Page 244 of The One
“Yeah, I did,” I reply, and despite the sad reason for his visit, I can’t help the way my chest swells with pride. “Mari is amazing. Come on, I want you to meet her.”
We step out onto the terrace, where the remnants of lunch still litter the table. Laughter floats from the garden like music.
Mari and her sisters are playing badminton, their carefree joy infectious and making me smile. The dogs Tiero once gave to Ella snooze under the shade of a tree, utterly undisturbed by the chaos of the game.
I pause, drinking in the sight of my wife, barefoot, her hair tumbling down her back, her laughter ringing out as she leaps to return a shot.
“That beauty serving right now is my wife, Mariella,” I say, my voice tinged with pure, unfiltered affection, something I rarely let others see. Calling her my wife still sends a thrill through me.
Max whistles low. “Damn, Teo, you did well.”
His gaze sharpens as he tracks Mari’s younger sister. His usual casual smirk fades into something… calculating.
“And the other girls?” he asks, though I can already sense where this is going.
“The one playing with Mari is Isabella, the oldest Accardi daughter. The other is Mia, one of her younger sisters.”
He hums, eyes still locked on Mia. “Who’s responsible for them now?”
I tear my gaze away from Mari to glare at him. “They’re under my protection. Why?”
He grins. “Now that I’m about to become Don, I need a wife. And she is marriage material. Just look at her. She’s beautiful. And she’s young enough to bear me at least half a dozen heirs.”
I choke out a laugh. “Half a dozen? Jesus, man. We’re talking about a woman here, not breeding cattle.”
He shrugs. “It’s practical. Keep the bloodline strong. Keep all main positions within the family.”
“And that’s why my answer is no. Mia deserves more than that. She and her sisters have been through enough. They deserve to be happy.”
“She wouldn’t be unhappy,” he counters. “She’d be well looked after.”
“No,” I repeat firmly. “Besides, I know your sexual appetite and the shit you’re into. That alone is enough for me to refuse.”
Max chuckles, shaking his head. “You and Tiero with your hopeless romantic bullshit. Love, partnership, devotion.” He waves a dismissive hand. “That’s not for me. I don’t need distractions. I need stability, heirs, and a wife who understands her role.”
“That’s why I say no.”
We lapse into silence, watching as the game continues.
“Two against one isn’t fair,” Mia protests, chasing the shuttlecock before it hits the ground.
Isabella grins. “It is when you’re the reigning family champion and have been undefeated for months.”
To my utter shock, Max shrugs off his jacket, tosses it onto a chair, and strides toward the lawn. Without hesitation, he grabs the spare racket and twirls it in his hand.
“Can’t have you fighting this battle on your own,” he tells Mia, winking at her.
Mia blinks, momentarily caught off guard, before narrowing her eyes. “You any good?”
Max smirks. “I guess you’ll find out.”
I shake my head, watching the scene unfold. This just got interesting.
I roll the cufflinks of my shirt between my fingers as Mari and I sit in the back of the SUV that’s taking us to Tiero’s mansion for tonight’s memorial service. They’re engraved with a roaring lion. Tiero’s. Same as the tiepin I chose for tonight.
Wearing these small possessions of my brother makes me feel closer to him, even though the weight of his absence never lifts.
I dread tonight as much as I appreciate the turnout. So many have traveled far to honor him, a testament to his impact. My throat tightens. I need a distraction before grief pulls me under.
