Page 6

We fall silent, just staring at each other again. Neither of us dare to move to do… what? Kiss? That’s crazy. I barely know him. I can’t even think about kissing him.

But to give my first kiss to Matteo would not be a bad thing at all.

We each lean in closer to each other.

Then Matteo sits back. “You should go.” His expression is closed off. No longer the open and soft man he just was a moment ago.

I cant deny the sting in my chest at his sudden change in demeanor but I also can’t blame him. We cannot be doing this. It’s selfish of me to have a little crush on him. This will only get him killed.

“Thank you for the ride.” I quickly get out of his car and sneak back to my house. It’s easy to get inside from the backyard. I wait for the current guard to walk away and then I rush to the house and tiptoe back to my room. I change into my pajamas and dive under the covers.

I’m amazed of what I just did tonight. I snuck out, went to Dante’s club, had a wonderful conversation with Matteo, and now I’m back home like none of it happened.

I get no sleep that night.

Inessa eyes me over the breakfast table. “You look different this morning.”

Viktor is has his fork halfway to his mouth when he stops and squints at me. “Julia? She looks the same to me.”

“I’m the same me,” I say into my pancakes. Inessa has always been observant, which is something I’ve appreciated in her, but right now, it’s only going to hurt me. The truth about what I did last night cannot come to light.

“You look tired, actually,” Viktor says.

“It’s rude to say that to a woman,” I remind him.

“Then it’s a good thing you’re my sister.” He offers me a small smile. “But in all honesty, you do look tired. Are you?”

“I didn’t sleep much last night. I’m not sure why. I think worry over this war you’re in.”

Viktor’s smile promptly disappears. “Well, that’s not going to stop anytime soon. Grigori has already called this morning, wanting to see you again. I reminded him that I never agreed to a marriage match.”

“I’ll see him,” I blurt out. Maybe if I play along then Viktor won’t look too closely at me and my own actions.

“Are you sure? I know you don’t want to marry him.”

“But if he can help you in your war, then that’s a good thing. I’ll talk to him at least. I was raised to be polite.”

He hesitates, then nods. “I’ll call him and have him come over again. But I don’t want to give him the wrong idea.”

“It won’t. I’ll just gently ask him to provide you money without having to marry me. I can be very charming.”

Viktor is uncertain but he agrees anyway.

That’s how I end up next to Grigori at the outside table on the back patio. Across from him is Inessa. Viktor had to attend to some business but me and Inessa assured him we’d talk to Grigori.

“I can’t believe Viktor didn’t even have time for me,” he mutters, picking at one of the croissants that our housekeeper, Mrs. Green, served.

“He had an emergency come up,” Inessa explains.

“But we’re here to talk to you,” I remind him.

“Yes. Well, Julia, I have to say, you’re looking lovely this afternoon.”

I made sure to put on one of my nice white summer dresses. Though, it’s not Grigori whom I wish would see me in it. “Thank you. I wanted to ask you something. If you and me didn’t get married, would you still be an ally to my brother?”

“No. It’s the marriage deal or no deal.”

“But what’s the point of marriage anyway?” I ask.

“Children,” he says flatly.

Inessa dabs at her mouth and sets her napkin in her lap. “Do you not have children, Grigori?”

“I do. Sons. They’re both in their forties now. But I would like more.”

The thought of this man putting his hands on me makes me tremble.

“Are you cold?” he asks.

I flash him a smile. “I’m all right. Thank you.”

“You and me, Julia. We could have a lot of children together. I’m not dead yet.”

It’s then that I feel his hand find my knee underneath the table. I resist the urge to push it away.

“I see,” I murmur. “Well, I’m not sure I can promise a marriage to you, Grigori. I just…”

“You just what?”

“Julia has a few marriage prospects that she’s considering,” Inessa says. “It might be a good idea to consider being my husband’s ally, no matter who she chooses.”

“Why do you say that?” Still, his hand doesn’t leave my knee.

“Because,” Inessa says in a clear and confident voice, “if she chooses one of the other men interested in her, that man will become my husband’s closest ally next. Not you. And that could lead to bad things for you.”

“Are you threatening me?” His hand clenches my knee.

“No.” Inessa looks at him with wide eyes.

She has the perfect face for it. “I’m just pointing out that no matter who Julia chooses, making an alliance with Viktor would be a smart thing to do.

You wouldn’t want to go to war against him, would you?

You see how ruthless he can be. Do you really want to be on the receiving end of that? ”

“Of course not. So, he should just marry me and Julia. Plain and simple.” In one quick motion, his hand pushes higher up my thigh, making me gasp and stand up. Grigori frowns up at me.

“Are you ok?” Inessa asks.

“I’m fine. I just think that this meeting should be over. It was nice talking to you again, Grigori, but I have things I need to attend to.”

“You can’t be too busy to see me. You’re a woman.”

Ah. Casual sexism.

I smile politely at him. “I am a woman and so therefore, I have womanly things I need to attend to. I hope you consider what Inessa said.” I dash inside before he can try to touch me anymore.

I can’t stay in this house another minute. Not after what I did last night. Not after experiencing a bit of freedom for once in my life.

So, after Grigori leaves, I tell Inessa I’ll be in my room and don’t want to be disturbed but what I really do is wait for her to leave the house with one of the guards while I sneak out the backyard again.

I head straight for Central park. A good walk in a beautiful park is just what I need to clear my head.

I find a park bench to sit on and stare out at the people passing by. I could have asked one of the guards to take me here but I didn’t want someone hovering over me. I just wanted a moment to think for myself.

“Julia?”

With a gasp, I turn to my left and see Matteo standing there in the path.

“Matteo?” I scramble to my feet. Instantly, I feel excited that he’s here then worried. Is he here with Dante? Am I in danger?

“What are you doing here?” he asks.

“Needing space to think. You?”

“Same,” he admits.

“Are you here by yourself?” I glance around to make sure no one is watching us.

“I am, don’t worry.”

“So you didn’t purposefully look for me?”

“Afraid not.” He takes one step closer to me and I don’t step back. In fact, I wish I could move closer. “I think it’s just coincidence that we’re here in the park in this exact area at the same exact time.”

“I struggle to believe in coincidences, especially in our world.”

“I agree but I wouldn’t lie to you.” He says it with so much sincerity that I believe him right away. He nods to the bench. “Do you want to sit?”

“You’re the one who said we can never see each other again.”

“I know but I promise you, Julia. I didn’t seek you out. It was just…”

“Fate?”

His small smile makes him even more handsome. “Yes. It was. I would hate to waste the opportunity that fate is providing for us.”

“I can’t argue with that.” I nod to the spot next to me. “We can sit.”

Matteo’s body warmth makes me want to sit even closer to him but I resist the urge. I need to stay away from this man as best as I can but fate keeps bringing us together.

“So, why did you come here?” I ask.

“I needed to clear my head. With all of this war stuff going on, I just needed a moment to relax. You?”

“Well… my brother is considering marrying me off to this man and I had a meeting with this man today and I just needed to get out of the house.”

It doesn’t escape my notice that Matteo tenses. “You’re getting married?”

“No. At least… not yet anyway.”

“What’s wrong with this man? I’m assuming you don’t like him if you had to get out of the house after meeting up with him.”

“Oh, he’s… old. I don’t really want to marry a man who could be my grandfather.”

“I can’t believe Viktor would actually marry you off. He never seemed open to the idea.”

“He’s not,” I say. “But he has to consider it. He needs the money.” I snap my lips shut. “I shouldn’t have said that. I can’t spill my brother’s secrets to you. You could use them against him.”

“Well, I told you about Dante, didn’t I?”

“Yes.”

“Did you tell your brother or did you keep it a secret?”

“I kept it a secret,” I say like it’s obvious.

“So, I’ll do the same. I won’t tell Dante that Viktor is struggling financially. If he happens to find out, then I can’t stop that but I won’t be the one to tell him.”

I stare at Matteo for a long moment. “You would do that? Why?”

“Because I can tell it would bother you for Dante to know, so I won’t. This bit of information doesn’t really change anything anyway. Your brother and Dante are still at war with each other. That won’t change.”

“I guess not. It’s just surprising that you wouldn’t tell your boss everything you had on my brother.”

“Guess I’m full of surprises. Just like you are.”

I can’t help but smile and blush at the same time. Matteo has that effect on me.

“So, is marriage something you’re interested in?” he asks, not looking at me but instead at the people passing by us. We’re not sitting close but it still feels taboo like we could be caught any second talking to each other.

“With who? Grigori?”

“Is that his name? The old man.”

“Yes. And no, I’m not interested in marriage with him.”

He clears his throat. “I meant in general.”

“I mean… marriage is something I would like in the future. But… I don’t have any other marriage prospects.” Matteo cannot be one of those prospects. He just can’t be. “What about you? Is marriage something you’re interested in?”

“I’ve considered it in the past but I’m so busy with work. I wouldn’t have the time.”

“And yet, you have the time to talk to me on this park bench. Maybe you’d have the time for your wife if you didn’t go for walks.”

“Maybe. But then if I hadn’t gone for this walk at this exact time, I never would have ran into you.”

Our eyes meet and we stare at each other again. There’s that electricity I felt once before. The urge to lean into him is strong. It would be so easy to let him just kiss me.

But the second I think that, I back away. “Someone could see us.”

“You’re right. I’m sorry.”

“Don’t be sorry. My brother will be wondering where I am. I need to head back.” I walk away before Matteo can say anything to make me stay.

I sneak back into my house and hear voices coming from the foyer. Walking on tiptoes, I peek my head around the corner and see that Viktor is talking to a man.

But not just any man.

Connor Barry.