Page 7 of Between Us

“What are you doing here?” She tried to keep her tone flat, but something vulnerable seeped through. She was vulnerable in front of this man who was to be her husband. Her fate, her entire life, would soon dependentirely on him.

Almost against her will, she immediately noticed the way his dark-gray suit clung to his powerful body, the color complementing beautifully the pale blue of his irises. He was even more handsome than the first time she had set eyes on him.

But as ignorant as her father had wanted to keep her with regard to his work, she knew there were certain parts of the city that belonged to him. Future husband or not, Roman was still not a part of their organization, and he definitely had no business being in the heart oftheirterritory.

“I asked you a question first, Alessandra.”

She liked it a little too much how her full name sounded coming out of his mouth.

“I don't smoke,” she said simply, straightening her posture a little bit. Besides, he had no right to demand answers from her. Not yet, anyway. “I think you’re in the wrong part of the city.”

His lips lifted at the corner, clearly amused with the change in her demeanor. The first and only time he’d seen her, she had been a crying mess, desperately trying to understand her father’s cruel decision. “It's a free country, no?”

“My papà won't be pleased to find out you've been here,” she challenged, although she had no intention of telling on him.

“Don't worry, your father knows.”

She had no comeback to that. Instead, her brown eyes regarded him curiously. This man was to become her husband in less than three weeks. She knew next to nothing about him, but she would be lying to herself if she claimed she didn't find him devastatinglyattractive. He was tall and well-built, with dark hair and fair skin marred only by the harshness of the black ink spread across his knuckles. As she took in his angular jaw covered in a few days' worth of stubble and the straight line of his nose, her gaze was drawn back up to the steely shade of blue in his eyes. It took her brain a second to realize they were narrowed in the direction of her left hand.

“Where is your ring?” he demanded, all traces of amusement gone from his face.

Instinctively, she pulled her hand behind her back. “Forgot it on the nightstand,” she lied. In reality, she hadn't even opened the box to look at it.

Roman examined her face as if trying to decide if he believed her or not.

“Don't let me see you without it again,” he said on a parting note before walking past her and toward his car that was parked just down the street.

With a turn of her head, she watched him climb inside and drive away.

Mia was talking again, asking something about Roman, but Alessandra didn’t hear it, too focused on the empty spot where the black Mercedes had been moments before.

???

The house was quiet when they returned from their brunch. The women split up on the first floor—Gabriella heading toward her husband's study and Alessandra continuing up the stairs to her bedroom. She was surprised to find her brother sprawled out across her bed, watching TV.

“What are you doing in my room?” she asked in an unfriendly voice, tossing her purse on the loveseat at the foot of the bed.

Matteo sat up, a shadow of concern passing over his face. “You've been avoiding me.”

“And why do you think that is, Matty?” she accused, struggling to push back the flood of emotions threatening to overwhelm her. She felt so betrayed she could barely look at him.

“Ale,” he said in a gentle voice, using the same nickname he had since they were children. “I'm so fucking sorry.”

“It doesn't matter now, does it? I still have to marry a complete stranger.”

“Fuck,” he swore harshly, running a hand through his hair. He stood after a moment, walking over to her and smoothing his palm over her long hair. “I tried. Dad won't listen to anyone. He's gotten into some bad shit with the Russians, and this is what they asked for in return for peace.”

Alessandra gaped at her brother in disbelief. “So I'm payinghisdebt to those people? Do you understand how messed up that is?”

“Trust me, I know. I'm fucking furious about it.”

An angry tear that she was unable to contain slid down her cheek. “I've known since I was ten that I would have to marry a man he chose for me. But it never even crossed my mind that he would barter me off like an old piece of junk to an outsider.”

Pain flashed in Matteo's green eyes. “Don't say that.”

“It's true, isn't it? What kind of parent does that?”

Matteo had no response to that question. They both knew just how deplorable their father's actions hadbeen. Even in their violent and crime-infested world, you didn't just give away your only daughter to the enemy. Alessandra suspected Matteo had a better idea of what had driven Nero to make such an appalling decision, but he wasn't going to share the details with her. No matter how much her brother loved her, family life and business had to be kept separate.

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