Mafia Lord's Mute Sweetheart

Chapter 42: Chapter 42 Dance

"Have a drink," Alessio said, handing Daisy a glass of juice. She was sitting beside him.

She looked up at him with wide, grateful eyes and nodded, a small dip of her chin that was her silent way of saying thank you. Then she took the glass from his hand, her fingers brushing against his for just a moment.

He watched her as she held the glass with both hands, her small fingers wrapped around the crystal like she was afraid it might slip and shatter on the floor. She brought it to her lips and took a tiny sip, then another, each sip small and delicate like a bird drinking from a puddle. Her throat moved as she swallowed and she let out a soft, quiet breath.

It was cute, though he did not know why he thought that or why he was watching her drink juice like it was the most interesting thing in the room.

She finished half the glass and lowered it. Her tongue came out to lick her lips, just a small swipe, quick and unconscious, before she looked up at him and placed the glass on the table with a soft click.

Alessio blinked and looked away, grabbing the nearest plate of snacks from a passing waiter and handing it to her.

Daisy’s eyes widened as she looked at the plate filled with small sandwiches, grapes, and little pastries, then at him, then back at the plate. Her lips parted slightly. She looked like she could not believe the food was for her.

She took a sandwich and bit into it slowly, chewing and swallowing before taking another bite. Her eyes stayed on his face while she ate like she was waiting for him to take it away. He did not. He simply sat there, watching her, his hands clasped behind his back.

She finished the sandwich and picked up a grape, popping it into her mouth, her cheeks moving as she chewed. The juice from the grape stained her lips a deeper shade of pink, and she looked happy, really happy, like no one had ever given her food before. Her shoulders relaxed. The tension in her jaw melted away.

She wiped her fingers on a napkin and looked up at him, her lips curving into a smile as she pointed at the plate, then at him, then pressed her hand to her heart.

Thank you. She said it without words, but he understood.

Alessio nodded once, a small motion that most people would have missed. Daisy’s smile widened, her eyes crinkling at the corners and her cheeks flushing pink. She picked up another grape and ate it, swinging her feet slightly under her chair like a child on a picnic, her dress swaying with the movement.

Alessio found himself watching her feet swing. Back and forth. Back and forth. He had never noticed such small things about anyone before.

The event started soon after. A man in a suit stood on a small stage and welcomed everyone, talking about partnerships, growth, and the future of business. The crowd clapped at the right moments and shifted closer to the stage. The man spoke for a long time, his voice smooth and formal, but Alessio barely listened. His attention kept drifting to the woman beside him.

Daisy stood beside Alessio, then she felt intense eyes on her and turned her head slightly.

Cedric was standing across the room near the bar with his blue eyes locked on her, his jaw tight, his hands shoved deep in his pockets. His white shirt was rumpled, his tie loosened. He looked very angry, so angry that his nostrils flared and his shoulders went stiff, so angry that the man next to him took a small step away.

Daisy looked away and pressed closer to Alessio, just an inch, just enough that her shoulder almost touched his arm. She could feel the warmth of him through his suit jacket.

Cedric’s jaw tightened. His hands curled into fists inside his pockets. But Daisy did not look at him again because she felt scared, because his face was red with anger, because she had never seen him look at her like that before. She stared at the speaker on the stage and pretended she could not feel her husband’s eyes burning into her back.

Alessio glanced down at her, his green eyes sweeping across her face and then across the room before landing on Cedric for a long moment. He did not say anything but he moved slightly, just an inch, enough that his arm brushed against her shoulder.

It was a small protective gesture that said she is with me now.

Cedric saw it. His face went from red to white.

After the speeches ended, the event shifted. The lights dimmed to a soft golden glow, tables were pushed aside to make room for a dance floor and a band started playing slow music, the kind that made you want to hold someone close.

Everyone seemed to relax, laughter floating through the air while glasses clinked and shoes shuffled against the floor.

Daisy stood near the edge of the dance floor with her dress brushing against her legs and her empty hands clasped in front of her.

She watched the couples drift into each other’s arms, wives resting their heads on their husbands’ shoulders and husbands holding their wives by the waist, their bodies moving together in perfect rhythm.

She looked for Cedric and found him near the center of the floor. Jessica was wrapped around him like a vine, her red hair spilling down her back and her hands resting on his chest while his hands rested on her hips. They moved together slowly and intimately, like no one else was watching. Jessica’s head was tilted back, her eyes closed, her red lips parted. Cedric’s face was unreadable but his eyes kept drifting toward the edge of the floor, toward Daisy.

Daisy lowered her eyes and looked at her heels.

"You two should dance."

Daisy looked up to find a man in a suit standing beside her. He had kind eyes and a warm smile, and she recognized him as the one who had organized the event, the man who had stood on stage welcoming everyone and thanking them for coming. His name tag read Mr. Harrison.

He looked at Alessio. "Mr. Ricci, the floor is yours. Please, enjoy the evening."

Alessio nodded, and Mr. Harrison walked away, disappearing into the crowd.

Alessio turned to Daisy, and she felt his green eyes on her face as she looked up at him with her heart pounding so loud she was sure he could hear it. She wanted to say no but she could not say that to his face, so she lifted her hands and gestured quickly and nervously, her fingers stumbling over each other.

I don’t know how to dance. I have never learned. I will step on your feet. I will embarrass you. Everyone will stare.