“Like what?” I ask.
“Like things that could get him killed. Doing dangerous stunts with his motorcycle. Getting into shootouts. He’s a man who likes to put himself front and center in the line of danger. Serafina, that’s not a good man for you.”
“Why not?” she demands. “To me, it sounds like we’re a match made in heaven. We’re both wild. We’d get along great.”
“No, neither of you would know how to temper the other one. You’d light a fuse and watch the whole world burn. Trust me. You two are not a good match.”
Serafina slumps into a seat at the table. “That sucks. Seriously? You’re not going to change your mind, are you?”
“I’m not.” Dario shifts as something passing over his eyes. “On that note, though, there was something I needed to discuss with you, Adelina.”
I stand up straighter. “Me?”
“Yes.” He clears his throat. “I’ve been thinking of who would be good for you. Someone who could help balance you out and you them. I know this is awkward, but … I was actually thinking of marryingyouto Matteo.”
My whole world tilts off its axis. I could fall over—I’m going to fall over.
Serafina whirls around on me. “What? You want to marry Adelina to Matteo?” Her head whips back and forth as she looks between Dario and me.
I stumble and catch myself on the counter.
Pia hurries over. “Are you all right?” She grabs my hand, helping to steady me.Are you ok?She signs.
I nod, then shake my head. No, I’m not ok. Dario can’t have meant what he just said. He can’t. There’s no way.
“Adelina would be a better match for Matteo,” Dario explains. “She’s more even-tempered. I think she’d do a good job of keeping him in line. I don’t want my ally to go crazy and ruin everything we’ve worked for. Adelina could help with that.”
I blow out a breath. “So, you want me to marry that biker just to keep him in line? Why is that my responsibility?”
Dario levels a look at me. “Because that’s your job. As members of this family, we all have jobs we have to do, even if we don’t like them. And your job is to make an alliance through marriage, helping my business, so I can make sure you two still live the lives you’re used to.”
“This is bullshit,” Serafina spits out. “I’m the one who wants to marry Matteo. Adelina wants nothing to do with him. She just called him ‘that biker.’ How can you do this, Dario? It’s not fair.”
He sighs and says to Serafina, “Do you even like Matteo has a person? You barely know him.”
“I don’t have to know him to know I want to marry him,” she grumbles.
Dario looks like he might have an aneurysm. “Enough of this. My decision is final. I think it’s a better match for Adelina to marry Matteo. And that’s what’s going to happen.”
I frown. “What does Matteo think of this? Have you even asked him?” Not that I care what Matteo thinks. I don’t concern myself with the opinions of bikers, but I am curious.
“I have. And he’s agreed to this match. In fact, I invited him over for dinner tonight so you two can get to know one another better. He’s on his way over right now.”
As if on cue, there’s a knock on the front door.
CHAPTER 2
Matteo
ONE DAY EARLIER …
The building explodes in a blaze of fire.
I jump onto my motorcycle and hurry away, my men following.
We just blew up a competitor's meeting house, some assholes who thought they could work on my territory. Let this be the lesson for any of my enemies–never fuck with Matteo Amato. It helps that I have the boss of the Santoro mafia on my side. I know Dario won't be too happy with me exploding things, but he’s not my boss. We’re co-workers. Neither of us works for the other. He’ll just have to deal. Anyway, I’ve cleaned up a lot of his messes in the past. He can do the same for me.
Carlo, my second in command, cheers as we drive away. His booming voice carries over the rev of our engines. He pumps his fist into the air over and over.