If she wants to speak, she can’t seem to find the words. Instead, she reminds me of a floundering fish as her mouth opens and closes.
“I know what happened. I know your father hangs it over your head, and I know the guilt.”
It’s a bluff. I don’t know shit yet.
I know vague details but not exactly what happened.
“How could you know this?” she whispers. “No one knows.”
“I’m not everyone.”
“You’re not my future husband, either.”
“Here’s where you’re wrong, Princess.”
The room goes silent around us. She’s trying to figure me out. Understand my motive. I can almost hear the wheels turning in her head.
“What will you do with this knowledge? If my father finds out . . .”
“You let me worry about your father.”
“And Julia, her brother. What about . . .?” she trails off.
“I will handle everything. Everything your father handles will fall on me.”
“Why?”
“Do not have any preconceived notions that I am doing this for you. I’m not a good guy. I’m not the hero. I need something, and you are the key to getting it.”
“And if I refuse?”
“You won’t.” I study her for a moment. I like her bite. I like that she thinks she can refuse me, that she thinks she has a choice.
“You’re confident.”
“I am. Plus, you do not want to deal with my cousin, who is a sadist. My deal will protect you. From him and your father.”
“And you’re not?”
“I am, but a different kind than him. I will handle your father. This will be a marriage in name only. You won’t have to worry about me. You will have your life, and I will have mine. . .”
My words are clear. This is a means to an end and nothing more.
She goes back to chewing her lip. I want to take my hand and grab it. It’s distracting as all fuck.
“What do you want from him?”
“Control. Revenge. Your father thought he could get in bed with my enemy. He will learn very fast that there is no going against me. My cousin will learn too. If you are his bartering chip, I’ll take it from him.”
“I’m the pawn.”
“Yes.”
“At least you’re honest.”
“That is one thing you will learn about me. I don’t lie.”
“So . . . you want to marry me?”
“No, Viviana. I don’t. But this is the course of action I am taking. Have no false illusions. I will never love you. I will never care for you. But if you do this, if you help me, I will take care of you.”
She goes quiet again.
Viviana Marino is beautiful when she’s pensive. Her big brown eyes deep with thought.
“When?”
“As soon as possible,” I answer.
I’m surprised by how fast she comes to a decision. I expected to have to threaten her or hang her secret over her head. But instead, she straightens her back and stands up.
“Okay.”
It’s done.
4
Viviana
* * *
It doesn’t take a rocket scientist to know I’m screwed.
Two proposals in one night. . .
None of them welcome.
My prospects of escaping unscathed are slim to none at this point.
Option number one: Fall in line with my father’s wishes. Yet again.
Option number two: Get in bed with his enemy . . . literally and figuratively.
My heart begins to race. He did say it would be in name only.
But what does that really mean? I don’t really know.
The saying “better the devil you know” rings through my head, but as much as that is the case in most circumstances, in mine, it’s the opposite.
Anything is better than doing what my father wishes.
The man hates me.
All my life, he has gone above and beyond to hurt me.
Why would this be any different?
I might not know Matteo, but I know my father.
If I allow myself to be his victim again, he will never take his claws out of me. If I marry Salvatore as he demands, I will never get out from under his thumb.
But the option of saying no to Matteo is also out of my grasp.
Is that really true? There is always another route.
I’m a ping-pong ball.
Bouncing back and forth.
Better yet, my life is a tennis match . . .
Eventually, someone would get the point, but no matter who it is, I’m the one getting hit by the racket.
If I had a choice, I would escape.
Thinking of my options is not something I want to do because it feels like I’m stuck in quicksand trying to break free but can’t.
No, this is different because I get to choose. Regardless of what Matteo or my father insists, the ball is in my court.
I can smile and pretend to appease this man, not fight him, and then do the opposite.
Or I can say yes and mean it.
I stare at him for a minute, realizing Matteo might very well be the first person to offer me a chance to get out from under my father’s thumb. A part of me wonders if it’s all an act and if he will actually help me. Normally, I would think no, but something in his stare says otherwise. As strange as it sounds, I feel like I can trust him.