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“Can’t I spend some quality time with my brother?”
“How much money do you want?” he says, sighing.
“None, I’m not a fucking mercenary,” she snaps.
“Let’s take in the garden view,” I say to her, standing up and steering her away from Rocco and the other men.
I am trying to return some of the kindness Lucia had shown me at the wedding reception. I can tell she is wilting under the coldness of Rocco’s gaze and needing to be rescued.
“Thanks,” she says after a few minutes of silence.
“It’s fine, you gave me a good reason to escape.”
“Welcome to the family,” she says, rolling her eyes.
“I guess so,” I say slowly.
“He’s giving you a hard time too, huh?” she says knowingly.
“It was probably my own fault,” I sigh.
“I guess he met his match with you,” she smirks.
“Sometimes I wish I knew when to just shut up,” I say, shrugging.
“Me too but hey, that’s life. Rocco isn’t that bad. It’s just—” she starts but then stops looking awkward.
“What?” I say, frowning.
“Rocco doesn’t trust easily. He needs to be in control and sees it as a weakness to let his guard down. Too many people have disappointed him, including me,” she says glumly.
“Oh, I don’t see him trusting me anytime soon either,” I say sadly.
“Just don’t lie to him, he hates liars. Our father was a liar, and it hurt him more than he’ll ever let on—the disappointment.” Her eyes freeze open, and when I turn around Rocco is standing behind me.
He doesn’t say a word, but I can feel the fury radiating off him like steamed ice. His sunglasses sit nestled on top of his head, and I feel the full glacial gaze of his gray eyes.
“I see Lucia has been giving you the E! True Hollywood story of the De Luca family,” he says, rolling his eyes.
“No,” Sophia says shaking her head. “I was the one who asked her.”
Lucia smiles at her gratefully in sisterly solidarity, but her smile falters when she meets my steely gaze.
“I guess I’ll be going,” she says in a small voice.
“Why don’t you come with us to Capri?” Sophia says quickly as I raise my eyebrows in shock.
“You want my sister to come on our honeymoon?” I say in a deadpan voice.
“It’s not a honeymoon, it’s a business trip that you have incorporated me into. Besides, who else will I talk to when you’re with the men?”
“Is that what you want?” I say, looking at her.
“Yes,” she says firmly.
“Fine, but no getting wasted or getting high Lucia. The jet is leaving at five, so don’t be late,” I say reluctantly.
“I can’t wait!” Lucia says, rushing towards me and pulling me into a hug before she skips off.
