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I nod. “Good, I’d hate to have to kill him.”
Xander smiles. “You know we’re down for a war for our sister.”
I look between my brothers, none of them contradicting him.
We head down the stairs into the large open room below. This time, only Anthony Ricci is waiting for us. As the heir to his family seat, he’s been well trained in this game we’re playing.
My brothers filter in after me, flanking my sides in a show of power. “Anthony, to what do I owe the honor?”
“You killed my cousin,” Anthony responds, but his posture doesn’t change, still as relaxed as when we walked in.
I tilt my head. I know for a fact we didn’t leave evidence behind. He could be bluffing. “Did I?”
Anthony tucks his hand into his pockets and looks me over. “I just wanted to tell you that I’m not looking for Thomas anymore. We were never close, and to be honest, he was always an asshole.”
Tension eases from my muscles as he corroborates Matthias’s sources. Thomas would be a stupid man to go to war for, but you never know when pride will blind someone. Especially someone who was born with a gold spoon in their mouth and has probably never been told no in their lives.
“Asshole? Smart choice not to go looking for him,” I warn. I’m careful not to admit to killing him. It’s one thing to brush off suspicion and another to let a full-blown confession slide. I know better than anyone that in this world, a slight against your family is one you can’t ignore.
Anthony lowers his gaze in respect. “The Ricci family stands firmly beneath you. I truly appreciate you meeting with me today.”
Something in his tone makes me uneasy, but I can’t expect him to be pleased in this situation. “You are dismissed.”
“Congratulations on your recent marriage. A very unconventional pairing,” Anthony responds.
Electricity flickers in my veins at the thinly veiled insult. “Be careful speaking about my wife, or you may end up finding your cousin.”
His face blanches, and he swallows. “Thanks again for meeting me.”
I watch as he practically flees up the stairs, and we don’t speak until I hear the door slam after him.
I look to Matthias. “Watch him. That was too easy.”
“Already on it.”
Chapter 45
Misty
The sewing machine buzzes under my hands as I carefully attach another flower to my gown. I reach for a pin, and Damon hands it to me, not bothering to look up from his laptop. His legs are folded pretzel-like beneath him as he sits on the floor at my side.
“You know, you really don’t have to do this,” I say, taking the pin from him.
He’s wearing sweatpants and a hoodie, his casual appearance almost as attractive as his suits. All I want to do is curl up in his lap and let his warmth seep into my bones.
“You wouldn’t let me buy you a dress” is his only response.
“That’s because I like to make them.” The buzz of the machine stops as I move the fabric.
“I know.” Damon grins and hands me another flower. “Hence the helping.”
A warm, fuzzy feeling fills my chest that I try to capture and put in a box to take out and look at after. After he stops looking at me that way, after all of this is over.
If I’d known love would hurt this badly, I’d have done a better job at avoiding it. Not that he’d given me a choice. I swear, he’d come at my defenses in a strategized attack. I didn’t stand a chance.
I change the topic to something that’s been rolling in my mind. “The girl in the restaurant. The one Matthias couldn’t stop staring at. Have you ever tried to intervene there?”
Damon hums, then cracks his neck, kicking out his long legs in front of him. “We did once. It’s been obvious for years there’ssomething between them. Even if it’s hate. We thought if we stuck them together, maybe they’d sort it out.”
