I grab Ana’s arm, and she nearly jumps a foot in the air.
“Shh!”
“Nina, are you all right? Oh my goodness, I can’t believe what happened.”
Yeah, so either Carlo told her after it happened, or she heard it from the many men inside the room next to us.
“I’m fine.” I frown instantly when I hear my brother’s voice.
“You’re sick, Papa. I’ll kill the man before you force her into this marriage.”
“He didn’t succeed, Max. There is nothing I can do. The contract states that if she remains untouched, the wedding will continue.”
I flinch at Papa’s words. They hurt more than I care to admit. He doesn’t care who he gives his daughter to.
He only cares about the contract, and how it will benefit him.
A loud slam echoes through the hall as my brother barges through the door. He walks past me and Ana with confusion. A look from Max says it all.
The look says, “How much have you heard?” and, “What the fuck are you doing here?”
He’s been the father figure ever since I had my first boyfriend. I grew up only having my brother to protect me.
“Nina,” Max says, holding both my shoulders. “Come with me.”
I’m sure Max will update me on everything that was said—or he’ll choose to keep it from me because he knows it could do more harm than good.
“Ana, go find something else to do.” He turns and walks toward the front door, dragging me with him.
4GIOVANNI
Ican’t lie, she is hard to look at.
Every look at her, and she tempts me. I thought I got rid of my obsession when I left for a couple of years. She was a woman when I left, but she is even more of one now. I spent years watching her turn into who she is today, but something is different. She’s feisty now.
She needs to be. Her father plans on marrying her off to some random asshole.
When Max slammed the doors open and stormed out, his father’s demeanor shifted. Kirill threatens my family, and I can’t have that shit.
He threatensher.
I don’t normally let men who rape women breathe afterward. The son of a bitch is lucky Carlo came by and stopped me.
He didn’t walk off without any consequences though. If the maids haven’t cleaned the hallway yet, his ear might still be lying on the floor. I did it as a warning.
If the man’s smart, he’ll back out of this marriage.
I swirl my whiskey around and take a couple of sips. I’ll give it to Nina, she stood up for herself. If it weren’t for her loud voice, I never would have rushed up there in the first place.
The alcohol scorches my throat before I unleash hell on the man sitting in front of me, not a worry in the world. Rolando Romano—apparently one of the strongest men to form an alliance with in Italy.
I beg to differ.
He doesn’t have much going for him, if I’m being honest. My family views fathers negatively when they hand over their daughters to random men. Not something usual for our way of life, but I sort of admire that. We are different when it comes to family.
I can’t think of a single way Kirill would benefit Nina. He only benefits her father, Rolando.
Not a damn thing in it for Nina.