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"Don’t tell me you don’t expect your fiancée to be a virgin."
"Don’t talk about her." I frown.
Massimo blows out a breath. "Look, it was different for Michael—"
"So everyone keeps saying."
"He was out to get revenge for Karma’s father selling us out, but you, you’re marrying a nice Sicilian girl—"
"Who’s spent enough time away to speak like she was born British," I interject.
"Besides the point." Massimo rocks back on his heels. "If you had any sense, you would have eloped with her, but since you didn’t..."
"Hold on—what did you say?"
"That you don’t have enough sense?"
"After that."
"That you don’t have enough sense?" He smirks.
"You said that I should have eloped with her—" I stroke my chin.
"Now, now…" Massimo holds up his hands. "You know Nonna is looking forward to a traditional church wedding."
"Well, Nonna can satisfy that desire with you."
He blanches.
"Come on, Massimo, you just said that you were ready to marry a virgin in an arranged Mafia marriage."
"Because I know the importance of having a good willing woman at home who can bear my babies and keep the house—"
"While you spend your time being a tough Mafioso with a few sidepieces, no doubt?"
"There have to be some benefits of being in this life."
"Didn’t think you would be this chauvinistic."
He throws his head back and laughs that full-belly laugh that emerges from the pit of his stomach. "You should speak, brother. You, who all but held your bride-to-be captive and, no doubt, forced her to agree to marry you."
"Only to get Nonna and the rest of you off my back when we finally break up," I murmur under my breath.
"What did you say?"
"Nothing. Fuck." I drag my fingers through my hair. "Why are we talking here, anyway? Shouldn’t we be heading out for dinner?"
"I know you’re trying to change the subject," Massimo narrows his gaze on my face. "I’ll let you get away with it, this time."
There’s another knock, and Seb pops his head through the doorway. "You guys coming for dinner?"
I glance across the table to where my fiancée is seated opposite me. Flower wears a soft pink dress that lends a rosy hue to her cheeks. Her thick hair curls about her shoulders, and she pushes away at a strand that falls over her cheek. The yellow sapphire on her finger catches the glow of the light from the candle flame on the table between us.
She throws her head back and laughs at something that Sebastian murmurs to her. The seating at the table was arranged by Nonna. She explained that it would change for every meal so that we’d have a chance to be seated with a different family member and get to know each of them over the next few days. Which also means that she has no intention of ever seating me and Flower together, which is going to be a problem.
"So, you really do have feelings for her, hmm?" Luca's voice cuts through my thoughts.
I raise my glass of wine to my mouth and drink from it. "How much have you had to drink, asshole?" I mutter.
