AllFreeNovel
Share Us
He made a low growl, the sound vibrating through his chest.
“First of all, your mother doesn’t know me or the Lupu clan. Even though you won’t be going into our marriage as a virgin, we have the blood bond. I don’t know what dishonor she’s talking about. Since when is a blood bond not a supreme form of honor? And I’m a better choice than a third son like Nicu.”
Adjusting me on his lap, he continued, “As for the Lupu clan, they will look to my behavior, not yours. They will respect the fact that I took what I wanted. As long as I give them a big-ass wedding where they can drink themselves under the table, they’ll be satisfied. Lastly, she called me selfish. Okay, that part is true. It was selfish of me to snap you up, but too bad for her, I don’t give two fucks. I’ll wear that judgment like a badge of honor if it keeps us together.”
“But we don’t know each other that well,” I said, flinching at the whiny tinge of my voice. God, I was out of my element. I always thought of myself as strong, but I had never rebelled on this level before. Never challenged my family like this before. It was much harder than I had expected. I was intimidated, and I didn’t like this feeling.
“Please, woman. You know me a hell of a lot better than you knew my brother, and you were engaged to him. We knew enough to know that this was it for us. Granted, we didn’t follow the typical path. We didn’t meet on a dating app, date for a year, then move in together and get a puppy to see if we had compatible parenting styles, but we’re mafie. Sure, we’ll have to adjust to each other. We might discover traits we’re not as crazy about, but that’s how real love works. It’s understandable that your mother’s upset, but right now, she’s throwing spaghetti at the wall and seeing what sticks. If she says something that upsets you, trust your gut or come to me. I’ll lead you back to the promised land, baby.”
I snorted. “The promised land? Are you referring to yourself?”
“No, I’m referring to us,” he responded seriously.
My heart did a funny pitter-pat as I turned over what he’d said in my mind. His arms tightened around me, his spicy cedar scent calming me. He hadn’t shaved, and the scruff of his jaw grazed against my temple. I traced the line of his biceps, following a protruding vein along his arm as I snuggled into his broad chest. Luca personified power, strength, and oddly enough, stability. I was used to depending on myself and didn’t expect to draw so much comfort from him.
We stayed quiet for a little while.
“She say anything else?” he queried gently.
I pursed my lips together. “Alex won’t support us. She didn’t say that last one outright, but she thinks it. She said that everyone sees the Popescus as low class and I solidified our reputation. There’s no way I’ll live it down, especially with Alex. She really looks up to him, what with that aristocratic air of his.”
He let out a half-laugh, half-snuffle. “She has no clue who Alex is and what makes him tic. This is the same man who twisted himself like a contortionist to get out from under his engagement with you so he could marry the outsider he loves. Alex is a romantic. And he blood bonded with Nina, so he can’t cast any stones. Once I showed him how damn serious I am about you, he accepted it wholeheartedly.”
He snorted softly. “I didn’t accidentally take a princess’s virginity. I don’t go around purposely binding myself to women for life. This wasn’t a mistake. This was a well-executed plan. We wanted this.”
After a pause, he suggested, “Just blame me for this mess. Your mother will give you a pass if she thinks I seduced you—the young, innocent virgin. Hell, she already thinks I’m the big, bad, selfish wolf, so she’s halfway there already.”
“I guess…” I replied, although I wasn’t comfortable with the idea. I didn’t want to hide behind him. I may have been a virgin, but I had boldly pursued him. Granted, I hadn’t anticipated how hard it would be to face my family, but I was proud of myself. If anything, I wanted to show him off. Strut around Little Bucharest on Luca’s arm, shouting to the world that here was my man.
Carefully, Luca said, “Alex told your father and brother that he knew about this from the beginning. That I had received his permission and Nicu’s blessing to pursue you and for the blood bond.” After a long, weighty pause, he continued, “You’re a Lupu now. Your allegiance is to us, Cat. You understand that, no?”
He was saying that as a Lupu, it was my duty to perpetuate the lie to protect their reputation. “That was brilliant of him. Of course, I understand.”
“You will need to stick with that narrative when you see your family,” he clarified.
My eyes shot to his. “I’m going to see them?”
“It was decided on at the meeting. Apparently, your brother’s convinced that you’ve been coerced or brainwashed, and he wants to hear it directly from you that you weren’t taken advantage of.”
I huffed out a laugh. “My mother certainly doesn’t think that. When am I going to see them?”
“I will drive you over there this evening. If you want me with you, I’m more than happy to do it.”
The glint in his eye hinted that there’d be another fight if anyone said anything unpleasant. His defense on my behalf was adorable, but this was for the Popescus to hash out. We spoke bluntly in my family, especially Cristo. There was no doubt that he’d lose his temper and say something crude, which would only cause a fight. That would help no one. In any case, they were my family, and I would handle them.
“I can manage them by myself. Truthfully, they need the space to vent their frustration.”
“That doesn’t give them the right to mistreat you,” he stated.
“True, but they deserve some leeway. This was a shock for them and shouting is one of the ways we work through things. You know how Romanians can be,” I explained with a shrug. Didn’t mean it would be pleasant, but after the conversation with my mother, I knew what to expect. I’d be better prepared this evening. “Anyway, you’ll be there to comfort me afterward, right?” I teased.
“It’s my job to take care of you, and you know how seriously I take that.” He bent down to kiss me, his hand cupping me between the legs. Pulling back, he continued, “After you’re done dealing with your family, brace yourself to handle mine. And I’m not talking about them judging you. It’s when they accept you that you’ll have your work cut out for you.”
“I’ve been well trained, believe me,” I quipped. “I’m not afraid of yours. But one thing at a time. I have to get through this first.”
I only hoped that Cristo was calmer by the time I showed up tonight.
