Page 48 of My Sunfall

“You’re not seeing him alone,” he grinds out again. “End of discussion.”

I let out an annoyed huff, but I don’t reply this time. Arguing over this is pointless, and I don’t have the energy. When we arrive at the villa, Lorenzo is already waiting, leaning against his car in the driveway. His eyes narrow in disapproval when he sees Lucas stepping out of the car and rounding it to open my door.

I walk into the villa toward Father’s office, head held high and spine straight, not waiting to see if they are following me. I’m too wrung out to care. Once inside, I step to the windows and turn around. I don’t offer refreshments. “What matter is so urgent that it couldn’t wait?” I ask without preamble.

Lorenzo’s eyes dart toward Lucas who is levelly staring back at him, and for a moment there is a silent stand-off between them.

Lucas breaks the silence first. “Chiara’s not talking to you alone, take it or leave it.”

Lorenzo looks like he wants to protest, but then he shrugs and turns to me, stepping closer. “Miss Bianchi,” he begins, “there is a matter of some urgency concerning your late mother’s arrangements.”

I frown, taken aback. “My mother? What are you talking about?”

“Before she passed”—his eyes gleam—“she and I made a deal some time ago. I’ve got it written, signed, witnessed and legally binding. She arranged for you to marry me.”

The room tilts and I clutch the edge of the table. Lucas steps next to me to pull my side flush to his and I am grateful for the support preventing me from falling to my knees.

“Wh-what? That…that can’t be. I’ve never heard of this, she never—”

“No fucking way,” comes Lucas’ snarl from beside me.

Lorenzo takes a step forward and it feels like a threat. “You are to be my wife,” he insists, ignoring Lucas entirely. “The arrangement is written and valid. And you know what breaking such an arrangement between two families entails…”

I shake my head, too numb to understand what is happening.

“If you refuse, it will be considered a breach in the contract and a personal insult. It means war, Miss Bianchi… Chiara.”

I want to scream at the way he says my name. I dimly hear Lucas roar something, but I can’t make out the words drowned out by the whooshing of my pulse in my ears. I am to marry a stranger…and if I don’t, there will be war. I’ve heard of wars tearing rival families apart, ending lives of innocent bystanders. I think of Lily, of Dante. My chest is constricting around my lungs to the point of rendering me lightheaded.

“You understand why this matter can’t wait any longer,” Lorenzo goes on. “I’m not a man who waits.”

“Well, then we’ve got a problem it seems,” comes Lucas’ cool reply.

I look up at him, pleading with my eyes not to make matters worse and start a war. I can survive an arranged marriage. After all, I have been groomed to be a Mafia bride all my life. What I won’t survive, however, is causing harm to the people I care about.

But Lucas ignores me, his attention is focused on the other man, his possessiveness impossible to miss as he bands his arm around my waist to plaster me against him.

“You see,” he drawls on, “no one was aware of the deal until today, not Chiara, not me, not the Santaluccia famiglia.” I can hear the threat of the organization hanging in the air.

“The deal is valid,” Lorenzo cuts in. “I’ll send you a copy of the contract signed by late Mrs. Bianchi. It is official, and you better than anyone, know that it is as binding as a blood oath.”

“That might be,” Lucas retorts, “but there is just a little problem.”

“Which problem?” Lorenzo sounds irritated. I follow the exchange with numb detachment, like they are discussing an arms deal and not my life.

“Chiara is already married. To me.”

Before my brain registers his words, his mouth is on mine, staking a claim. When he breaks the kiss, he angles me away from the man, no doubt to hide the shock on my face.

“We have to tell them, sweetheart. I know you wanted to wait for after the mourning period, but we can’t lead the man on, he surely has pressing business in Chicago he needs to go back to.” He lifts his gaze back to Lorenzo. “You see that the deal is annulled, Chiara married me in good faith, she didn’t know about the arrangement, written or not.”

“I don’t believe you,” Lorenzo barks.

Lucas shrugs his shoulders. “Believe it or not, get your lawyer to contact mine, he’ll send you a copy of the certificate.” He pulls a business card out of his breast pocket and slides it over the desk toward Lorenzo who takes it with fury written over his face.

“This is not over,” he hisses. “I will contest this, and if there is foul play I’ll burn this whole city to the ground. I’ll have the support of the other families on this, believe me.”

“Contest all you want,” Lucas replies. “Since our marriage is legal and no one was aware of the agreement before today, you won’t have the other families’ support.”