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Connor looks like he wants to object but what’s there to object to? Either hit me or don’t. Die if he does. “Yes,” he finally says. “I understand. I won’t hurt your sister, Viktor. I promise you that.”

“Good.” He turns to me. “I want you to have your dream wedding so you’ll be in charge of planning it.

This is my gift to you, Julia. I know this is all sudden and I know you’re not exactly thrilled with this but I want you to be happy.

” He lowers his voice so only I can hear.

“And if he ever hurts you, let me know.”

“I will.” Except, I can’t tell Viktor how Connor tried to hurt me the first time we met. That’s a story that can never leave my lips.

Viktor brings Connor into his office to talk more while I’m left out in the hallway. My fate has been decided. I’ll marry Connor.

And all I can think about is Matteo.

Matteo

All I can think about is Julia. On a date. With Connor fucking Barry.

I hated knowing another man might put his hands on her.

Kiss her like I did. Touch her in ways I’ll never get the chance.

It’s maddening how this woman has cemented herself in my mind when no other woman has.

The girlfriends I’ve had in the past were good women.

Ones I cared about. But none made me want to marry them.

None made me want to fight for them. I chose my work over them and I never regretted it.

Until now.

Now I wish my job wasn’t the reason I can’t have Julia. I still barely know her in so many ways and yet, I want her to be mine. I kissed her to claim her and she’s still not mine.

“I can’t believe that,” Erik mutters as we walk along the boardwalk. “Viktor’s own sister thinking she has the right to be in the same space as us.”

“Erik, it’s not her fault,” Anya reminds him. Thank god for her because otherwise, I would have fucking snapped at him.

They needed a guard to go with them on their family outing and I volunteered.

Figured it would be a good way to get on Erik’s good side after I killed Anya’s father all those years ago.

Anya never blamed me since she hated her father – he was abusive.

With Erik though, I was never quite sure where I stood and being on Erik’s good side is a good place to be.

If he were to find out I like Julia, then things would not end well.

“I know,” Erik sighs, holding onto Mila.

She’s passed out in his arms from the long day she had.

“But still. It’s the principle of the thing.

Viktor started this war and now his sister just gets to have a fun day out while I’m worried every day for your safety?

And for Mila’s? How the fuck is that fair? ”

“It’s not but it’s also not her fault. She didn’t ask for this war.”

“How do you know? You don’t talk with her. She could be encouraging Viktor for all we know about it.”

“She’s not,” I cut in, even though I shouldn’t.

Erik and Anya look at me with surprise. I clear my throat.

“She’s not encouraging him. When I spoke to her after talking to Viktor about peace, she made it clear she didn’t approve of what her brother was doing.

She doesn’t want this anymore than you do. ”

“That’s what she wants you to think,” Erik mutters.

Anya sighs. “Viktor is just upsetting you. Let’s go back home. We’ve had a long day anyway. Mila is wiped.”

I have to clench my mouth to keep from snapping at Erik. He doesn’t know Julia like I do. He doesn’t know that she’s innocent in all of this. That she didn’t want to be on that date with Connor. She doesn’t want to be with him at all.

At least that’s what she told me when we kissed. I have to take her at her word because that’s all we have with each other.

When Julia calls me that night, I’m not ashamed to say my heart almost leaps out of my chest. “Julia?”

“Matteo. Can we meet? Somewhere more private? I need to talk to you again.”

I would suggest my place but who knows who could be watching? And it’s probably better Julia isn’t in my apartment. Seeing her here will only make me want to keep her.

“A hotel,” I suggest. We agree on the time and place.

I arrive at the Four Seasons hotel and go up to the room I paid for.

Julia will be meeting me here. It’s a luxury hotel with lots of foot traffic.

Hopefully if any of Viktor’s men are watching (or any of Erik and Dante’s for that matter) then no one will think it’s strange that I’m at the hotel the same day Julia is.

A frantic knock on the door tells me it’s her. When I open it, I see her beautiful face looks frazzled.

“Viktor is going to marry me to Connor,” she blurts out. “For a fact this time. It’s not just speculation.”

I slowly shut the door behind her. “Ok.”

“Ok? Just ok? You’re not upset?”

“Of course I’m upset. I’m fucking pissed that Connor gets you. He’s an asshole. He doesn’t deserve you. But what else can I say? I can’t stop the wedding.”

“You could kill Connor.”

“Do you really want me to kill him for you, Julia? Do you want that blood on your hands?”

She hesitates then breaks down into tears. The fact that she feels safe with me enough to cry means a lot. If I could take away her tears, I would in a heartbeat.

But she’s not mine to comfort.

That’s not going to stop me from comforting her though.

“Come here.” I pull her into my arms and hold her close. She feels just right in my arms.

Julia clings to me with more strength than I thought possible for her. “What am I going to do then? I can’t marry him. But Viktor was upset over what happened at Coney Island. He thinks marrying me to Connor will ensure his strength.”

“It’s not a bad idea on his part. But I thought you said he doesn’t want you to marry anyone else.”

“He did say that if Connor ever hurt me, I should tell him. He’ll kill Connor if he ever does anything to me.”

I wipe her tears away. “Then that’s your solution.”

“What do you mean?”

“Tell Viktor Connor hurt you. He’ll believe you. He’ll call off the wedding then.”

“But then Connor will just tell him where he and I first met. You could be hurt in the process of it and I can’t stand for that.”

“It’s not your job to save me, Julia. Even though it’s sweet you want to try.”

Her smile lights up her eyes. God, she’s so beautiful. “I know. And it’s not your job to save me. I shouldn’t have called you.” She pulls away from me and I instantly feel colder. “I’m sorry. I shouldn’t be crying to you about this.”

“It’s ok.”

“No, it’s not. I’m not your responsibility and you’re not mine. This isn’t fair to you. I should just go.” She tries to walk past me but I grab her arm. A gasp escapes her and she looks up at me with questioning eyes.

“I’m not ready for you to go yet.” And before I can stop myself, I kiss her again.

Julia melts into me without any hesitation. There’s one thing we cannot deny: our instant attraction for each other. It’s a powerful thing.

All I want is to throw Julia onto that bed and have my way with her but even I’m not that stupid. If Viktor found out I took Julia’s virginity, he’d kill me on sight. The only thing we can have is this kiss and nothing more.

I pull back before I do something I’ll regret.

“What was that for?” she whispers, blinking up at me with her large doe eyes.

“I just needed to kiss you again.”

“I’m not complaining.” A faint blush tinges her cheeks. God, I want her so fucking badly. I step back even further to get away from the temptation that is her.

“Why don’t we just talk?” I suggest. “We have this time together. Might as well make the most out of it. Don’t you agree?”

“Ok. What do you want to talk about?”

I steer clear of the bed and sit down on one of the chairs in the living room section of the suite. After a moment, Julia sits down in the other chair. We can’t be tempted to do anything if we’re not touching.

“I want to know more about you,” I admit. “Hobbies. Things you like and dislike. All of it.”

Her face scrunches up as she thinks and it takes everything inside of me not to kiss her again.

“Hobbies. I like to read. Write in my journal. Bake. We have a housekeeper who does most of the cooking but I like to bake when she lets me in the kitchen. It’s just soothing.

I don’t have many exciting hobbies since I was never really allowed to go out much growing up.

Viktor didn’t want me getting hurt. As for things I like.

I like to watch the sunset, which I know sounds cheesy but it brings me a lot of comfort.

I like to look out at the night when everyone’s house is lit up and wonder what their lives are like.

What are they doing right in the same moment as me. ”

“And things you don’t like?” I ask.

She thinks on it for a moment, then laughs.

“I don’t like being cooped up in my house all day.

I don’t like itchy clothing. I don’t like root beer floats, even though Viktor loved them when he was a kid.

I think they’re disgusting. I don’t like the color black, because I find it too sad. What about you?”

“I don’t have any hobbies. My job takes up most of my time. But I do like root beer floats so I hope you’re not too mad at me about that one.”

“It’s ok. I can forgive you.”

I smile and feel my body ease into the chair. Normally, I’m wound so tight with work but in this moment, I can just relax. “As for things I don’t like… I don’t like this war we’re in. I don’t like the color orange.”

“Why not?”

“Because it’s orange,” I say it like it’s obvious.

She laughs. “What else?”

“I don’t like… I don’t like the memories I have of my mom.”

“What do you mean?”

“She was…” I sigh. “She was murdered and I found her body. And now, when I think of her, that’s what I think of. And it’s something I wish I could just forget.”

“My parents were killed too. By rival Bratva members. That’s what Viktor told me but I was too young to understand the full extant of it. I was asleep in my bed when Viktor found them. So, I guess you have that in common with him.”

“That’s probably something neither of us wish we had in common.”

“You’re right. If only my brother could see that you’re a person too. You and Dante and Erik. Maybe then he wouldn’t be at war with you guys.”

“There will always be a war in the world we’re in. It’s just a matter of who and when and right now, it’s your brother, I’m afraid to say. And I don’t see that changing any time soon.”

Her phone beeps, making her jump. “That’s my signal to go. I can’t stay too long.”

“I get it,” I say, even though it pains me to say goodbye to her. Again.

“I wish I could stay here and talk to you forever.”

I don’t say anything to that because it would just get her hopes up and I need to stop doing that. “Let me walk you down to the lobby at least.”

“What if someone sees us?”

“Chances are, we won’t be seen. I won’t even look at you when we get down there. No one will suspect a thing.”

“Ok then.”

Julia and I walk down to the lobby and just like I promised, I don’t even look at her.

But I do stop in my tracks when someone says my name. “Matteo?”

Turning around, I see that it’s Elizabeth, one of my ex-girlfriends.