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“Enzo, I don’t hear the movie starting. Why don’t I hear the movie starting?” Izzy walks in wearing a matching light-pink silk short set with black piping lining the edges. Her face lights up as it settles on Matteo and me. “Oh perfect! You’reboth back, which means we need more popcorn,” she says excitedly as she rushes over to Enzo and shoves the bowl of popcorn into his hands. She turns back to us. “We were just about to watch a rom-com. You can both join!”
Watching a rom-com. Like my mom and I would be doing right about now if we were back in our little apartment down in Florida. I try to brush that thought aside, knowing that I can’t get lost in my emotions. I need to stay strong and hold onto any and all hope that wewillfind her.
“We’re going to pass on the rom-com,” Matteo says before directing his attention to Enzo. “But Iaminterested to hear what Silvestri’s guy had to say.”
“Oh, come on, Matteo. You never hang out with me. I came all the way into the city to spend time with my brothers. Plus, I want to get to know my new sister-in-law. Are you really going to deny me that?” Izzy pouts her lip and gives her brother puppy dog eyes that nearly havemecaving.
“Another time, Isabella. It’s already getting late, and I want to hear what information Enzo got today.”
“Ugh. Fine. Well, if you’re going to be lame and talk all business, at least let me hang out with Lux while you do it.”
Matteo glances down at me. “Are you okay with that? I don’t want to force you to entertain my sister. She can be. . .” He pauses as he ponders the right word to use.
“I can hear you,” Izzy states, which doesn’t faze him as he finishes his thought.
“A lot.”
I giggle softly. “I don’t mind.” And I don’t, which is a new feeling for me. Hanging out with people, making friends, it’s never something I cared to do in the past, and yet here I am, more comfortable with these strangers that are now my family than I’ve ever been with anyone else.
Izzy claps as she prances up to me, then loops her armthrough mine. Matteo leans down, brushing his cheek against mine and whispers, “I’ll be there in a few minutes.” The hairs on the back of my neck rise as his warm breath dances across my skin. I give him a small smile before descending the hallway with Izzy intact.
Upon entering my room, Izzy jumps on my bed and makes herself comfortable among the ridiculous amounts of throw pillows.
“So, Lux, tell me”—Izzy lifts her brows in curiosity—“what did you have that my brother wantedsobadlythat he was willing to marry you?”
I nearly trip over myself as I shut the door. “Um. . .”
“Marriages in our world are purely transactional. They’re only arranged to benefit both parties. Besides,” she says with a shrug, “my brother has never been interested in love, so you must have something that he wants for you to get on his radar the way you did.”
I guess that’s true.
“It’ll be the same for me,” she continues. “One of these days,I’llbe married off to someone to benefit our family. Just like it’s always been done.” She gives me an expectant look like I should know arranged marriages are common.
“And you’re okay with that?” I ask as I climb up on the edge of the bed and lean over to untie my boots.
“I guess. I don’t really have a choice.”
I glance at her over my shoulder as she plays with the ends of her hair, which is still as perfect now as it was a few hours ago. Her somber eyes are focused on each strand as she runs her fingers through them.
“Arranged marriages seem like an outdated practice. Maybe you can fall in love with a really great guy and a marriage will naturally progress for you.”
A sliver of sadness passes through Izzy’s eyes before shequickly recovers, brushing it off like it never even happened, but I saw it. It was almost like there was a longing there.
“There’s no point in combining two families unless each family is getting something out of it.” She offers a relaxed shrug. “And I know that. I’ve known that my entire life. I was raised to do right by my family, and when my time comes, I will.”
Sitting up straighter, she props herself up on the pillows with her legs stretched out and her hands folded in her lap. Pasting that beauty queen smile of hers back on, she puts the focus back on me. “Anyway, enough of that. Now, tell me, what sealed the deal between you two?” Raising a brow at me, she continues. “There’s not much my brother needs orwants, so you have me intrigued.”
I chuckle as I brush a loose strand of hair behind my ear. “I’m surprised Enzo didn’t catch you up.”
“While he’s definitely the gossiping type, he wouldn’t tell me a damn thing over dinner. If you ask me, I think he enjoys holding things over my head. He loves knowing information that I want to know. He’s kind of an ass like that.”
“You know, I can see that,” I say, pursing my lips. “He seems like the type that likes a game. Wants to dangle that little piece of information over you like bait for a fish. Just to keep you interested until you’re hooked.”
“Precisely. Gosh it’s so great having some estrogen around this place. I’ve been stuck with too much testosterone lately. Ever since our. . .”
Before I can ask what she was going to say, a knock comes from my door. I hop off the bed and open the door to Matteo holding a shirt in his hand. His intense gaze pins me in place. Opening the door wider, I gesture for him to come in.
“And that is my cue to go,” Izzy says before jumping offthe side of the bed. She bumps her hip into mine. “We’ll pick up this discussion tomorrow. You have no plans, right?”
