Explosive ( Bloody Heirs #1 )

Engaged? Oh, definetly.

ROMERO

My sister's voice broke through my sleep, interrupting my very beautiful dream. "Good morning sunshine!"

I opened my eyes and rolled over, glaring at Stefan's copy paste. "What time is it Fi?"

She beamed and put a cup of coffee down on my nightstand that I immediately picked up. "It's around 8:30AM right now," she said, her mouth tilting in a smirk.

My eyes widened and I choked on the coffee I'd attempted drinking. "I'm supposed to be at the Mikhailov mansion in 35 minutes Fi! Goddamnit!" I yelled as I threw the bed covers off and stormed to my closet.

Stefan strolled in, cup of coffee in his hand, his never-missing sadistic smirk plastered on his face at usual. "In our defence we've been trying to wake you for the past hour," he said, smirk widening.

I glowered at him, shrugging my t-shirt off. "Okay you two demons," I started on a serious tone and they exchanged looks, making more exasperation course through my body. "Listen to me!" I snapped.

Their backs snapped straight and they looked at me even though their smirks remained intact. "Be. On. Your. Best. Behavior. Understood?" I glowered at them.

"Yes sir," they both laughed and made some weird sign with their hands.

"Get out," I shooed them away with my hand. "You're giving me a headache already."

They laughed as they walked out of my room and I cursed them both until the door shut behind them.

★

Fifteen minutes later, I was showered and dressed, starting the car. Music blared from my speakers and I was happy I could accustom to loud noises so fast otherwise the rap music playing through my speakers would've long since made me crash.

Fiorella groaned from the back. "Do we have to listen to 21 Savage this early in the morning?!" She whined, scrolling through her phone.

Stefan rolled his eyes. "Would you rather we listened to Lana Del Rey instead?" Our sistee beamed and Stefan turned his head to glare at her but she didn't back down until she had Born to Die blasting through my speakers.

"I need more coffee," I muttered under my breath as I took a sharp right down a narrow road.

"Did you think about how to convince the serial killer princess to marry you?" Stefan asked me, scrolling through his phone.

I shook my head. "What? You think I need more than my devilishly good looks to get through her?"

He raised his head and shocked me to my core by bellowing out a loud, genuinely amused laugh. "Romero the woman set people on fire for less than forcing her into a marriage. You do know that, don't you?"

I glowered. "Yes Stefan, thank you for pointing out what I already knew." I glared ahead as the gates to the estate opened for us. "Plus it's not like I'm exactly willing in this am I?"

My brother rolled his eyes. "Oh please don't act so innocent. You were probably doing jumping-jacks when Father told you who you're engaged to."

I grumbled under my breath but said nothing as we pulled up in front of the mansion. "Best behavior yes?" I glowered at my siblings who snorted in return. Kids.

We stepped out of the car and were immediately greeted by the growling, suspicious figures of eight of the biggest dogs I'd ever seen in my life.

Fiorella shoved Stefan in front of her who then proceeded to shove me in front of them both. "Why the fuck should I be in the front?"

Stefan swatted me up the head. "Your fiance is their mama bear. Use your fiance privileges and tell her to get these furry adorable possible killing machines away from us yeah?"

Fiorella groaned. "He has no fiance privileges! The woman didn't even properly look at him before deciding he'd meet the end of her gun!"

I turned my head to glare at them when a loud, rough sounding, feminine laugh came from the direction of the small gathering of trees.

Aida herself walked out, her mouth twisted up in a grin and I felt my jaw dropping - literally so.

Fuck she was beautiful.

"Your sister is right," she said, taking a swig of her water. "You have no fiance privileges and I doubt you ever will." She smiled psychotically sweet before she nodded at Stefan who nodded back with a smirk on his face. Then she proceeded to wave and smile - a normal smile - at Fiorella who happily waved and smiled back.

"You two unproblematic kids," she told them. "Would you like to have late breakfast with me?" She walked toward us as I gaped at her moving form.

Stefan coughed out a laugh. "Of course we would," Fiorella agreed for them both before Stefan also nodded, the excitement they both had barely contained.

"What about me?" I asked, very fucking close to pouting. And shooting my siblings.

Or both at the same time.

Aida chuckled. "What about you?" She stepped closer, almost into my personal space but not quite.

I smirked and stepped closer at the same time she did, catching her off-guard. "I think that as your official fiance, I should get privileges the same way other people do - if not more."

She glared at me and attempted to step back, almost stumbling on her feet. I wrapped an arm around her waist and held her up, staring into her green eyes as I did.

"Listen closely princess," I murmured, lowering my face closer to hers. "You should know that this, isn't something I woke up one day and decided to choose. It's something I've dreamed of and wanted for a very, very, long time."

She struggled against my arm, laying her palms flat on my chest as she did so. "And let me guess, you always get what you want?" Her tone was mocking as was her expression.

I raised my other arm and wrapped my hand around her throat, feeling her pulse with two fingers before grinning.

"Always princess, always."

I saw it coming. The moment her palm raised and struck me across the face was still unexpected though.

My grin spread wider at the familiar feeling of blood running down my cheek. She huffed and pulled away from me, fixing her shirt. "Asshole," she murmured under her breath.

I winked in response and Aida looked like she'd make my other cheek bleed too before she decided against it. "Get inside," she snapped, turning on her heels and storming inside.

"That-" Fiorella started before she shook her head, seemingly in disbelief. "That was so hot." Stefan nodded in agreement and I glared at them both.

My sister turned her head toward me and shrugged. "Don't look at me, brother. If I was you, I would've gotten down on my knees and begged her to slap me again, okay?"

I pinched the top of my nose, an exasperated sigh leaving me.

Stefan chuckled. "Fi leave the poor guy alone, he'll end up abandoning us here if we keep annoying him." The horrified look Fiorella shot the both of us was enough of an answer.

"All of you inside!" Aida's voice bellowed from somewhere inside. "Now!"

Fiorella made heart gestures toward the house then turned to me.

"On your best behavior, understood?"

★

hey lovers:) so so excited about this chapter because it's honestly the most comedic one in the entirety of the book ( also a little preview of romeroaida's dynamic as a couple :D )

i hope you all had fun reading and i'll see you in the next chapter. i love you 🩶

- bex ⭐