The Don Didn't Recognize His Own Son

Lorenzo was still staring at me. There was cold fire in his eyes.

I dropped my head and looked at my shoes.

Someone grabbed both our hands and pulled them together, laughing.

"Liana used to get picked on in school, remember? Lorenzo, you were the first one in there swinging for her."

"Everyone said you two were made for each other. How did you ever break up?"

The whole group was laughing now, egging us on, telling us to give it another shot.

The Underboss next to Lorenzo stepped in and shut it down.

He glanced at me and sneered disdainfully, "The Don was crazy about her once. Too bad she only cares about money."

The room went dead quiet.

That word, Don, had a way of doing that. Everyone shut up.

The Underboss saw the room fall in line and nodded. Then he said:

"The Don came today to invite you all to his wedding."

"The bride's name is Sofia. If I may speak out of turn..."

He stopped. Looked right at me. "She's prettier than you. Smarter than you. And she's a much better fit to be the Don's wife."

Something hollowed out in my chest. But something else loosened, too.

Seven years. He'd finally found someone else to love.

She'd fill in the hole I left in him. She'd be gentle with him. She'd take care of him.

I cried for seven years. It took me that long to figure it out.

Lorenzo was never my flower. I just happened to walk past while he was in bloom.

He was okay now. That was enough.

I forced the tightness in my throat back down and made myself look at him. "Congratulations."

When I said it, Lorenzo's jaw locked. He was grinding his teeth.

I could hear them, a faint dry sound, like rain through leaves.

He made a small gesture and the Underboss handed him a lit cigar.

He took a long drag and blew the smoke straight into my face.

"Liana. I won't be inviting you."

"Traitors don't get to come to my wedding. And Sofia doesn't want to look at you."

The smoke was bitter and burned, like the smell of our dead past.

I bit my lip and smiled and nodded. "Okay. I won't come."