Chapter Six
Then…
I’m sipping god-awful champagne at the reception of my brother and my fiancée. Well, ex-fiancée, and now sister-in-law. I stand with my back to the wall, watching everyone watch me like I’m going to kill everyone in the room. Watching for me to break or something, but I feel nothing.
Yes, she was promised to me. Did I want her? No, that was just how it was. But she threw out the rule book and picked my brother. My little brother, the snot-nose kid who tried to follow me everywhere, who was always given everything by Father, while I was treated harsher. More roughly.
I was given the burden of being the oldest. The next in line. so much was expected of me, even from being young, and he used to get to run around and play and have a childhood. While Father berated me for not being more like him—he was the favourite, I would have to learn that the hard way.
A small cough startles me from my thoughts. “Bellino, I’d like to introduce my daughter, Luna.”
I scowl at him. Daughter? Where’s he been hiding her?
He has two sons, Luciano and Ricardo. No mention of a daughter, ever.
I turn to take a look and then glance back.
She’s plain-looking. She looks like every other blonde-haired, blue-eyed bimbo, all designer bags, and fake boobs.
I suppose if you like that type of thing.
I don’t, but whatever. I blink before glancing down at Enzo, his hand outstretched.
My giant fist slides around his, and I shake it once before turning to look in her direction and nodding.
I slid my hand back into my pocket as Enzo steps closer.
“We wondered if you would be interested in talks to join the family, to secure our footing.” He means to secure his footing.
“I wasn’t aware you had a daughter, Enzo. I was under the impression all these years that Arianna was the only girl in the Five’s families.”
He looks at me with a look that tells me they’re not part of the five.
Our marriages are arranged to give us the highest quality of offspring, but mistresses, that’s another matter.
I survey her, and she’s just a girl, trying too hard.
Wearing too much makeup, smelling like she crashed through a perfume store.
It offends my sense of smell. I look away while I take another drink.
My mind wanders. My eyes gaze over Enzo’s shoulder.
Disinterested in having this conversation right now.
That’s when my eyes catch on him. There’s a guy there who looks similar to the girl.
Same hair and similar features, but more striking, and an air of intelligence about him, his gaze assessing everything.
I eye him with casual interest, with an element of fascination searing through.
Enzo sees me staring and turns to follow my gaze.
“And you are?” I ask.
“Bellino, this is my son, Leonardo.” He turns to look at us as Enzo says his name.
His eyes caress every inch of me. His gaze scans from my shoes all the way up my body before his eyes settle on mine.
They’re a brighter blue than hers. He stares at me for a second before he leans forward and takes my hand, shaking it.
His grip is firm. But I can feel the tension in his body.
I can tell he doesn’t want to be here either.
A fucking son too. Once he’s shaken my hand, he nods and gives me a tight-lipped smile, the tension in his jaw so prominent right now. He takes a step back and goes back to surveying the room. His eyes roam, taking in everything, while the girl just stares at me, batting her eyelashes.
“I think you and my daughter could be a good union, and after all the…” He waves his hand around at the wedding. “Unpleasantness—this all leaves a bad taste in our mouths. I believe we could be strong contenders to form an alliance.”
The daughter stands there, sickly sweet, batting her eyelashes at me like that’s what I’m looking for, but my eyes wander to him again.
Tall, slim, handsome; he’s young but his blond hair and blue eyes are divine.
He’s wearing a charcoal grey suit with a thin pinstripe running through it, his dress shoes are shined to perfection, but I can see they’re not new—there are small scuffs that he’s tried to buff out.
His suit, while being new, is on the cheap side.
His shirt, although starched, clearly isn’t new; the top three buttons of his shirt are undone.
He’s foregone the tie, and I can see a hint of toned, tanned chest. Blond hair is styled and neat, and his face is freshly shaved.
Blue eyes roam around, intently looking at nothing.
He’s glanced past us a few times, but his gaze doesn’t linger.
His jaw is tight like he’s not used to being in these situations, and I can clearly see that his father isn’t keeping them in the same lifestyle as him and his other children.
Clearly, they have been brought out for me and me alone, and I feel that if this were my wedding, these offspring wouldn’t have been dusted off or seen the light of day.
I lick my lips as I stare through Enzo, watching his son’s every move.
There’s something about him that’s drawing me to him. And I nod to myself.
“That’s wonderful. I’ll make an appointment to see your father, and we’ll go over everything.”
She giggles and looks down, and I find it irritating, so I scowl and look away. Enzo takes it for the dismissal that it is and scurries back across the room with his two illegitimate offspring.
They’re clearly not his wife’s, but isn’t that what all the Syndicate members seem to do?
I wouldn’t be surprised if Father had a few bastards sprinkled around.
But who am I to judge? I’ll entertain an arrangement for now.
Where’s the harm in seeing what I can get out of it?
I smirk at myself before going back to staring in contempt around the room.
I glance back at them and she flushes. Her father rests his hand on her shoulder, and they both turn to leave.
My eyes flick back to him, but he’s already walking away.
His hands clasped nonchalantly behind his back as he strolls through the crowd, his knuckles white, as if it’s all a facade, and I want to know more.
I want to see him again.