Chapter 38
Luciano
The announcement hits me like a punch I didn’t see coming.
Charlie, who just yesterday was throwing fists at me, seething from my betrayal, now wants us to get married?
Where the hell did that come from? I glance over at Mattia, hoping for some kind of guidance, but even he looks as lost as I am.
Stefano, Carlo and Gabriele all hold their silence, watching me with unreadable expressions, waiting for me to explode.
I zero in on Isabella, the only one Charlie truly trusts right now. I lean in to her, my voice low so no one else overhears. “Did you know about this marriage plan?”
Not giving anything away, she spits, “Fuck off, Luciano,” and walks back into the house after Charlie. I turn to Mattia.
He shakes his head. “Good luck. It’s going to be one feisty marriage.” He smacks me on the shoulder.
I need to find her. I storm into the house, the weight of this absurd idea pressing down on me. She stands there in the foyer, back turned, like she’s already made up her mind. Isabella is now by her side, comforting her.
I take a step closer. “Principessa…”
Her head snaps around, venom dripping from her words as she pulls a gun out of her pocket, aiming it at me. “You don’t get to fucking call me that anymore.” The tears slide down her face. Isabella takes a step closer to her, but Charlie shakes her head.
I storm over to her as she tries to stand confident in her decision, pushing the gun against my chest. “You want to shoot me, Principessa?”
She fires back, shoving the gun harder against my chest. “What do you think, Luciano?” I slowly back her up until she hits the wall, the gun the only thing stopping me from moving any closer to her. I slam my hands on the wall either side of Charlie, trapping her from moving.
“Stop, Luciano,” Isabella begs, grabbing my arm and trying to push me away from Charlie.
“Fuck off, Isabella.” My frustration is boiling over just as the front door opens and my brothers enter the foyer.
Stefano comes over and grabs Isabella by the waist, pulling her away from me and Charlie. “Stefano, he’s going to hurt her,” Isabella pleads, trying to wiggle out of his grip.
“No, he won’t. They need to sort this out,” Stefano says to her, his grip firmer.
I turn my focus back to Charlie. Her eyes lock onto mine and I take the chance, quickly grabbing the gun, twisting it around in her hand so her wrist bends back awkwardly. “Owwww!” she yells, releasing the gun.
I shove it in the back of my pants and close the gap between us. “I can’t marry you, Charlie.”
When she stares at me, her eyes are cold and distant; the look of pure hatred. “You have no choice.” She grabs a bit of paper out of her pocket and shoves it at me.
She watches as I read the words on the page. Disbelief floods through me. What the fuck? Caterina wanted me to marry her daughter? I was there when Caterina created her will. How did I not know of the section?
“What are you reading?” I hear Mattia say.
“Shut up,” Carlo grumbles, but I ignore them and focus on Charlie.
Charlie’s voice finally breaks our silence. “The only way the soldiers will follow me is if you are beside me. I need to be in control when I avenge my mother, and I need it all now.”
I narrow my eyes at her. “There has to be another way.”
“This will be a marriage of convenience only,” she snaps, voice sharp as a blade. “What we had is over. You ruined it.” She ducks under my arm and storms away with Isabella at her side, leaving me standing there.
For once, I’m speechless. This time next week, I will be a married man.