Chapter 5

Three days later, I walked into the gala in the midnight-blue gown Rafe had picked out for me himself.

There was nothing flashy about it. No beads, no sparkle. But the way it was cut made my bump look soft and pretty instead of hiding it.

Jace spotted me right away.

His eyes lit up for a second. He obviously thought, the way he always did, that I'd finally caved.

"Knew you'd come around."

He walked over and looked me up and down like I was something he owned.

"But Nina, if you want to be on my arm, you've got to put in a little effort. A plain dress, no jewelry? That's not how a Mancini woman shows up."

"Since you're here, just stay close and keep your mouth shut."

I didn't even look at him. I stepped around him and headed for the head table at the front of the ballroom.

There was one empty chair there, right next to the wine glass nobody else was allowed to touch. Rafe's.

"Hey!" Jace snapped, furious that I'd walked right past him. "I'm talking to you! Our table's in the back corner. Where the hell do you think you're going?"

I kept walking. "Your seat's back there. Mine's up front."

I lifted my chin toward the center of the room.

Jace followed my eyes, and his face went ugly.

"That's the Santangelo table! Are you trying to get yourself killed?"

People nearby were starting to turn and stare.

Before I could shake him off, a shrill voice cut right through the violins.

"Nina?! Who the hell let you in here?!"

Gianna came marching over in a gold sequin dress at least a size too small, looking for a fight.

She pointed straight at my ring. "How did trash like this get through the door? And she's still wearing that fake?"

Every eye in the room landed on me.

Gianna loved it. She got even louder.

"Everybody, look! Isn't that a knockoff of the Santangelo Serpent Ring?"

"Tonight's Don Rafe's first public night with his Donna, and this bitch shows up in a fake to mock her?"

"Security! Where's security? Who let this garbage in?"

"What, are you here to sell yourself? Hoping to land a sugar daddy?"

Jace's face had gone white. He let go of my arm and actually took a step back, fixing his cuffs like nothing was wrong.

He turned to the people watching and said coldly, "I don't know her."

"You hear that? Even Jace won't admit he knows you!" Gianna was on a roll now.

"Take that fake ring off and get out!"

"Are you sure you want to throw me out?" I asked, with half a smile.

That threw her for a second. Then she shook it off. "Stop acting! Take that piece of junk off!"

She lunged for my hand.

I tried to step back.

But I'd forgotten about my heels, and the baby made me slower than I used to be.

Someone's foot shot out and caught my ankle.

I went down hard.

Before I could even move, a sharp stiletto heel came down on my left hand.

The pain was blinding.

Gianna smiled and twisted her heel, grinding it into my fingers and the ring.

"That's what you get for wearing a fake! For pretending to be somebody!"

"You had the nerve to follow us here, so I'll just take the ring as your entry fee!"

My hand was a bloody mess. Blood smeared across the ruby and soaked into the carpet.

People were starting to murmur. A few looked like they wanted to step in.

I wrapped my other arm around my stomach. For the baby's sake, I pushed through the pain and tried to tell them who I was.

"Stop! I'm Rafe's—"

A hard slap cut me off.

"Shut up! What, now you're going to tell people you're Rafe's mistress? In your dreams!"

My cheek burned. I tasted blood at the corner of my mouth.

I wasn't going to roll around on the floor fighting a crazy woman. I didn't need to.

Rafe would break her hands and feet, one bone at a time.

Jace finally snapped out of it. He rushed over, knelt down, and told Gianna to back off.

"Nina, happy now?" He looked at my bleeding hand, and something flickered in his eyes.

"You wore a fake ring and showed up dressed like that just so you could get humiliated in front of me. This whole thing's a stunt to get me back, isn't it?"

"Fine. Beg me right now, and I'll take you back."

My hand was on fire, but I looked at his stupid face and smiled.

"Jace, you're done."

"And it's not just you. The Mancinis, the Ferraros. All of you are done."

He frowned and opened his mouth to snap at me.

That was when the ballroom doors swung open.

The whole room went dead quiet.

Rafe Santangelo walked in wearing a black suit cut to fit him perfectly, the thin old scar on his cheekbone pale under the chandeliers. He was holding our son, Leo, in his arms.

Jace's face changed. He grabbed my arm and tried to haul me up so he could hide me behind him.

My legs wouldn't hold me, and I slid right back down to the carpet.

"Shit, the Don's here! Don't you dare make a scene!" he hissed.

"Keep your mouth shut about Gianna, and maybe I'll find a place for you. You always did know how to keep me happy..."

Before he could finish, Leo started squirming in Rafe's arms, trying to get down.

The second his feet touched the floor, he took off running on his short little legs, straight toward me.

He dropped to his knees beside me, his voice cracking with tears.

"Mama!"

Rafe's eyes followed his son across the room and landed on me, crumpled on the floor in the corner.

He saw the handprint on my face. He saw my crushed, bloody hand.

Jace went completely still.

He pointed at Leo, and his voice shook.

"Did that kid just... call her Mama?"