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"At a bar."
"And you knew she was the one?"
I lower my chin to my chest. "She’s in love with someone else."
"Ah." Karma’s expression grows sympathetic. The heaviness in my chest intensifies.Fuck, will it ever get easier to say that? Will it ever be possible to think about her without my stomach folding in on itself?
"That’s too bad, I was going to suggest you simply marry her instead," Karma murmurs.
Michael and I train our gazes on her.
"What?" She looks between us. "She’sCamorra;you’reCosa Nostra. If you marry her, there’s an alliance between the two clans."
"I’m supposed to get engaged to her sister."
"Things change." She raises her shoulder.
"She’s in love with someone else."
"Are you sure?" She purses her lips. "What if she told you that simply because she was upset with you?"
I scowl. "I was there. I didn’t imagine it when she told me in no uncertain terms that she wasn’t in love with me."
"You’re not in love with your wife to-be," she points out.
"It’s an arranged marriage."
She raises a shoulder. "So, make this one, too."
I stare at her. It can’t be that simple, can it?
"What are you getting at?" I finally force the words out.
"Ask her to marry you."
"I already did," I point out.
"Ask her again."
I straighten to my full height. "No. She’s made up her mind, and so have I."
"Are you sure?" Michael rocks back on his heels. "This is your last chance to back out if you have any doubts."
I hold up my hand. "I don’t. I’m going through with this."
He holds my gaze for a beat, another, then nods. "So be it."
A ripple runs through the assembled crowd, and I know she’s entered the room. I resist the urge to turn. I hear her footsteps on the tiled floor as she passes me and heads for the front of the room. I can’t resist peeking from the corner of my eyes as she walks over to her sister. Olivia sits down next to her and the two embrace before they speak in low voices.
I wrench my gaze away from her, and turn to Michael. "I’m ready."
21
Olivia
I am not ready for this. So not ready for this. After that run-in with Massimo in the bathroom of their Don’s house, I made it back to the conservatory, managed to walk past the rest of my family to my sister, and stood by her side as my one-time lover slipped an engagement ring on her finger. I stood by as pictures were taken of the newly engaged couple. They hadn’t held hands or anything, thank God. In fact, Massimo didn’t do much, except stand next to her stiffly, as his family and mine congratulated the two of them. Then, thankfully, everyone moved to the formal dining room for lunch.
There were two tables in the room—one for my family and one for theCosa Nostra.Whoever had been in charge of the seating arrangements had been farsighted enough to realize that, while the two families are being joined in marriage, it doesn’t mean they get along very well together yet. My sister is seated opposite me. Normally, she’d have been seated at theCosa Nostratable, since she is now engaged into the family, but she opted to sit with us, and the Sovranos had not demurred. My family didn’t protest, either, which was unusual considering how much of a stickler for tradition they are. Maybe they’re just happy to have their daughter with them a while longer?
