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Massimo paces the floor of our father’s study. It’s ten o’clock at night and I’m exhausted from everything, but he had me dragged in here the moment I arrived.
It’s so odd seeing him here in father’s position, but Father is still in hospital, fighting cancer. The doctors had given him a grim prognosis, but he seems to defy them at the moment. And it turns out he’s due to go into surgery in six days. He’s already clarified that if he makes a full recovery, he has no intention of reclaiming his position as the don.
“I’m tired, can we—”
“Silence,” he growls, stopping pacing and glaring at me. “What the hell were you thinking?”
“I don’t know what the big deal is.”
His jaw clenches. “You’ve been fucking a professor at your school. If you can’t see how that’s a big deal, then there’s something wrong with you.”
I swallow hard. “I’m on the pill. Let’s be honest here, it’s not like you were a virgin when you met Paisley, is it?” It’s so fucking ridiculous the way the men of our family hold the women to completely different rules. They can fuck around as much as they want, but we have to remain pure, innocent virgins ready to be auctioned off.
He crosses his arms over his chest. “You know why you’re not supposed to sleep around. How are we supposed to find you a husband when you’re no longer a virgin?”
I scoff at that. “Who the fuck is a virgin at eighteen nowadays, anyway?”
His eyes narrow. “Mafia princesses.”
“Just tell people I am. How will they know?” The thought of ever sleeping with a man other than Gav makes my skin crawl. I’d rather die than ever be with another man. He is the man for me, no matter whether he wants me.
It’s crazy that he’s pulled me out of school early, considering we only had two weeks left. It’s not like what Gav and I have was going to continue after I graduate. A fact that has been haunting me the longer the school year progresses.
I know no amount of time spent with him would have been enough, but to have it cut short like this really twists the knife in. I never intended to lose my heart to a monster, but that’s exactly what happened. Hell, I think I lost it to him before we’d even slept together. Gavril Nitkin has been my schoolgirl crush for years.
Massimo grunts. “True, but, if word gets out.” He shakes his head. “I mean, Luca saw the two of you kissing.”
Heat flares in my cheeks as I feel so damn thankful that’s all he saw. The things he could have seen are far fucking worse.
“Not to mention, Nitkin is renowned for being a sadistic son of a bitch.” Massimo looks at me for a few beats before shaking his head. “It’s hard to believe my baby sister is even sleeping with anyone, let alone a sadist.”
I keep my eyes focused on the coffee table in front of me as my cheeks heat. This is so not a conversation I want to have with Massimo. “Can we not—”
“Not what?” He snaps, the rage clear in his voice. “Have a frank and honest conversation about what you’ve been doing? If you are sleeping with someone, then you have to be adult enough to talk about it.”
I narrow my eyes at him. “I don’t need to talk about it with my brother. Do you want to discuss your sex life with Paisley?”
He folds his arms over his chest and leans back against the edge of the large mahogany desk. “This isn’t about me, Camilla. You are eighteen years old. I’m thirty. I can do what I want as the head of this family, but you—”
“Yeah, I get it. I’m just a puppet for this family to use as they want. I have to marry whoever will bring you more power, money, or some bullshit like that.”
His eyes soften as he stops pacing and approaches me. “I’m sorry, that’s just how it’s always been.”
“Just because that’s how it’s always been, doesn’t mean it’s how it should be.” It’s unfair that women in this world get treated like garbage, but it’s something I’ve accepted since I was little.
Massimo surprises me by nodding. “That is true, but I’m not sure I can be the one to change years of tradition.”
“And what about Mia?”
His jaw clenches. “What about her?”
“She got to marry Killian, a man you didn’t select.”
“Are you suggesting you are in love with the professor?”
I shake my head. “No, I’m merely saying—”
“That was different. It benefited our family more than any choice I or Father could have made.” He loosens the tie around his neck. “I’m sorry to tell you this, but I’ve found a suitable husband for you. Before news gets out, you are to marry him at the end of next week.”
