A minute passed, then another. Guilt swarmed my insides. I glanced up at him and he peered down at me. I didn’t intend to speak, but my lips parted and I blurted out, “I didn’t know you had children.”

His cool eyes narrowed on me. “Is that right?”

I shook my head, timidly. I should have stopped there. “Where are they?”

He led perfectly. We swayed in sync. Although he spoke calmly, there was an unmistakable undertone of anger. “After what happened I didn’t think it was safe for them here. Their nonno took them home.”

I couldn’t hide my shame. My response was a mere whisper. “That’s fair.”

As we danced, Ettore glanced down at my neck. “You bruise easily.”

Maybe I was imagining things, but I sensed a little guilt in there somewhere.

I didn’t bruise easily. The marks on my neck were a direct result of him brutally choking me.

“Not really, no.” My response spoke volumes.

His lips thinned, I lowered my face and an awkward silence followed. The longer we danced, I found my husband’s touch far less alarming. We’d had a day. I suspected we were both overwhelmed and somehow, partially numb.

Suddenly, a loud yell sounded. We turned towards it and saw two groups of men standing far too close to each other. My uncle got between them, attempting to calm both parties, but soon there was pointing and then they were shouting in each other’s furious faces.

My hand tightened around Ettore’s lapel and I began to hyperventilate, still going about the motions, slow dancing. I looked up to find my husband observing the mess that was about to come.

Wasn’t he going to do anything? Why wasn’t he stopping this?

I opened my mouth to suggest he get on that but Ettore spoke at the same time. I was stunned when uttered an unenthusiastic, “Kiss me.”

My eyes widened. “What?”

He appeared annoyed. “Our families have been through a lot today, wouldn’t you say?”

Yes. You could say that.

He went on, “There are only two people who are able to diffuse the tension in this room. So, I want you to kiss me like a wife should kiss her husband.”

My heart stuttered along with my speech, “I-I-I don’t know how a wife should kiss her husband.”

His eyes darkened but there was something else there lurking there. Desire. “You’ll work it out.”

The shouting got louder, but all I could see was him.

Um, alright. I guess I could try.