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A man slides onto the stool next to her. He tries to talk to her, but she turns away and tosses back her drink. Orders another. And she was already tipsy when I met her in the morning. He continues to try to get her attention, and I squeeze my fingers around my glass. She turns her back on him, so he reaches out and touches her shoulder. My vision tunnels. Adrenaline laces my blood. The glass cracks, the whiskey spilling over my hand, and I stalk toward thestronzo.I reach for him as he crumples to the floor holding his crotch. I glance up to find her glowering at me.
"I can take care of myself," she snaps.
"You kneed him?" My balls shrink at the thought.
"I know how to fight. Took self-defense courses for a character I was auditioning for. A part I didn’t get,” she laughs bitterly, “but guess it had its uses." She turns back to the counter and reaches for her glass again. I sidestep the guy on the ground who’s curled up on his side, and snatch the glass from her.
"Hey, what the fuck are you doing?" she protests.
"You’ve had enough," I say through gritted teeth.
"You’re not my keeper," she snaps back.
"I am marrying your sister. I have the responsibility for taking care of the rest of her family." The words burst out of me and—fuck, fuck, fuck, I didn’t mean for it to come out that way.Or maybe I did, for her features crumple. Maybe I wanted to see some reaction from her. Maybe I wanted to find out if she’s hurting as much as I am inside.
She tugs on her arm, and this time, I release her. We stare at each other, then she seems to pull herself together.
"That’s right." She glances away. "You are marrying my sister, and it’s best for both of us to remember that."
"This isn’t how I wanted to see you again. I had no idea you were part of theCamorra."
"Not something I go about shouting from the rooftops." She folds her arms around her waist.
“And your accent...” I shake my head. “You have an American accent. How do you have an American accent when you grew up in Italy?”
“I went to the American school.” She rolls her eyes. “Why are we even talking about my accent?”
"You’re right, let’s talk about how you lied to me when you said you were in love with someone else," I snap.
"I did not." She tips up her chin.
“Oh, yeah?” I prop my hands on my hips. "Where is he, this man you claim to be in a relationship with?"
She blinks, then firms her lips. "None of your business."
"Everything about you is my business."
"As you said, you’re marrying my sister, so you don’t have to worry about who I’m with."
“Look Via—”
“The name’s Olivia,” she snaps.
“Via—” I firm my lips. “I already told you that the only reason I agreed to an arranged marriage with your sister is so I could fulfill the promise made to my Nonna. Also, she was keen we make our peace with theCamorra.”
“How convenient for you,” she snaps.
“You’re upset.” I sigh. “Listen, you’re part of theCamorra,and now you’re one of the family. I can’t have you risking our reputation by going off and fucking any random man."
“But you can?”
I want to tell her she’s not some random woman I fucked, but she beats me to the punch.
She tucks her elbows into her sides then tips up her chin. "He’s not a random man; he’s my fiancé."
Olivia
His jaw hardens and he lowers his gaze to my left hand. "I don’t see a fucking ring."
