entire night before I'd broken my phone all together. I was here, so he assumed there was some sort of hope for us still

"The bride and groom, both late tonight to their own dinner." Ugo said sounding quite amused despite his precious time having been lost.

Alessio give him a sideways glance and then turned his attention to me. "You look wonderful. Sit, please. Let us eat. "

He sat at the head and I took the seat beside him with an eye roll. Aria had been placed at his other side, directly across from me. Aria gave me a sort of confused shrug. I gave her a small nod, yes I meant what I had said earlier, I wanted her to stomp on our boundaries. Ellie and Nash were a few seats down from Aria. Nash gave me a weird look having seen my eye roll, beside him was Stacey and whispering sweet nothings to her stomach was Pietro. There were many other faces, some I recognized, some I didn't. Mostly other Mafia men.

I looked down my side of the table, my uncle, Simone still in a sling and Silvano, Alessio's mother, more men and women I was not too familiar with, Mia and my cousin. This table was too big, why would they even make a table this big, had I ever even seen a table this big? And now we were having an engagement dinner at one.

"Sorry, sorry, I'm so sorry." Heads all turned to see the next face coming through the door. I turned my attention to my silverware for a moment and let out a small breath.

I hadn't expected Sergio to show up. He'd made his position on being around Ugo pretty clear, was this even safe for him? Just being in the same room as Aria Alessio had not reacted the way I reacted to Sergio.

Sergio took the empty seat beside me.

"Sergio." Ugo nodded to him. Thankfully, they were as far as they could possibly be, even though Ugo had invited Sergio first, and I knew he would make no move in front of anyone having them together did make me nervous for Sergio. He was still limping for heavens sake.

"Are we ready to eat then?" Alessio said and looked around the table. His tone had grown testy already. There were still a few empty chairs, one beside Aria, and a few other sporadically along the table.

"Not quite." Ugo said and tapped his ring off of the table calmly. "We are expecting another."

"Should the husband and bride not be the most important guests at this dinner?" Alessio challenged in an even tone.

I leaned over to Sergio. "I'm surprised you came." I whispered.

"I could say the same to you." He replied back and I felt a pang of guilt.

Immediately my hands found the glass of champagne in front of me. Sergio put his hand on my leg under the table and as my lips found the glass whispered again.