Dangerous Beauty: Part Three: This is War (73 page)

However, Eliza just continued. “To tell you the truth, had they not had those eyes I wouldn’t have known they’d came from an Italian man. They’re definitely darker than any half-breed I’ve ever seen …”

And that was Carter’s breaking point.
“You fucking…”
Carter shot up from her seat, fully intending to beat the shit out of Eliza Bonaducci.

“Oh my God!” Regina screamed.

Carter made it over to Eliza and snatched the bitch by her hair. A high-pitched screech broke free from Eliza’s lips when Carter forcefully jerked her forward. “If you
ever
say one fucking word about my kids
again I’ll skin you alive,
you sickening, simpleminded bitch
!”

“What the hell is going on here?” a male voice boomed from behind her right before she felt a hand on her arm—
that didn’t belong to her husband or her father-in-law
—grip her tightly.

“Niko!” a familiar deep voice roared, making Niko immediately release Carter’s arm, but it was too late … she was already pissed.

Roughly, she released Eliza’s hair and whipped around to catch Niko by the wrist before he’d completely pulled his hand back from her. All it took was a slight twist of his wrist and he was on his knees. Carter stared at the offending hand with wide eyes full of rage and did something she’d never done before. Consumed by so much anger, she reverted to her mother’s native tongue, which she’d become even more accustomed to speaking on a daily basis. Every word she spat struck him like fire, causing him to scramble back while fighting to free his hand every time she advanced forward.

“How
dare you
put your hands on me, you
fucking parasite?”
She shot her last words in English as she slung his hand away from her, sending him flying back on the floor.

Nathan stormed past Niko, making him fearfully jump out of his path. When he reached Carter, he immediately softened.

Gently, he laid his hands on her shoulders. “
Моя красивая роза.
Is everything all right? What is it?” He spoke his concern in a soft, comforting tone as Carter gripped the front of his shirt tightly and pressed her forehead to his chest.

Taking deep breaths, she breathed him in, finding his scent and presence calming as she softly told him what had happened. The more she told him, the tighter his protective hold on her became. This was what Carter needed. She melted into his embrace, praying to God that he’d end the evening and take her home. She no longer felt comfortable here.

“All right, baby,” he soothed. She glanced up just as he leaned forward to gently kiss her forehead. “Come, honey. We’re going now.” He looked back at his father and nodded—Angelo returned the gesture and left the room—then Nathan turned to Regina Pescatorre. “
Donna
Pescatorre, kindly return my wife’s phone, please.”

Regina timidly stood to her feet and handed Nathan the cell phone. Once they had the phone, they walked hand-in-hand to retrieve Carter’s clutch. At that moment, she spied every man gathered at the entrance of the room and watching them prepare to leave.

Don Pescatorre took a step forward. “I truly wish you would stay, young Salerno—”

“You were there five minutes ago when my father stepped down, Don Pescatorre,” Nathan stated, interrupting him.

“Of course,” the man said sheepishly. “I apologize. I do wish you would stay, Don Salerno …”

Was Carter surprised? Yes. Did she show it? No.

“… I’m sure whatever happened in here can be resolved. I feel that we were headed toward a good friendship before the interruption.”

“That
interruption
you are referring to was an attack on my wife, Don Pescatorre.”

He shook his head. “I’m sorry, I—”

Nathan cut him with a raise of his hand. “I have no interest in hearing what it is you have to say. For future reference, if any of you ever decided to pursue an alliance with my business, know that I don’t tolerate any form of disrespect toward my wife and children. My family is very important to me, and insulting them is a good way to secure a permanent position as my enemy. This should serve as a warning to each of you since
I
am in the position all of you want to be in. I don’t need any of you, and
I assure you
I
never will. My father has attended this particular gathering every three years as a courtesy, but mark my words, this will be my last attendance if bigotry is acceptable in your home.”

Shock registered on the man’s face. “I would never disrespect your wife. I seek to build a friendship, a business relationship with your family. Why do you think I would—”

“Your wife is a reflection of yourself, Don Pescatorre,” Nathan interrupted. “You should take the time to educate her on the art of entertaining. The woman of the house shouldn’t be the author of such inappropriate conversation. I was under the impression that I’d be attending a dinner with adults tonight, not petty adolescents.”

“I’m sorry,” Don Pescatorre muttered, his cheeks reddening with embarrassment. “I assure you, this won’t happen again.”

Regina shot up from her seat. “But, Val, I—”

“No, Regina,” he chided softly. “We’ll discuss it later.”

Her face turned bright red as tears sprang to her eyes and she stormed out of the room.

“We’ll take our coats now, Don Pescatorre,” Nathan said.

The man nodded and called for his maid to get their coats. Carter held tightly to Nathan’s hand and stayed close to his side as they began to walk out of the room.

“Excuse me,” Eliza Bonaducci shouted. “Is anyone going to reprimand her for her assault on me, for her attack on my son?”

“Eliza, sit down,” her husband snapped.

“She almost broke your son’s hand,” Eliza cried. “She nearly broke my neck. Stop being a coward and do something!”

Carter’s eyes widened as she gasped softly, and she wasn’t the only one either. All eyes shot straight to Don Bonaducci. Carter for one could not believe that woman had disrespected her husband that way in front of fellow mafia dons. A man couldn’t earn respect from other men in this lifestyle if he didn’t even have the respect of his own family, of his own
wife
. Eliza should have known that. Carter and Nathan had their arguments and disagreements, but Carter would never—
ever
—raise her voice at Nathan in the presence of individuals such as this, she’d never undermine his authority, and she would never call him a coward.
A coward!
In Carter’s opinion, coward was the
worst
possible name a wife could call her husband,
especially
in public.

Nathan never halted during their exit, and Carter had to move swiftly to keep up with his angry strides. They reached the front door with a quickness to find their coats and Angelo waiting for them.

“So,” Angelo began, “tell me the worst of it.”

“Your grandsons were referred to as
colored half-breeds,”
Nathan replied angrily as he held Carter’s coat open for her to slip on, causing a frown to appear on Angelo’s face. “I just don’t get it, Pop. It’s the twenty-first fucking century. Have they never seen an interracial couple before? We live in
New York City
for Christ’s sake.”

After Nathan had put on his coat, Carter took his hand once again and leaned into his side.

Angelo locked concerned eyes with hers. “Are you all right, sweetheart?”

Carter nodded her head. “Yes. I’m just ready to go now. I’m afraid I’ll go back in there and kill Eliza Bonaducci if we don’t leave.” Inside, Carter was still seething about what the woman had said about her sons. It made her want to rip out Eliza’s larynx to inhibit the woman from ever speaking another word.

“You take Eliza, and I’ll take Niko,” Nathan offered. “I’ll rip off the fucking hand that had the audacity to touch my wife …”

“All right, you two,” Angelo chuckled softly. “I can tell this is your first time dealing with stupidity.”

“First and last,” Nathan mumbled.

“The fact that you believe that shows me just how young you are, son.”

Nathan’s lips pressed into a thin line. “Whatever,” he muttered.

“Not,
whatever
, Nathan,” Angelo said calmly. “With time you’ll learn to take it in stride.”

“First of all that was stride,” Nathan defended. “I for one am proud of us for not killing anyone.”

“Me too, bubby,” she agreed with a nod.

Angelo shook his head and chuckled. “I remember the first time Anastacia and I experienced racism back when we were kids. I was nineteen, Anastacia seventeen. We’d been walking back to my apartment from dinner one evening when a group of men and women started shouting at us from their car. Many horrific things were said that I do not care to repeat, and a man threw
food
at us while referring to Anastacia as a diseased animal.”

Nathan and Carter were speechless. Just … speechless.

Angelo nodded. “Do you see? It’s not perfect now, but it’s better than it was. Though it’s a shame how long it is taking the human race to rise above such stupidity, you must be thankful for how far we’ve come.”

Snapping out her shock, Carter shook her head. “So what happened after those idiots did all that? Did they get away with it?” She honestly couldn’t imagine her mother and Angelo actually allowing anyone to treat them that way without consequence, kids or not.

Angelo smiled and sighed. “That mother of yours, Carterina, I tell you ...”

Carter and Nathan were still grinning in amusement when Don Pescatorre approached them with his wife, Regina, by his side.

“Salernos,” he called with a smile. “So happy you haven’t left yet.” They approached and stood in front of Carter, Nathan, and Angelo. “I was hoping to get one more chance to apologize for the events that took place this evening.”

“Yes, me as well,” Regina said softly, before turning her gaze on Carter. “Carterina, I’m so sorry for my atrocious behavior this evening. I was out of line and rude. I would never want you to think that I have any form of animosity toward African-Americans. I swear to you I don’t. I voted for Barack Obama.”

Oh my God.

“We both did,” her husband threw in with a proud nod.

No they did not just throw the
‘
I voted for the black guy’ card. Carter had to press her lips together tightly to hide her amusement.

Regina lowered her eyes in shame. “I’m ashamed of how far Eliza took it. I really do think that your children are darling. I couldn’t believe she would say such a thing about those little angels. They do indeed favor their father greatly. I didn’t mean for it to go so far, but I will admit that I was … picking on you a little bit. I’m admittedly a bit jealous of you.” Just when Carter was about to roll her eyes and call bullshit, Regina lifted her hands. “Honestly! I have no reason to lie to you,” she assured quickly. “It’s just you’re so fascinating. Every woman present tonight had been so anxious to meet you, but too shy to ask you the questions they wanted to ask. We’ve heard some things about you, and I guess I was hoping that you weren’t as interesting as all that.” She paused for a moment, and with her head cocked to the side she shrugged. “I was wrong. And your husband is right. My need to be the center of attention is quite adolescent. Being a wife in this lifestyle is a battle. Just like the men, we’re all fighting to be on top.” She sighed sadly. “I suppose I’m just so used to being the Queen B …
The HBIC
.”

A reluctant smile appeared on Carter’s lips. “You had no reason to worry, Regina. I have zero interest in being … the
head bitch in charge
of mafia wives.”

Regina giggled. “It’s an elected position, dear. Trust me, they don’t ask you if you want it, they just tell you that you got it.” She gave Carter a wink. “So, do you accept my apology?”

Both Regina and her husband stared at Carter with pleading expressions. With a barely audible sigh, she had mercy on them.

“Yes, I do,” Carter said with a soft smile. She knew that Regina had only apologized because her husband made her do it, but Carter really didn’t give a shit. The woman she wanted to murder tonight was Eliza Bonaducci. “All is forgiven, on your part.”

She clapped her hands. “Wonderful!”

“Very wonderful,” Don Pescatorre rejoiced. “There may be hope for a friendship yet, huh, Salernos?”

Carter looked up at Nathan in amusement, and then to her father-in-law, who turned away with a chuckle, most likely happy that he wasn’t the one being hounded for such things anymore.

Nathan’s nostril flared in annoyance. “Maybe,” he grumbled.

Carter laughed softly and drew in closer to her grumpy husband. “Ready to go, honey?” She was relieved when Nathan said yes and they finally exited the house. It was when they were outside walking to the car that something unexpected happened.

“Carterina! Please wait.”

They turned around just in time to see Isabella Bonaducci running toward them as quickly as her long gown and high heels would allow. Tears were streaming from the young girl’s eyes as she ran to Carter with a smile on her lovely face.