To say the situation was awkward (AF) is to say very little; the roller coaster of emotions Victoria is experiencing was off the charts.
She even contemplated taking out her SIG P365 compact, concealed and neatly tucked away on her right upper thigh, and ending the bloodline of the 'Great' Baldwins right here and now.
But her rational side prevailed, and Victoria dropped the idea with great reluctance. Victor noticed something in his daughter's eyes.
He excused Victoria and himself from the guests and left the main hall.
"What the fuck, Dad!?" Victoria was unable to hold on anymore.
Victor was seemingly surprised since nobody in the entire world had spoken to him in such a way and lived, but he let go.
Victor was not 'dad' to his daughters anymore, not since they were kids at least.
He was always addressed as 'father' or 'sir'; however, the sudden change in his daughter's words, the change in her tone, touched a note in Victor that he never knew he had.
He smiled within. "Father, what is going on? Why are these basterds here and why are you having tea with them?" Victoria's eyes were brimming, on the verge of tears, her mouth frothing on the sides, and her volcanic anger was about to explode.
"Calm down, Vicky. I had already informed you at the cemetery that I need you on this. This is very important...they are very important, the future of the Donatelli Family, the Baldwin Family, this City, hell, the entire nation is dependent on how this goes tonight.
"Victor, without breaking eye contact, carried on... "Although it seems at first that Vinny was ambushed and killed by the Baldwins unprovoked, I feel something is off, "Victoria rebutted, "I am telling you, Dad, this was a retaliation for the Elton Square incident from last year, when Luis..."
Victor cut in, "That's exactly what I am talking about. I have spoken about this with Levi as well. Vinny swore on his mother's grave that he was not involved in any way in the killing of those Baldwin boys.
Now I ask whether you have anything to do with it?" "No," Victora calmed down a bit. "Levi and I both have reasonable doubts about both these incidents; we could not find the perpetrators or any evidence linking them to the Baldwins, and the same goes for them about us after the Elton incident.
"Now let's go back, it is rude not to cater to guests, and ignoring them for so long. After dinner, we will discuss this matter with the Baldwins.
Victor turned to go.
"They are staying for dinner?" Victoria, seemingly flabbergasted, followed her father.
Dinner was served in the grand dining hall, the lavish, oversized mahogany table reeked of tradition and luxury, all the same.
Victor, the master of the house, was sitting in the host chair, sitting left of him was his wife, Patricia, and his daughters, Valentina and Victoria, respectively. Seated on Victor's right was the guest of honour, the patriarch of the Baldwin Family, Levi, then his wife, Martha, and his youngest son, Luke, respectively.
Expensive croceries and cutlery accommodating exotic, lavish delicacies were spread neatly. Seven attendants were present at an arms' distance to cater to any needs, one for each member, and an eighth attendant was the wine connoisseur, who was serving vintage wines and their anecdotes.
Victoria couldn't help but notice that the extravagance her father had prepared for the Baldwins was not ordinary.
What is going on? No way, Dad is doing all this out of goodwill, something's off, what is it? What is it!?...
Victoria has been sharp and sophisticated since her younger days, but she is also very impatient; not being able to figure out a situation or hidden schemes is excruciating for her, and it eats her up as it is doing now.
Victoria's eyes suddenly landed on her sister while drifting.
Valentina was giggling and drinking more wine than usual; she was looking straight, not blinking, while biting her lower lip; her expressions were animated and silly. What the hell is she doing?...
Victoria looked across the table and understood why her younger sister was so amused.
At first, Victoria glanced quickly to avoid eye contact, but then she realised that Luke Baldwin was talking with her sister, both of them engrossed in themselves, joking and giggling.
For the first time in the evening she saw Luke properly, first thing she noticed was his eyes, green like jade, rare in Italian men, sparkling, then his cascading black hair neatly brushed backwards, some strands were dangling on his forehead, his sharp nose, full lips, some hints of facial hair, his chiseled jawline that could cut a person, his long neck adorning a prominent man apple, he looked godlike, from ancient paintings and sculptures. But Victoria liked men, not boys.
Luke was just 21 years old, a couple of years younger than her baby sister and 9 years younger than her; he was a baby, but then she suddenly noticed a scar just below his left eye that had faded away over time.
When Luke had picked up his wine glass to drink, she noticed a bullet wound below his left hand thumb, his worn-out knuckles.
"Look out for the Baldwins' youngest, he is a beast with a pretty face," Uncle Vinny always said.
Victoria glanced again at Luke while calling for the wine server. She now noticed his lean, muscular physique, his broad shoulders and muscular arms, tightly fitting the $5000 cutom made dark velvet suit, she noticed the beautiful tan he had.
Victoria felt her body warming up, a moistness between her legs, and her throat drying up.
This suddenly disturbed her; it must be the wine...Victoria excused herself for the washroom while others were busy wining and dining.
It must be this fucked up situation that I am not thinking straight and that dammed wine...
Victoria didn't really have a love life, per se. She grew up in a stern Christian home, studied at an all-girls convent, and joined the family business at a tender age of 18.
Nobody has shown interest in her romantically ever, out of fear, and most of the men she interacts with are her subordinates, mostly dimwits, and she doesn't like dimwits.
This is why, at a ripe age of 32, she was still a virgin, never having a romantic relationship.
Luke is different; he was young, strong, and had a domineering personality beyond his years, and the Baldwin Family was wealthier and more influential than the Donatellis.
Let's stop drinking for now and call it a night...Victoria cleaned herself up.
No sooner did she come out of the washroom than she came face to face with Luke waiting outside.