ABERRANT TENDERNESS

CHAPTER 6

 I regarded him for a few moments. he seemed angry. His anger suited me better than the submissive terror he’d displayed before. I lifted his hand, and he tensed again as if he’d forgotten about my touch. His pulse raced against my fingertips. I showed him the ring. “I won’t tell you that you have a choice to accept this or not. We both know you will accept it like you will say yes in two days.”

  he blanched and gave a small nod. “Otherwise there won’t be peace.”

  “Indeed.”

  His fingers shook as I put the engagement ring on. The jeweler had recommended it after I told her money wasn’t an issue. A simple gold band with a big diamond in the middle. I never understood the reason for engagement rings. he swallowed again, and I realized it was to contain some of his terror. “You realize this isn’t a death sentence.”

  Dark brown eyes rose to meet mine. “Death isn’t the worst that can happen.”

  “You will be my husband,” I told him. Whatever he’d heard about my brothers and me, and what was going on in bangkok, he didn’t have to fear that kind of thing.

  The door opened and  Porsche quickly pulled his hand from mine, swallowing again, but he didn’t manage to erase the fear on his face. A woman with long brown hair, a lighter shade than porsche’s, poked her head in, eyes roving between porsche and me. She narrowed her eyes then stepped into the room. “I’m not interrupting anything, am I?”

  I recognized her from photos of the Famiglia Underbosses and Captains I’d studied. Giulia Moretti, wife to Cassio Moretti, Underboss of Philadelphia. “I think that was the purpose of your appearance, wasn’t it?” I drawled.

  She didn’t look guilty as she moved to porsche’s side and gave me a haughty expression. “It’s not proper for you to be alone with him yet. I don’t know how you handle things in bangkok, but here we handle them like this.”

  I gave her a cold smile. “Don’t worry, I’m very aware of your traditions, as peculiar as they may be with the presentation of the sheets.”

  If I’d thought, Porsche had been scared before, my mentioning of that tradition upped his fright.

  I held out my hand but looked at Giulia. “porsche and I are supposed to make an appearance together, Mrs. Moretti … unless that tradition has been changed recently?”

  She glanced at porsche, who gave her a firm smile. “He’s right, Giulia. We don’t want to disappoint the guests.”

  he slipped his hand back in mine and lifted his chin. My thumb found his wrist again, and he shivered. Thud-thud. Thud. An erratic rhythm. Thud-thud. Thud.

  Giulia left, but she didn’t close the door.

  Without another word, I led porsche into the living room, where the guests were waiting for our appearance. They began clapping when we entered. What a display of fake excitement. Vegas stood beside Luca, his brother Matteo, and Romero. The women of the family were gathered on the other side of the room, probably because of my brother. Vegas expression didn’t bode well. Maybe he was pissed that he didn’t get the chance to spill our half-brother’s blood, but I had told him Luca wouldn’t dare invite him.

  Luca and porsche’s uncle spoke a few words as was expected. After that, I released porsche, so he could show off his ring to the women.

  “And what do you think? Are you satisfied with your future husband?” vegas asked with a grin as I stopped beside him. Luca tossed us a hard look. Vegas being his usual provocative self hadn’t bothered to lower his voice.