"Is there any guy you have an eye on? I know the dirt about everyone here."
I get it either way.
Family is what matters most for all of us here. Always has, always will, and if my marriage is what would keep the Petinos clan from getting expelled from the Familia—-
"My nephew thinks you're pretty."
"How do you feel about experimenting? My daughter believes the two of you would make a great couple."
"Our family is very modern. We wouldn't expect you to be monogamous."
I...can do it, right?
Arranged marriages have always been a thing with families like ours, and maybe, if I play my cards right, I can end up with a guy I can at least...tolerate?
You can do this, B.
My chest squeezes at the thought of marrying someone I'm not in love with, but I tell myself I'm being stupid and selfish.
Familia primum, B!
It's Latin for 'family first', and I mentally chant the words over and over even when I feel like I'm about to have a heart attack. I can't afford to make any impulsive mistakes. I need to take my time in order to do what's best—-
"There you are," a lazy voice drawls from behind me, and the sound of it has all the matchmaking mama sharks around me suddenly shut up.
Whoa.
I'm half-expecting the Prince of Darkness himself to be standing behind me as I turn around, but...WHOA.
My heart bangs against my chest as I find myself gazing up at a sinfully gorgeous stranger with the most stunning pair of slate-gray eyes.
Who is this guy...and why is he smiling down at me like we have this insanely wicked secret between us?
"Theé mou!" Oh my God! " One of the mama sharks gapes at him like he's the dead come to life. "Is that really you, Stelios Diamandis?"
Holy crap.
The name instantly rings a bell, for more reasons than one.
No one really knows what went on in that fateful meeting between Stelios and the most powerful elders of the Familia, but he's somehow convinced all of the clans to quit the drug trade before walking away from us for good.
Since then, he's become more Bruce Wayne than Batman, with how and his other billionaire friends have turned into celebrities after successfully launching America's most popular gentleman's club.
"It's already been years," another mama sharks exclaims as she squints up at him. "What brings you back?"
I'd love to know the answer to that, too...especially since Mr. Billionaire has just curved an arm around my waist before pulling me close.
"You and Babita?"
I can't even find it in me to feel offended at how shocked everyone looks...since I'm pretty shocked myself. Stelios Diamandis is holding me to him like I'm his property, and I'm torn between playing it safe by keeping me cool...and pushing him away even if it means risking getting stabbed to death.
Astro's bedtime stories for me had always been about bad guys defeating "badder" guys, and since some of them had been of Stelios defending himself with just a screwdriver—-
It feels like I'm meeting one of my childhood antiheroes on one hand...and that I'm about to witness a murder on the other, with Theía suddenly showing up, and I see the way her gaze swings between Mr. Ex-Greek-Mafia-Royalty and me.
Say something, B!
I open my mouth even when nothing comes to mind, but my aunt beats me to speaking.
"You found her first," Theía says in her usual brisk voice.
"I told you I would."
Uh...what the heck?
Here I was, worried that the older girl would blow up at the sight of some terribly handsome terrible stranger holding her niece captive, but it seems like I'm the one who's in the dark with the way they're talking to each other like everything about this makes perfect sense...even when it doesn't.
Or am I the only one who's missing something here?
Monsters from the same pod
Gotta hand it to her.
Kayra had just made an announcement that was the equivalent of dropping a nuclear bomb on her niece, but the girl had simply taken it by stride and was now accepting everyone's well wishes like their upcoming marriage was truly the best thing to happen to her.
Are you really as strong as you seem, glikiá mou?
Bailey had only been six or seven years of age when she was orphaned, and around twelve when she had made the choice to live with her theía. As to whether she knew something about Kayra wasn't quite right before or after she made the decision...
He had a feeling it was only a matter of time before he'd know the answer to this for himself.
But in the meantime—-
Astro Petinos had just asked to speak with him in private, and Stelios was not surprised to hear the skepticism coloring the older man's voice as he spoke.
"Are you absolutely certain you want to do this, Stelios? War is guaranteed to break out if this marriage were to end in divorce."