I watch Raphael’s face go white as a sheet before he reddens again. I might like this Uri. Raphael looks like he might just piss his pants.
“Bullshit,” Gio growls. “I have heard he is in the States but there has been talk of a pending engagement between him and Genève Bandini.”
“Yes, he has been courting her but it doesn’t seem to be the best match. Nicholas believes that Valentina would be a more suitable match for his nephew.
“They can’t even keep that dog on a leash,” Raphael spits.
“Choose your words wisely,” Uncle Valentine warns. “Walls tend to have ears and that man is not an enemy you want to make.”
Yes, I like this Uri already. Not that I am marrying either of these man. But I do like the way this Uri sounds.
Gio furrows his brows and looks at me for a long moment. “She is so much younger then Uri,” he says. “My boy will be able to provide her with children and still be able to play with them.”
This comment makes me frown. Well how old is this man. Has my father lost his mind? I look at my father and he flips his hand as if shooing a fly.
“Uri may be older but he will still be able to provide for her every need. He is young enough. I have not made a decision. I have never seen them together,” my father shrugs.
“She belongs to me,” Raphael growls in an outburst worthy of a tantrum. Gio glares at Raphael.
I’ve had enough, respect or no I’ve reached my limit. “I belong to no one, least of all you,” I point my finger at Raphael. “If you all will excuse me I would like to go join the engagement party. I’m sure Shannon could use the support.”
I kiss my father’s cheek and storm from the room.
CHAPTER Three
I am so pissed off. Where does my father get off trying to pass me off to that idiot Raphael or some old man? Its moments like these that I miss my mama. I would love to be vulnerable for once in my life and be able to run into my mama’s arms.
I look across the room at my younger sister. My father remarried after my mother’s death thinking I needed a mother figure to help me through what happened. All he managed to do was marry a gold digger. Angela was pregnant faster than the ink dried on the marriage certificate.
Daddy struggled with the idea of another baby after what happened to Lisette, but he ended up spoiling Shannon as much as me. I may not get a long the greatest with Angela but Shannon and I happen to be really close for being five years apart.
We are almost identical despite having different mothers. Our differences are in our hair and skin tone. Shannon is fair skinned with a slight olive tone, where I am a milk chocolate. My natural hair color is a dark brown like my dad’s. Shannon’s natural hair is jet black but these days she is blonde.
I know her face like I know my own. She is looking at her fiancé with a smile that is not quite meeting her eyes. Shannon is the shy one. She is going along with this because she does whatever my father tells her.
I think she is more unsettled with the fact that she won’t be marrying for love. Honestly, her fiancé Luca is not hard on the eyes. They make a beautiful couple. Shannon looks amazing in her turquoise floor length gown. She is not as curvy as me but she is still curvy and slightly taller than I am. Luca is still taller than she is, but they seem to fit. They will make beautiful babies. Looking at Luca makes me think of blue eyes once again. I wonder what our babies would look like.
I smile to myself as I think of the frustration in his face when I wouldn’t remove my sunglasses. It wasn’t going to happen. They are my shield, especially around men like him. Let’s just say a girl has to keep something secret.
I stiffen when I feel arms wrap around my waist. My first thought is that Raphael has a death wish. Then the scent that I committed to memory hits me. I spin around to clear my confusion. Only becoming more confused when I am met with the same pair of piercing blue eyes I had just been thinking about.
“What the hell are you doing here,” I snap. “You really don’t know who you are messing with.”
~B~
I am stunned.
I have been irritated with Luca’s whining about this engagement. As much as he has complained he will go through with this. Shannon is actually a gorgeous girl. Thoughts of the beauty from the shoe store came to mind the moment I saw Shannon. From the nose down she could be a dead ringer for the chocolate beauty, just with fairer coloring.
So imagine my surprise when the same woman I had been thinking of came storming into the ballroom of the Caprisi home. I had no doubts it was her. Her hair is different but I would know those curves if you blindfolded me and asked me to describe them inch for inch.
Once her shoe peeked from beneath her gown I knew for sure it was her. However, this is not why I am stunned. She is not wearing those damn sunglasses and I can see her eyes finally. God, she is gorgeous. Her eyes are a blue, just a shade darker than mine.
The contrast of her blue eyes against her chocolate skin is breathtaking. Then I look closer. I suck in a breath as I see mirrors looking back at me. There is a darkness in the depths of her eyes that shouldn’t be there. A darkness I know too well, that comes with hands stained in blood.
There is also a flicker of something else. It passes so quickly. It’s a sadness and vulnerability that doesn’t seem to fit. Although fleeting it tugs me in. I tighten my hold around her waist.
“God you are gorgeous, Love,” I say as soon as I find my voice. I have never been speechless in my life, but this woman has turned my brain to mush. I had planned to come over and say something charming and smooth like, “I see you decided to come thank me,” or “You just couldn’t stay away could you?” All of that went out the window the moment I looked into the windows of her soul.
“That is not an answer to my question,” she snaps at me.
It tugs a grin from my lips. My eyes fall to her full lips and I want nothing more than to taste the perfect rose buds. I bring my eyes back to hers. I am satisfied inside that although she is hissing at me she has yet to pull away from my embrace.
Up this close and with her hair piled high on her head I can tell that she is much younger than I first assumed, maybe her early twenties. This should put me off but with her I can’t stand to care about anything at the moment.
“I should be asking you that question,” I recover smoothly. “Are you following me?”
“Trust that if I were following you, you would not be safe,” she narrows her eyes up at me. “This is my home, so I think it is safe to say you are following me.”
This time I narrow my eyes. “What is your relationship to the bride to be?” I ask as my thoughts start to come together.
“She is my little sister,” she replies eyeing me suspiciously.
“You’re Valentina,” I ask incredulously.
“Yes, now who the hell are you?”
I crack a smile as I get ready to inform her of exactly who I am. Seems my plans have just changed again. I just maybe playing nice a little longer.
“Ah, I see you two are getting to know each other. This is good,” my uncle’s voice fills the air.
I watch as Valentina stiffens in my arms. Her eyes lock with mine before searching my face. That is when I see that look come over her face. The one people get when they see the monster within. Only this beautiful woman does not react as others do.
A broad grin consumes her face and she leans into me. “You’re Uri Donati. The man that makes them hush. I knew I heard that name somewhere before,” she says with a mischievous grin.
“And how would you know this,” I lift a brow at her.
We do not involve our women in family business. Uncle Nicholas only told me he wanted me to meet this Valentina Caprisi. He said she may be a more suitable match for me. Something tells me there is a lot more to this woman than meets the eye.
She lifts a brow at me then leans into my ear. “Because you and I are one and the same, Uri, you make them hush but I bring the Black Death,” she pulls away from my ear with a smirk on her lips. “Nice to meet you Uri, most people around here call me Val.”
Everything slams into place with her final words. In the families the name Val is just as feared as the name Uri. I’d heard rumors before that Val is indeed a young woman, but from Val’s handy work I never thought it to be true.
Oddly my chest swells with pride. My woman is just as deadly as me. Perhaps I should have heeded her earlier warnings.
Not likely
. Now I have a smirk of my own.
Valentina pulls from my hold and turns to my uncle and her now beaming father. She places her hands on her hips and my eyes drop down to her round arse. She is wearing that dress well enough to make the designer cry tears of the ultimate accomplishment.
“This changes nothing,” Valentina points a finger at her father.
She glances over her shoulder and catches my eyes on her curvy bottom. I look up at her and give her a lopsided grin. She surprises me with a wink.
“Look all you want, but you will never touch,” she smiles before sauntering off.
“How wrong you are,” I mutter to her back.
“You know Giovanni Giordano made an official request for his son, Raphael,” Vincent Caprisi says as he watches me watch his daughter walk away.
“She is mine,” I say simply and walk away from the two men without another word or thought.
CHAPTER Four
“Who was that,” Shannon whispers in my ear with wide eyes as she looks over in Uri’s direction.
I give my sister the side eye and press my lips. She is still so innocent. I envy that about her. She still believes in love, flowers and roses. I know those things don’t really exist. Happy Ever After’s only happen in movies, books and for people that pretend they exist.
I watch the stars in her eyes as she peeks over at Luca who is making his way over to Uri. She may not be happy about the arrangement but I can clearly tell she is attracted to the man she is going to be marrying.
I decide she doesn’t need the truth, so I’ll give her a painted version of it. Shannon has no idea of the things I have done and am capable of doing. I keep a pretty tight lid on my shit. I give Uri one more glance as I think about the things I’ve heard him capable of.
Secretly I’ve always wanted to meet the man they call Hush. I still can’t believe I didn’t pick up on the name right away. I’m still processing how my father would consider such a notorious man a match for me.
It makes me think that I have lost my soul somewhere I will never be able to find it again. I’ve noticed over the years how cautious my father has become with me. Uncle Valentine is the one who has really raised me. He is also the one that requests my services when needed.
“Oh my God, Valentina who is he. He is looking right at you,” Shannon gushes squeezing my arm, pulling me from my reverie.
“He is no one,” I start but Shannon gives me an icy glare from her big blue eyes. “Fine! That is Uri Donati. Papa is considering a match between us.”
That is the most she needs to know. Shannon’s eyes grow wide and her mouth falls open. “That is so not fair. He is hotter than Luca,” she teases playfully.
“Really, that is the first thing you think,” I laugh at her. My sister is the only person that can genuinely get me to laugh.
“Well yeah, he looks to be older but he is hot. Look at how he looks at you,” Shannon sighs. “Luca gave me a once over then grunted.”
I don’t miss the disappointment in her voice. No one treats my little sister badly. I narrow my eyes in the direction of Luca. We may just have to have a little talk. Shannon is too good for him to treat like crap, even if this is just some arrangement.
“You know you don’t have to do this,” I say to my sister with a small smile.
“You and I both know that is not true,” Shannon says sadly. Suddenly her eyes light up, a huge smile spreads across her face. “Wait, at least now we know that the Donati family didn’t pass you over because you are black.”
Once again something only Shannon can do. She means no harm by the comment and it is what I led her to believe when her engagement was announced before mine. Honestly, for a little while I had believed that that was the reason as well.
“Yup,” I reply retrieving a glass from a passing tray.
“Come on Val, this could be exciting. If daddy agrees to a marriage between you and Uri then we could both move to New York. I won’t be alone,” Shannon says hopefully.
“We don’t even know if he lives in New York. From what I know he lives in Europe somewhere,” I tell her.
Shannon’s face falls again. “Oh,” she whispers.
“Hey, it is going to be okay. I hear Luca spends plenty of time in Chicago. We will see each other,” I reassure her.
“Not if you move to Europe,” Shannon gives me those sad big blue eyes. I wrap my sister in a hug.
“Anytime you need me, I will always be one phone call away. Always! And if he doesn’t treat you right then you pick that phone up right away, Capisce,” I cup her heart shaped face in my hand.
“Capisco,” Shannon nods her pretty head. “Now back to this Uri. You two looked pretty comfy in that embrace. Oh God, you should have seen Raphael watching you two, he looked pissed.”
We both laugh at that. I hadn’t seen anything but Uri, but I’m sure the look on Raphael’s face was priceless. Raphael couldn’t spark half of the electricity Uri sent through my body.
“It doesn’t matter. I don’t plan to marry either of them,” I huff and cross my arms. Shannon lifts her brow at me. “What?”
“You won’t date and you won’t agree to anyone Papa wants for you. You are so beautiful Val, you deserve love too,” Shannon says.
“You think this,” I point between her and Luca. “Adds up to love?”
I feel like trash right away for the words that have fallen out of my mouth. Shannon is so sensitive and to prove it she blinks back tears and turns from me. I hate that I have upset her.
“Sorry Shannon, I’m sure things will work out for you and Luca,” I say gently.
“It isn’t the way I dreamed of finding a husband but I believe I can make the best of it,” Shannon sniffles.
“And you will,” I assure her.
She turns back to me with a small smile. “If I hate him I could always come stay with you in Europe,” she giggles.
I frown at her. “I am not going to Europe,” I huff at her.
“You don’t see the way he is watching you,” Shannon laughs louder.
I may not be able to see him but I can feel him. I have to fight not to look at him again. He is wearing the hell out of that suit. It is tailored to perfection and that red tie adds something sexy and sinister to his appeal. He was handsome in his suit and open collar shirt in the store earlier, but this tonight has me thinking thoughts I just don’t recognize.
Yeah, I feel him in more ways than one.
~B~
“Who was that?” Luca asks as he stands by my side.
“No one you should be concerned with,” I reply.
“Oh come on. I see the way you are looking at her. Who is she? She is damn beautiful,” Luca says with a wide grin.
I roll my eyes and take a sip of the drink I happily managed to get my hands on. It is the only thing keeping me from flying across this room to smash in the skull of Raphael Giordano. His eyes haven’t left Valentina. I have had my eyes on her and him this whole time.
Knowing he believe she will ever belong to him is setting fire to my blood. I have no idea where this jealousy is coming from. I am not a jealous man, but the thought of any man just thinking about touching Valentina is making me twitchy.
“If you must know that is your future sister in law,” I reply dryly.
Luca furrows his brows and looks across the room at Shannon and Valentina standing together. Even from here it is easy to see the resemblance. Luca’s eyes grow large as the confusion starts to clear.
“No way, why the fuck did I get the shy one?” Luca growls.
“Because Valentina belongs to me,” I growl back.
Luca lifts a brow, tilting his head at me. “Since when? By the way where is Genève?”
“I sent that whiny brat back to New York where she belongs. I don’t know what your father was thinking trying to bind me to that,” I shake my head in disgust. “I’m too old for her shit.”
“Oh please you act as if you are an old man,” Luca chuckles. “Clearly this one is younger than Genève, a lot younger.”
“It’s not the same,” I grunt.
“Why not because this one happens to be a whole lot hotter,” Luca teases.
“You should be keeping your eyes on your fiancée,” I warn.
“She is no Pamela,” Luca grunts this time.
“Don’t start this again. That ship has sailed. You haven’t even given this girl a chance,” I say pointedly.
Luca sighs and gets that lost look on his face that he tends to get these days when he thinks of Pamela. “I really fucked up. I didn’t mean to hurt her. Despite what you think I did love her. I still do. I’m just not like you. I can’t just walk away from what I have known my whole life.
“I see Shannon, she is beautiful, but what if I fuck up my marriage the way I did what I had with Pamela. She doesn’t look half a strong as Pamela. I don’t want the responsibility of another heart,” Luca pauses in thought for a moment. “Honestly Uri, I don’t think I can take watching another woman move on so quickly without me when I’m still torn to shit.”
“Luca,” I deadpan. “Your bed hasn’t been empty since we arrived in Chicago.”
“I was faithful to Pamela, Uri. You have to know that. I never once cheated on her,” Luca says with pain in his face.
“Well now you can be faithful to Shannon as your wife,” I pat his shoulder.
Luca grunts grabbing my drink from my hand and finishing it. “I would have preferred the sister,” he says with a cheeky smile on his lips.
“I could end your life you know,” I growl at him but the slight smile I give him takes the heat out of my words.