Page 37

“How can you be so calm?”
He shrugs and plants his foot on the step. “Practice.”
Colter climbs the steps and uses the knocker on the door. I hurry up to stand behind him and take another sharp inhale.
“A couple hours,” Colter reminds me. “Then it’s over.”
The front door swings open, and a smile spreads across Colter’s face. I square my shoulders and plaster on the most neutral look I can muster.
It’s Lorenzo’s manic eyes I’m ready for, but it isn’t him who opens the door.
“Colter!”
Black hair and manicured nails enter my vision as the owner of the voice throws her arms around Colter’s neck and jumps up to wrap her legs around his waist. He hugs her back and chuckles.
“Good to see you too, Carmen.”
She hops down and puts her hands on his arms, leaning back to study him. The first thing I notice about her is she’s gorgeous. Silky black hair flowing down to her navel, exposed between a pale blue crop top and white skirt. Chocolate eyes that hold a devious glint, and full lips that shine with a pink lip gloss.
The second thing I notice is she’s young. At least a couple years younger than me, but definitely too young to be Settimo’s mother.
“Oh my God, I can’t believe you came! I swore Nemma was lying. Ah!” She pushes up on her toes and grips his suit jacket. “I’m so glad you’re here!”
Colter’s teeth flash with a grin. “Me too.” He shifts and extends his hand to me. “This is Abi, my fiancée. Abi, this is Carmen.”
Carmen’s gaze follows Colter’s hand, and as our eyes lock, I realize my jaw is dropped. I clamp my mouth shut and force a smile, extending my hand.
“Nice to meet you.”
She clamps both of her hands over mine. “It’s a pleasure. We’re all excited to meet the girl who finally locked this guy down.” She gives him a teasing wink, but there’s something in her voice that rubs me the wrong way. It strikes me as jealousy, but I immediately rule it out because that can’t be right. She’d be his… cousin?
“Come on, let’s not keep them waiting.”
She drops my hand and takes Colter’s, pulling him inside the entryway. My eyes lock onto the girl and negative emotion floods, but I don’t even have time to work through what I’m feeling. I follow them into the entryway and people flood from the dining room on our left to greet Colter and me.
“Oh my heavens, you are gorgeous!” One woman proclaims. “Colter, don’t you dare let this one get away.” The woman narrows her eyes at him like he’s done something wrong, and he rubs a hand over my back. I recoil, forgetting we’re here to pretend, but quickly recover. I lean into his side and let him wrap his arm around me.
“I wouldn’t dream of it,” he says, his hand squeezing my shoulder. “Good to see you, Aunt Nemma.”
“Yes, well it’s about time, isn’t it?” She meets my eyes. “It takes an engagement for an aunt to see her own nephew, is that not sad?”
I awkwardly smile and look at Colter because I have no idea what to say or what the hell is even happening right now. She turns back to him and lays a hand on his shoulder. “I’ll be expecting an invitation to the wedding, young man. I do not care what your uncle, nor your cousin, think about it. You understand me?”
“Yes ma’am,” Colter replies.
“Good.” She grabs my hand and waves Colter away. “Now go say hello to your uncle while we steal Abi for a bit. You’re in good hands aren’t ya, hon?”
I smile and nod, but anyone around surely can see that it’s forced. Nemma doesn’t seem to care because she pulls my hand and leads me away from the foyer. I look over my shoulder at Colter and hope he can see the pleading in my eyes. He gives a nod and an encouraging smile as if to say ‘you can do this’ and then the bastard turns and walks the other direction, leaving me alone with who knows what.
We’re a few minutes in and it’s already a strange evening.
* * *
Colter
“Colter, have a seat.”
Syrus extends his hand to the only open chair left in the den, and I nod at Settimo and Lorenzo before sitting.