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Shaking my head again, I say, “Nope. That will not do. You want me to help you find your mother, then you’re going to have to stay married to me. There is no other option for you, Luxtyn.”
“I can just ask Angelo to help me. He’s the only one thatwantsto help me. I don’t need you.”
“We’ve gone over this. Angelo is too close to it. Why do you think he asked me to assist him with this?”
She sits there contemplating her options, which shouldn’t take long since she has none. “And what if you can’t find my mom? Then thisarrangementis only beneficial to you.”
I see. She’s worried I won’t hold up my end of the deal.Well, fortunately for her, I’m a man of my word. I already have people combing the streets to see if they can find any intel about a woman who’s been taken by Silvestri. “I assure you, I will find your mother. You have my word.”
She ponders it for a few more minutes, then her face falls flat for a brief moment before she lifts her chin and looks me square in the eye. “Fine. I’ll do it. I’ll marry you, Matteo.”
A smile of satisfaction forms on my face before we’re interrupted by a knock on my door. “Hello, Matteo,” says an older gentleman. “Are you ready for me?”
Bringing my attention to the man who’s been in my life for as long as I can remember, I say, “Yes. Please come in.”
Luxtyn glances over her shoulder before bringing her attention back to me. Her eyebrows are raised and a slight frown forms on her face. “What’s going on?” she asks.
“What’s going on, my lovely fiancée, is that we’re getting married. Right now.” I gesture to the older gentleman who’s married everyone in our family for the past couple of decades now. “Meet Father Barone. Father Barone, meet my soon-to-be-wife, Luxtyn Stockwell.”
15
LUXTYN
“We’re getting marriednow?” I’m dumbfounded. He already coordinated having the officiant here because he knew my only option was to say yes to him. I can’t stand the arrogance of this man, yet here I am, signing my life over to him.
“No time like the present,” he says as he rises from his seat. “Besides, I won’t help you find your mother until you sign your name on that marriage license. I assumed you’d want to get this done as soon as possible. Was I wrong in that assumption?” He cocks a brow at me, waiting for my answer.
I glance back at Father Barone who looks uncomfortable over our disagreement. I wonder if he’ll help me. . .
In one last ditch effort to get out of this situation, I say, “Father Barone, isn’t it against your religion to force someone into marriage?”
“Yes, dear, it is.”
“Maybe you can talk some sense into myfiancé, then.”
Father Barone looks from me to Matteo before Matteospeaks. “Father Barone, please excuse myfiancée. It seems she’s lost her manners.”
He gives Matteo a small smile.
You have got to be kidding me.
“Father Barone, I just want to let you know that if you follow through with this coerced marriage, you’ll be responsible for fraud in the Catholic church. Are you sure you’re okay with going to hell?” I snap at him, but it doesn’t seem to faze him.
“I’m sure you and Matteo will live a long, happy life together, Luxtyn.” He says it with so much confidence, like he truly believes that. Bringing his attention back to Matteo, he asks, “Now, where would you like the ceremony to take place?”
“Here is fine,” Matteo says.
I look around the office space and take in the black walls and red velvet furniture. All it needs is a pole and it would pass as a private room in a strip club. “How romantic,” I mutter.
“Is this not to your liking, sweetheart?”
Rolling my eyes, I turn back to Matteo and respond with little to no enthusiasm. “It’s perfect. Everything is just perfect.” There’s no point in fighting the inevitable. As long as he holds up his end of the bargain, it doesn’t matter where we get married.
This whole thing is ironic, really. I never pictured myself getting married. It’s not something I ever thought was in the cards for me. I’ve never had a boyfriend. Hell, I don’t even like forming platonic friendships with people. It’s always been my mom and me, which I’ve been content with. Sure, I’ve had sex, but emotions and feelings were never something I brought to the table. There was never a point to setting down roots when I knew I’d be leaving soon. But as I take in the reality of my situation, it dawns on me that this will be the only time I ever get married, and it’s not what I expected at all.
As Matteo stares at me, there’s a flash of something in his eyes. Is it sympathy? Does he actually feel bad for me? I might’ve just met Matteo, but he doesn’t seem like the type to show people sympathy. And he’s especially not going to show someone like me, someone who’s just a means to an end for him, sympathy.
Matteo addresses Father Barone once more. “Enzo should be up any minute. We can do this wherever you see fit, Father Barone.”
