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I lower my head, and she tips up her chin. Anger smolders in the depths of her eyes. She firms her lips as I bring my mouth to hers. I stay poised, sharing her breath but not kissing her. Color fires her cheeks, but she doesn’t pull away. Her breasts thrust against my chest, and the curve of her waist trembles as I close the distance between our lips. I brush my mouth over hers, then release her so quickly that she blinks. I step back, an arm loosely about her shoulder. "You were saying?" I turn on Nonna. "Now that we’re engaged—"
"It’s even more important that she stay with me for the duration of our stay."
"What?" I stiffen. "That makes no sense. We live in the twenty-first century, where men and women stay together before they are married."
"We are the Mafia," Nonna retorts, "and you come from one of the oldest families in the country. So, you will heed our traditions and stay apart until you are married."
"No," I snap.
"Yes," Michael drawls.
"Totally, yes," Massimo rumbles.
"I agree," Luca smirks.
"Nonna’s right," Seb chuckles. "Time we do things by the book."
Adrian opens his mouth, and I point a finger at him. "Let me guess, you’re on board with this sham too."
"It’s how things are done in our part of the world," Adrian says gently.
"And you?" I scowl at Karma. "I don’t hear you agreeing to this."
"Because I don’t," she replies.
"Finally, fuck." I drag my fingers through my hair. "It takes someone who has not grown up in the cradle of the Mafia to see the fault of our ways."
"But I do think you and Aurora should stay apart until you get married," Karma adds.
"What the—!" I growl. "I can’t believe you are taking the side of these … these … imbeciles."
"Who are you calling imbeciles?" Michael glowers. "We only have your best interests at heart."
"Oh, yeah?" I growl. "I didn’t see you worrying about traditions when you decided to take Karma captive.
"It was an unusual situation, I agree," he murmurs. "And it worked out in the end." He pulls Karma even closer. "But I admit, we had a few hairy situations along the way, something I don’t wish on you, or anyone else, hence"—he pins me with his gaze—"I see the wisdom of the old ways now, and I think you and your fiancée will benefit from the distance."
"Che cazzo!"I glare at him. "What is this, some kind of intervention?" I take in the faces of my brothers. "Are the lot of you ganging up on me?"
"We only want what’s best for you,fratellino," Seb murmurs. "We’re looking out for you."
"More like intruding where you’re not needed." I turn on Nonna. "This is all your fault. If you hadn’t brought up the idea, the rest of these assholes wouldn’t be parroting what is, clearly, a foolish idea."
"Is it?" She tilts her head. "It’s you who said I should have interfered earlier when your father did what was so clearly wrong."
The blood drains from my face. "I am nothing like my father."
"And I am simply making sure that you and your wife start your new life in the best manner possible."
Anger thrums at my temples. My heartbeat ratchets up. My vision tunnels. I take a step forward, but a soft touch on my chest stops me. I glance down to find Aurora has placed her palm on the skin over my heart.
"Please," she murmurs, "please, Christian, don’t fight with your family; they only have your best interests at heart."
I peer into her features, the plea in her eyes, and the anger recedes. My guts churn, a swirling emptiness yawns in my belly, a hot sensation stabs at my chest, and I pull away from her. "You’ll pay for this," I say in a low voice.
Then turning, I stalk out of the house.
14
