Chapter 16 – One Month Later
ISEULT
ONE MONTH LATER
I almost forgot about my father’s threat to marry Eriu. To the point, I stopped talking to her about it, hoping that maybe Gio, or whatever his name is, decided he didn’t want a damn child bride.
I bet he’s fifty and has been married twice. And probably offed both women for speaking out of turn.
But of course, I was wrong. Not about what this Gio looks like, but about my father forgetting about his awful plan.
Because this morning, he happily announced that we’d be welcoming Gio, Michael, and their father to his home so that Eriu and Gio could finally meet.
My sister hasn’t stopped freaking out since.
Gio and his family are currently in Father’s office, while Eriu stands shaking beside me in the den, doing everything in her power to put on a brave face, because our father won’t tolerate anything different.
“I can’t believe you assholes voted for this.” I glare at each one of my brothers, shaking my head at them in disgust.
Tynan shrugs. “Wouldn’t matter either way. He would’ve done whatever he wanted, even if all three of us voted against it.”
“Well, you should’ve voted against it on principal.”
Tynan doesn’t say anything else, staring at me with indifference while seated on the sofa at one end, with Fionn in the middle and Cillian on the opposite side.
“It’s going to be okay.” Fionn rises and approaches Eriu, clasping her shoulder. “If he hurts you, he’s got the three of us to answer to. You hear me?”
She nods, but doesn’t appear relieved.
He wraps his arms around her. “I know this isn’t what you wanted, but we would never let anything happen to you. I promise.”
“Yeah, nice of you to help after she marries the asshole.” I roll my eyes.
“Ignore her,” Cillian says. “Our dear sister doesn’t believe in love.”
“Yeah,” I snicker. “What’s there to believe in? How many arranged marriages do you see turning into a blooming love affair?”
“See?” He grins, pointing at me. “Don’t listen to her. It’s going to be just fine. I’ve not heard anything that bad about him.”
“That bad?” I march up, staring daggers at Cillian, his pale emerald-green eyes assessing me with humor. “What does that mean?”
“What he means is…” Fionn clears his throat, returning to sit beside Cillian, scratching the dark brown hair at his temple.
“Say it.” I connect my eyes with his in a tight flare of my gaze.
“Well…Gio is, by all accounts, a bit of a playboy. Meaning, he gets around.”
“So he’s a hoe?” I throw my hands in the air. “Fucking great. Our sister is marrying a hoe. That’s nice, guys, real nice.”
“He’s quite dashing, though.” Fionn laughs.
I punch him hard on the shoulder, and when I pass a glance at my sister, she appears as though she’s about to run out of the room.
“Jesus Almighty.” Fionn rubs where my fist connected with him. “I forget how bloody strong you are.”
“It’s not funny,” I tell them. “This is her life.”
“I know it is, for fuck’s sake…”
“So, uh…he isn’t fifty?” I ask.
“No, not even close.” Fionn fights another bout of laughter. “He’s the youngest one, and you remember Raph, right?”
“How could I forget when he came storming in and started a damn fight with us?”
“Yeah. Well, he’s the oldest, and Michael is the middle one. We’ve met in passing before.”
Usually, the conversations my father has with the members of the Messina crime family have been over the phone, so I’ve never actually met the other brothers.
“Hush up. I hear them,” Tynan announces.
I rush back to Eriu for moral support, and seconds later, my father walks in with a man around his age.
Eriu grabs my hand and squeezes, and I squeeze right back.
“Girls,” my father says. “I want you to meet Giancarlo, Gio’s father.”
She smiles politely at the man, while I give him a curt nod.
Thank fuck that’s not who she’s supposed to marry, because if he were, I’d have to stake the bastard with my knife until there’s nothing left of him to marry.
“It’s a pleasure to meet you both.” He walks to my sister, picking up her hand and kissing the top of it.
“It’s wonderful to meet you, sir. I’m Eriu. Welcome to our home.”
“What a polite young lady you are.” He grins and assesses her like she’s his bride instead of his son’s.
My stomach churns, and in this moment, I instantly hate him.
“Gio is going to love you,” he goes on, and I have every intention to find a fork and stab him in the eye with it for the way he’s looking at my baby sister.
He moves on to me next, but all I do is glare, keeping my hands pinned to the small of my back.
“Yeah, welcome,” I mutter.
I can see my father’s disapproving eyes poking holes into me. Tough shit. This asshole sucks, and I’m not about to act all fake to please anyone.
“Well…” He lets out a wry chuckle. “Nice to meet you too.”
His mouth forms a thin line, gray mustache jerking in irritation as he moves over to sit on the other empty sofa.
I don’t fucking know why Eriu and I are standing here like a damn offering. But I don’t feel like getting on my father’s bad side at the moment by starting a full-blown civil war. When he pushes, I push that much harder. But I also know the concept of time and place.
I really don’t want to be here to meet any of these assholes. I know I’m instantly going to hate this Gio.
Maybe I can plan his murder. That’ll definitely get her off the hook.
Just then, multiple footsteps near, and when two men walk into the room…I gasp.
All air leaves my lungs.
Completely. Utterly. Gone.
No. No. No!
My head grows dizzy.
This isn’t happening.
My pulse throbs wildly in my ears.
My heart quickens, faster and faster, because one of the men staring at me with equal amounts of shock is none other than Orgasm Man himself.
He stands motionless, eyes wide, while the other guy beside him peers over at him in question.
“Ahh, there you two are,” my father says, but neither he nor I are paying attention.
His face goes practically white as he stares at me in disbelief, while his mouth moves slowly like he’s talking under his breath.
Okay. Breathe.
This isn’t so bad. Maybe he’s Michael and the other dude with that vicious scar on his right cheek is the one marrying Eriu. Which also doesn’t make me feel any better, because that man looks like he wouldn’t know how to care for a puppy, let alone a wife.
“Let me introduce you to my two daughters,” my father goes on.
But this man, this awfully stupidly handsome man won’t stop gawking at me, flipping my whole heart in my chest.
I can’t seem to stop staring at him either, an invisible chain forcing me to look at nowhere else but into those deep onyx eyes.
Nope. Not doing this. He means nothing. Absolutely nothing.
I should find a way to leave. Because it doesn’t even matter if he’s the one marrying Eriu or not. There’s absolutely no chance in hell I’d ever get with him again.
Then why is your gut dry heaving at the thought of Eriu walking down the aisle to him?
I bite down in absolute frustration. Why did I have to meet him? I was doing just fine on my own. Never cared if a guy I hooked up with married someone else. Never felt a damn thing.
Not that I feel anything for him. I mean, except this insane desire to straddle him and kiss him again…and again…and again.
I instantly shudder at these horrifying feelings. What is happening to me, and how do I make it stop?
It’s been a little over a year since we saw one another. Why does it feel like no time has passed, while at the same time, it feels like it’s been years since I’ve seen him? Felt his arms around me. Felt…happy?
Oh, God. This is worse than I thought.
Imagine if he knew he had made me happy? He would probably get a tattoo saying that right on his chest. That smug, sexy bastard.
My father’s eyes connect with him. “This is Iseult, my oldest.”
It’s then I know for certain. He’s the one she’s going to marry.
And I instantly want to die.
Oh my God.
What are the damn chances? Of all the people I had to fuck, it had to be my sister’s future husband.
Of course.
My jaw grinds as I stare at the wall ahead, contemplating ways to murder the man. How the hell did he not tell me who he was? I mean, I didn’t either, but still!
My father steps over to Eriu who glances at me right before my father introduces her. “And this? Is your bride, Eriu.”
But Gio doesn’t even look at her. From the corner of my eye, I can feel his smoldering dark eyes pinning me with a wild, hungry gaze.
His brother leans over to him, whispering something in his ear, and he says something back. They’re too far to hear, but he nods at something, and I really wish I had vamp hearing. I can’t seem to look straight at him, afraid if I do, I’m going to lose my mind and turn the damn room upside down.
“What are you boys talking about there?” my father asks. “Enlighten us. Please.”
Gio takes a step forward, getting closer, and it’s then I glance at him and instantly regret it. My pulse ramps up until I don’t think it can go any faster while my arms break with a shiver because the desperate way his eyes cling to mine unearths me.
His brows tug and my heart does too.
We stare at one another for long, torturous seconds until I feel my soul ripping right out of my body.
I inhale a deep, quiet breath and force myself to look away. It suddenly hurts to be without those eyes staring back at me.
But I can’t. I can’t look at him anymore and feel all these things for someone I don’t even know.
It’s crazy and stupid. And now, it’s also dangerous.
Because if he’s to be my brother-in-law, I have to stay away from him. Nothing can happen between us anymore. If it does, my father will kill us both.
“May I go, please?” I peer at my father. “It doesn’t seem like I’m needed here any longer.”
“You may not.” His voice is a sharp bite. “This is going to be your brother-in-law and our new family. Have some manners, darling. You will stay like everyone else.”
“Yes, Father.” I force a smile…but inside, I’m seething.
“It’s so nice to meet you,” Eriu says to Gio, her eyes darting to him, letting a small grin slip.