“Here. You look like you need it, boss.” Grayson slides a double scotch across the gilded table towards me with a frown, his freshly tattooed wedding ring on display. “Can you believe this? Last month, it was me and Maddie in a whirlwind wedding. I shit a brick when you dropped that invitation on my table. Never thought I’d see the day you’d settle down, too.”
The ice clinks against the crystal. I grab it and don’t even hesitate swallowing the whole thing, letting it burn its way down.
“Yeah, it’s gone by too fast. I need a whole bottle to get through tonight.” I say, tightening my grip on the glass.
“She can’t be that bad.” Grayson pushes another full drink across to me.
“Oh, trust me, she is. She’s only been living with me for a month and I can’t fucking stand it. She’s already thrown out half my shit and replaced it with her tacky, glittery bullshit. And made quite clear that everything that was mine is now hers.”
I leave out the part where she’s become my full-time babysitter, reporting my dealings to her father. Or the way she flips out at the slightest thing, like me not having dinner with her. And not sharing a bed with her.
I can’t do it. No way.
“How long have you got to stay married to her?” Grayson raises an eyebrow while leaning back into the leather seat.
“I didn’t set an end date. Until I can wipe out her whole family?” If only I had access to a nuke. I’d save the world the misery of Maria.
“Fuck,” he shakes his head. “Why are you doing this? We have Maddie back,” he says softly.
Why am I marrying the ‘she-devil’? I can’t have Grayson and Keller too close to the truth. I know they will come up with more drastic measures which will free me from this marriage, but in turn, put them all at risk. I can’t let that happen.
“It’s not that simple anymore. Some things are out of my control.”
My family. All of this is for them. I am doing what I need to protect them from Romano’s threats. All while pining over a woman I can never have. At least I have the images ingrained in my mind of her spread out on my bed. I can still feel the way she shivered against my touch. The way she screamed my name when she came all over my cock.
The way every morning she would wake up smiling up at me, her big dark eyes flashing with desire.
She was perfect for me. My stolen treasure.
And now she’s just a memory.
My fingers dig through my hair as I shake my head slowly back and forth.
“What’s going on, Luca?” Grayson questions. “It’s her, isn’t it?”
“Drop it,” I say through gritted teeth.
I don’t need another lecture on following my heart. I don’t want to hear it. In keeping them all safe, I have to keep them in the dark. They think I’m only doing this as a deal for the Capris searching for Maddie. I want them far away from this.
“Boss, we’ve all said we will stick by you no matter what. We’ve got your back. You don’t have to do this.” His large palm smacks on the table emphatically, making my drink jump in front of me.
My hand flips in a circular wave. “It’s too late to back out now, Grayson. The deal has been signed. She’s probably moved on. I told her to.”
It hurts, the fact that another man will get to call her his. Will get to treasure her like I only wished I could. I just want her to be happy.
Her pain runs deep, but I saw her strength. She’s a fighter. As long as she stays clean. The moment she slips behind that mask, Rosa becomes a shell of herself. A woman hiding her scars from the world. Not that I can blame her.
A heavy hand clasps down on my shoulder. Turning around, I’m met with Keller’s huge frame sporting a white shirt and black tie.
“Brother,” he sticks his tattooed hand out for me to shake.
“Have you seen Mom?” I ask as my palm disappears within his.
He nods with a frown. “Yeah, she’s looking after Max and Darcy. She’s fine. Sienna and Maddie are just in the restrooms. They’ll be here in a minute. Hmm.” Keller’s chest rumbles as he looks at Grayson with a grin.
“What?” I snap at him.
He gestures around the decorated room. “I thought you’d have called this off by now.”
“Not you, too. Look, I’m having some growing problems, sure. But having a she-devil invade your personal space and overhaul your life is a little bit of an adjustment.”
That’s one way to put it.
“You didn’t seem to mind Rosa living with you.” Keller smirks.
“Fuck off.” This is already hard enough.
“Where’s Maria then?” Grayson asks.
“I dunno, she was getting her horns cut off or something before the party.” Her actual story was she needed lip filler. Like anyone here cared.
Grayson spits out his drink and laughs.
“She took my Amex and left. Told me she would meet me here.” The longer she’s gone, the better. I don’t really give a shit how much it costs.
“Have you seen Frankie yet?” I ask. Grayson shrugs and knocks back his scotch. Those two still aren’t on the best of terms. Even after Maddie assuring us Frankie didn’t hurt her, Grayson can’t forgive him. To be honest, I wouldn’t either. If someone took Rosa from me like that, let alone with my baby, I’d have every right to be pissed. But if I am going to win this fight, I need them all. Including Frankie.
“Luca, darling.” The high-pitched voice I’ve grown to hate echoes across the VIP area, and I cringe.
Her stilettos click against the floor as she gets closer.
She flits over, not even acknowledging me, heading straight for Keller. I’m not surprised, he is a local celebrity. I was sure she would sniff around him. Not that he would ever entertain another woman.
“You must be Keller,” she purrs while holding out her left hand to him.
She’s wearing a tight white dress that barely covers her ass. Her fake tits are filling it perfectly. Last year, I can’t lie, I would have fucked her. That probably would have made this whole experience less painful.
But now, the thought disgusts me.
My heart lies with Rosa. I can’t even picture myself with another woman. Marrying Maria, and actually being in a relationship with her, are two different things. I just can’t bring myself to do it.
“Maria, nice to meet you.” Keller shakes her hand with a tight-lipped smile. He drops it quickly and steps back to drape his arm around his wife, who is now by his side scowling at Maria.
They’re on their best behavior tonight. As are Maddie and Sienna.
Grayson nudges himself to the edge of the booth as she turns to him.
“Grayson, pleasure to finally meet you.” She holds out her hand for a moment, inviting the handshake that never happens.
He just nods to her, keeping his distance and pulling Maddie flush against his chest, his hands protectively placed on her bump.
“I’ve heard so much about you both.” The way the lies roll off her tongue is almost impressive. I’ve never spoken about any of my family to her. I didn’t even want to do this tonight, but Maria insisted on meeting them.
My men both glance at me and I roll my eyes.
“Luca, darling. Go fetch me a champagne, I’m dying of thirst here. But I need a straw.” She points to her extremely plump and shiny lips.
“Yep. Gladly.” Get me the fuck away from this.
Sliding out of the booth, I head towards the bar and take a sigh of relief. “Two bottles of champagne and a straw please,” I tell the bartender.
Crossing one ankle over the other, I lean on the bar, and I look out over the crowd as the End Zone starts to fill up. Like always, it’s hopping. A credit to Keller’s hard work. The bartender coughs behind me, and I turn to grab the bottles and glasses on the tray.
Why the fuck am I doing this?
As I turn to head back towards the VIP area, the air starts to fizzle around me and my heart starts hammering.
My Rosa. She’s here.
I can’t move, my eyes are locked on her. Her jet-black hair cascades down her slim frame all the way down to her waist. She is the most beautiful woman I’ve ever laid eyes on. That figure-hugging black dress rests just above her knees. She has that class about her, unlike my fiancé. Rosa is a natural beauty with her plump red lips and dark lashes.
With every sensuous step she takes towards me, my hands start to go clammy. She crosses her arms over her stomach with delicate grace, which makes my cock twitch, knowing those little breathy moans she would make when I’d suck on her nipples.
“Luca!” Frankie announces as they reach me. But I can’t take my eyes off Rosa, who is doing anything to avoid looking at me.
“Frankie,” I greet him and glance towards the other girl, I’m assuming must be Eva. She’s very similar to Rosa in facial features, just a bit taller and with deep auburn hair.
The three of them stand before me, and Frankie reaches over and grabs a bottle of champagne from the tray, popping it and taking a sip. “Oh, we are celebrating tonight!” he chuckles.
“Something like that,” I mutter, snapping my attention back to Rosa, who’s now picking at her red nails.
“You already know Rosa.” Frankie raises an eyebrow with a small smirk.
“This is Eva.” He nods to Rosa’s younger sister, who gives me a bright grin before nudging her sister.
“Nice to finally meet you, Eva.” I smile before turning my attention back to the woman who owns my heart.
She tips her head up, and her dark eyes bore into mine. I’ve dreamt every night for months that she was happy and carefree without me. But that pain, that darkness, is still there resting behind them.
“Hello, Rosa.” My throat feels as if it’s on fire, and I’m choking the words out.
She gives me a tight-lipped smile. “Luca, good to see you.” I can’t help but notice the slight shake in her voice.
And it guts me.
“I need a drink. Let’s go,” Frankie says, turning on his heel and striding towards the VIP area. Leaving me with the sisters, both of which probably hate me.
With the tray still in my hands, my eyes lock on Rosa.
“I’ll meet you guys in there,” Eva says before rushing after Frankie.
“Rosa, are you okay?” My chest hurts to see her. It takes everything in me to not pull her into my arms.
She pulls her lower lip between her teeth and stares pensively at the glasses between us. “I’m fine.”
The nights we would spend staying up all night just talking and watching movies. Well, and fucking. Now all I have is one-word answers, and she can barely look me in the eye.
“You promise?” Every day since she left, I’ve kept an eye on her from afar. I know how much she struggles, how much she hides until she can’t take it anymore. I have to know she’s okay, that I didn’t break her. It would kill me.
“Yes, Luca. I promise. I don’t think I’ll ever truly be okay. Not anymore. I’ll live.” She casts her eyes to the floor.
The feeling stirring around in my chest makes me feel like I’m about to have a heart attack. I can’t take this. There aren’t words that will fix this ache, and taking her into my arms isn’t an option.
“Come on, let’s go meet the others.” I gesture towards the reserved area where everyone is gathering.
She lifts her eyes to mine and gives me a sad smile. Which basically is a knife through the heart. The last person on the planet I’d want her to meet is Maria.
I follow her lead. My eyes are pinned to her pert ass as we head towards the rest of the group. Maddie is now cuddled into Grayson’s side, and Sienna has a protective Keller behind her with his hands firmly around her waist.
Both women watch me warily as I put the tray of drinks down on the table.
“Ladies.” I smile at them both.
They give me that look. They’ve told me I’m an idiot for doing this. Their husbands clearly have no filter because both women are now strongly on team Rosa.
“Fiancé.” Maria waltzes towards me. If she sticks her chest out any farther, she’s going to tip over.
Maddie and Sienna both scoff and look away. Maria snakes her arms around my neck, her intensely sweet perfume is nearly suffocating as it burns my nose.
I go stiff as she brings her mouth to my ear.
“Introduce me to my new friends,” she hisses with venom in her tone.
Turning, I whisper back in her ear, “Get your fucking hands off me.”
This was never part of the deal. Marriage on paper, nothing else.
She fake laughs and removes herself, tapping me on the chest with a purposeful stare. I clench my jaw in response.
I glance up to see Rosa looking at me with the shine of tears in her eyes. Her lips are a pale, quivering line. When she catches my gaze, she quickly turns away.
“Rosa, Eva, Frankie, this is my fiancé, Maria.” Bile rises up my throat at the words. Rosa flinches in response. Her sister wraps a hand around her arm, squeezing her closer.
Running a hand over my face, I dig out the pack of cigarettes in my suit jacket. I’m itching to get away from this.
“So lovely to meet you all. Would you like some champagne?” Maria asks.
Rosa’s eyes snap to mine as Frankie and Eva reply ‘yes’ at the same time Rosa blurts out ‘no’.
Maria’s eyebrow flies up as she looks Rosa up and down.
“You don’t drink? What are you, pregnant? Or just boring?”
Clenching my fists, I open my mouth to tell her to stop, but Rosa beats me to it.
“Maybe I just don’t need a drink to have a personality anymore. Unlike some, clearly,” she spits back.
I can’t hide the smile that forms on my face. Damn, I’m proud of her.
Maria picks up a flute of champagne and holds her hand out to Rosa. The table goes silent. “Oh, come on, let your hair down. You know you want to. You never know, one day you might get to marry a man like Luca. These kinds of men don’t want boring women like you.” With a twisted grin, she pushes the drink toward Rosa, who takes a faltering half step backward.
Fuck this.
Snatching the glass out of Maria’s hand, her eyes go wide. “Enough!” I snap. I hear Sienna gasp behind me.
Slamming it on the table, the stem shatters and the bubbly contents spill over the edge. I storm out of the VIP area and head towards the back exit.
