Sempre (Forever Series #1)(42)

* * *

Carmine awoke the next afternoon to a house in total chaos. Tess and Dia stood on chairs in the family room, tacking streamers around the window, while Haven sorted through a box of fake flowers. Dominic ran from one room to another, following orders barked at him from Tess.

Sneaking into the room, Carmine grabbed Tess’s chair and vehemently shook it, startling her. Yelling, Tess leaped off the chair, and he covered his head as she punched him in the back. “You’re such a jerk, Carmine!”

“Yeah, well, you hit like a little girl.” The words barely left his mouth when her fist shot out, punching him right in the chest. He winced. “Damn!”

Tess smirked. “Who’s the little girl now?”

“Apparently me,” he said, rubbing his chest as he eyed his brother, arranging flowers he’d gotten from Haven. “I’m starting to feel like one, anyway, in a room full of bitches.”

“What did you call me?” Haven’s voice had an edge he’d never heard from her before.

His brow furrowed until it dawned on him what he’d said. “Ah, shit . . .” Bitch. “Nothing.”

She turned back to the flowers without a word, handing more of them to Dominic, and Carmine watched her before approaching. Leaning close, his lips beside her ear, he whispered, “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean it that way.”

She said nothing. Guilt tugged at his chest. He couldn’t tell if she believed him.

* * *

After the house was decorated, Carmine put on his pirate costume, sliding on the black pants and boots before buttoning up the white ruffled shirt and tying the red bandanna around his head. Grabbing the big black hat, he headed down to see Dominic in the foyer, wielding a sword.

“Which dumbass gave him a weapon?” Carmine called out, barely evading the plastic blade as his brother swung it at him. “You people should know better by now.”

“No one gave it to him,” Tess said, stepping out of the family room in her devil costume. “He found it on his own.”

Shaking his head, Carmine headed toward the office under the stairs, punching in the code to unlock the door. The room looked like a normal office, with a wooden mahogany desk and a black leather chair. A Persian rug covered the floor, and Carmine folded the corner, exposing the hidden door. He opened it and headed down the flimsy stairs into the basement, flicking on the light. A subtle glow came over the room, revealing dozens of wooden crates.

Using the front of his shirt to cover his hand, he pulled the top off the one closest to the stairs and grabbed a few bottles of liquor. He didn’t go any farther, having no desire to venture to the back.

He wasn’t sure if it was subconscious fear or if his father had shown him at some point, but he never left his fingerprints down there.

Once he had the liquor, he headed upstairs in time for the guests to arrive.

* * *

Haven sat on the edge of her bed, picking at her fingernails as sickness stirred in her stomach. She felt out of place, afraid to go downstairs, worried that with one look they’d all know what she was. They’d all know she didn’t belong in their world with them.

There was a soft knock on the door before Dominic peeked in. “Can I come in, Twinkle Toes?”

“Of course,” she said.

He strolled in, using a sword like a walking cane, and sat beside her on the bed. He leaned back on his elbows and things grew quiet as Dominic stared off into space. She wondered why he was here instead of at his party, but she remained silent and let him speak first.

“Nella vita: chi non risica, non rosica,” he said. “In life: nothing ventured, nothing gained. My mom used to tell us that. It’s been a long time, but I can still hear her.”

He smiled to himself, remembering, as Haven conjured her own mama’s voice in her mind, never wanting to forget what she sounded like.

“Mom taught us a lot, but that’s what I remember most. You shouldn’t be afraid to take risks. It might not work out, you might fail miserably and get hurt, but you’ll never know unless you try.” He paused, sighing. “You can play it safe, Haven, and I wouldn’t blame you for it. You can continue as you’ve been, and you’ll survive, but is that what you want? Is that enough?”

Haven had no answer for that.

“Or you could take a risk,” he continued. “I know you have it in you. I can’t promise you’ll get everything you want, but I can promise nothing will change if you don’t try.”

She stared at him, absorbing his words, as Dominic’s expression turned somber. “Carmine wasn’t always such an a**hole, you know. He used to be like Mom, couldn’t hurt a fly, but all that changed. Carmine will take physical risks—sometimes I wonder if he has any regard for his life—but anything emotional is out of the question. You’re good for him that way. You’re the first girl he’s looked at as a person and not an object.”

Her eyes widened. “Why am I different to him?”

“I think you remind him of Mom, but he’s the only one who can really answer that.” Dominic stood. “So, tell me. Are we going to play it safe, or are we going to put ourselves out there?”

* * *

The party had been going for more than an hour, and there had yet to be any sign of Haven. Carmine strolled through the crowd searching for her and found Dia alone in the kitchen. She had on a colorful dress and bright blue tights, a yellow beak on her nose that matched her sneakers.