Page 104 of His Savage Ruin

"You'rewastingtime." He leans forward. "Every month you put this off is another month your position becomes less secure."

"My position is secure because I make everyone money." I pull cash from my wallet. "Not because of my marital status."

"For now." His eyes are hard. "But Matteo is building a dynasty. He has a wife now. Eventually he'll have children. And he'll expect the same from the men closest to him. You think he's going to keep a bachelor as his capo indefinitely?"

The question lands wrong and I can feel anger simmering. "Matteo trusts me because I've built political connections that keep him out of prison. Not because I have or do not have a wife."

"And those connections expect you to behave appropriately for a man of your station." He stands up. "I'm having dinner with Francesco Castellano on Friday. I suggest you join us. Meet Sofia. See if there's potential for an arrangement."

"I'm not interested in Sofia Castellano." I stand and throw money on the table. "Or any of the other women you've been trying to force on me for two years."

"Then find someone yourself." His voice carries frustration now. "But find someone soon. Before this becomes a bigger problem than it needs to be."

I walk out without responding and the cold air hits my face. My car is two blocks away and I walk fast, hands shoved in my pockets.

He's not going to stop. I know him well enough to know that this conversation will repeat every week until I either give in or find someone on my own. The pressure is only going to increasenow that Matteo is married. Now that there's a precedent for the inner circle settling down and building families.

Fine. I'll find someone. Someone practical, who understands what marriage means in our world. Someone who can play the role at functions and produce an heir when necessary and otherwise stay out of my fucking way.

Because that's all marriage is— a way to secure power and position and legacy.

Love doesn't factor into it. Love is a fairy tale people tell themselves to make the transaction feel meaningful. I watched my mother love my father and it destroyed her when he was never around. Watched her drink herself into an early grave while he built his political career and pretended not to notice.

Love is a weakness. A vulnerability that gets exploited and a liability I have no interest in acquiring.

So, I'll find someone who understands that. Someone smart enough to know that what I'm offering is money and protection and status, nothing more. Someone who won't expect romance or affection or any of the bullshit that comes with pretending marriage is about feelings instead of function.

Just business.

That's all this will ever be.