I savored the thought distractedly as we got into the car. Normally I would have had security drive us, but it was Charleston and I wasn’t worried about safety. Any security we needed, I could provide myself. So I settled her into the passenger side of my car and we pulled out onto the road.
“This isn’t how I imagined my wedding,” she said after a while.
I glanced at her, surprised by her admission. “You knew you would have an arranged marriage for a while, right?”
“I did, but not until my parents died,” she said. “My father wanted me to have some say in who I married, even though I was an Esposito. But Lucien was pretty upfront that he was going to use me for an alliance at some point.”
“That must have been hard,” I said, keeping my voice casual. “Your parents passing, I mean.”
She stiffened and I thought she was angry, but she then nodded. “Lucien was horrible after it happened. I don’t think it occurred to him that I might be grieving.”
I was quiet for a moment. “Lucien isn’t a bad man, he’s just…a practical one.”
She rolled her eyes. “I know you have an alliance with him so you can’t shit talk him, but we both know he’s a jerk.”
“I have an alliance with him,” I said simply. “But I’m on your side. Unequivocally.”
If she was surprised by my words, she didn’t show it. Instead, she turned in her seat, crossing one leg under her. “You’re a very careful man, aren’t you?”
“I play my cards close to the chest, yes.”
“Does anyone else ever get to see your cards?”
“No.”
“Not even your wife?”
“Hmm, no.”
Her jaw worked as she stared me down, her dark gaze narrowed. “How am I supposed to get to know you if you’re being like that?”
“Being like what?”
“All…turtle-ish.”
“All what?”
She sighed as though it irritated her to have to explain herself. “Pulling your head in like a turtle. Have you ever opened up to anyone? Were you married before?”
Surprised by her sudden assault of questions, I kept quiet for a beat as I pulled onto the highway. I didn’t have a strong desire to open up to her right now, but I had a feeling she wasn’t going to let it go unless I gave her something.
“No, I’ve never been married.”
“Ever had a girlfriend?” she shot back.
“Jesus, has anyone ever told you that you talk too much?” I shot her a hard look from the corner of my eye.
“All the time,” she said crisply. “So no or yes to the girlfriend question?”
“I’ve had friends with benefits,” I said. “I prefer to be monogamous so I usually only sleep with one woman at a time. There, does that answer your question?”
“Ew,” she said, scowling.
“Judgemental much? Here, two can play this game,” I said. “How many men have you slept with?”
That shut her up right away. She glared at me for a long moment and then she crossed her arms over her chest and turned to the window.
“That’s what I thought.”