wild fire. Since Dino wanted the wedding to happen before his trial, dinners like the boss had thrown today could be considered an engagement announcement and party.
“Maybe,” Lily finally said quietly. “I don’t have to like it, Eve.”
“Yeah, I know. You want another glass of wine?”
“Hmm, yeah, I think—”
Damian decided to step in and shut that idea down before Lily could agree. Dino would have a shitfit if Lily got any drunker than she already was. “Thanks, Eve, but she’s good for the evening.”
Lily glared over her shoulder at Damian still unbothered and still in his corner. “Excuse me?”
“That’s your fifth glass of wine, your eyes are drowsy, and your brother never was one for a drunk woman,” Damian informed like they were breaking bread over a dinner table. “While drinking probably seems like a good way to deal with this shitty night—I don’t blame you, honestly—I can bet you’ll regret it in the morning if you act like a fool and embarrass yourself and your brothers. You’re not that kind of woman, Lily.”
Damian gave a wide-eyed Evelina a charming smile. “Again, thanks, but no more.”
“All right,” Evelina said faintly.
Lily spun around and pressed her fisted hand to her hip. “Who in the hell do you think—”
Damian’s gaze cut to Lily and she quieted instantly. “I’m not saying it to be an asshole, Lily. Go on, drink yourself stupid if that’s what you want to do. You’re the one who’ll have to face these people again when you’re sober.”
Lily handed the wine glass to a stunned Evelina without a word.
“Thank you,” Damian said with a smile.
“I didn’t do it for you,” Lily retorted.
Damian laughed.
No, girls like Lily never did things they didn’t want to do. He liked that, too. Too bad the whole engagement thing wouldn’t work out that way for her.
“Sure,” Damian said with a wink.
Lily’s gaze narrowed a second before she stormed off into the crowd.
Damian made sure to take note of which direction she went just in case. Evelina sighed with a shake of her head.
“That’s not going to help your case,” Evelina said softly.
Damian answered that with a shrug.
“Do you even care if she likes you, D?”
“Does it matter?” he asked back. “She doesn’t need to like me to have my last name.”
Evelina pursed her lips. “Damn, you’re proving me all kinds of wrong tonight.”
“How so?”
“I didn’t think you were that kind of guy, Damian.”
He cleared his throat and avoided Evelina’s gaze. Him and her, they were mafia kids. He had six years on Evelina and eight on her brother, but he spent time in the Conti homes as well growing up. All of their families intertwined in that way.
“Guess you don’t know me all that well, huh?” Damian asked, reverting back to his usual self.
Evelina didn’t look away as she said, “No, I just think you’re awfully good at making others believe you’re doing what they want.”
She was right.
“How much have you drank?” Damian asked.
“Too much.”
“Where’s your father?”
“Hitting on someone’s wife,” Evelina replied. “Ma’s probably watching from the corner—she likes that nonsense, you know. Gets off on it. I think the fight is like their foreplay. It’s disgusting.”
Damian laughed hard. “Yeah, you’ve drank too much. Hand it over, Eve.”
Evelina walked over and passed him her wine glass and Lily’s, but not before she emptied hers of the contents. “You always were a fucking spoil sport, D.”
“What’d you find out about the shipping deal with New York?” Tommas asked his boss. “It would be great if we could start working through there again. It’s cheaper and all to have it slide through their ports and then straight to ours since they’ve got the labor rackets and the bribes going on there.”
Damian pretended to sip on his cognac and seem disinterested in the conversation going on in Terrance’s personal