Page 21 of Precious Hazard (Perfectly Imperfect #11)

A shudder runs down my spine as I stare at the phone screen.

Yesterday, as Satan was bringing me home after yet another “dinner date,” my future husband informed me that, the next time he comes over, he’ll be officially asking my brother for my hand in marriage. Which means, that’s happening today.

“Oh my God, I think the black-dotted one is pregnant,” Sienna yelps.

Her nose is pressed to the side of the tank, and her eyes follow the fish in question as it jets among the various plants and structures that make up the aquascape.

I have no idea how she managed to convince Drago to let her move the fish tank into their bedroom.

“See? Her belly looks swollen. We’re going to have little fish babies!”

“I’m pretty sure the eggs happen first,” I mumble. “And the big fish will probably eat the young.”

“Oh, no! We need to separate the mommy from—”

“Your brother and I are getting married,” I blurt out.

“—the other fish so they—” Sienna turns around, her eyes wide as saucers. “You what?”

“He’s on his way here now. We’ll be letting Drago know today.”

“But… but I thought the two of you were just, you know, seeing each other.” Her eyes search mine like she’s expecting me to yell Sike!

or Just kidding, girl! “Wow, Tara. Are you sure? It’s only been a matter of weeks.

A month. A bit more, maybe? Um… don’t take this the wrong way…

I love the idea of you two being together, but… marriage? So soon?”

I bite the inside of my cheek hard enough to make myself wince.

Keeping this farce up for weeks, not being able to say a word to anyone, is excruciating.

There’s no one to talk to. No one to ask for advice.

No one to even just complain to about how frustrating my life has become.

I want to spit it all out, but I know I can’t tell Sienna a thing. I mustn’t.

“Maybe you should think about that for a while, Tara. Date for at least a few more months and—”

“There’s no time,” I blurt out. “We need to be married by the end of next month. That’s Ajello’s orders.”

“Excuse me?”

Shit. I drop onto the edge of the bed and bury my face in my hands. “Yeah. Apparently, your don wants the ties between the New York Cosa Nostra and Drago’s group to be even stronger. And he figures your brother and me getting hitched is the perfect way to do that.”

“You… you’re not in love with Arturo?” Sienna looks at me with sad puppy dog eyes, as if the whole world has just crashed down around her. “But… but… the flowers? All your dates? The cute mating dance you’re doing with the jackets? You’ve been seeing each other practically every single day.”

“All that was nothing but a pretense for Drago’s sake. The last thing I want is for him to get into a confrontation with Ajello over me.”

“Fuck Ajello! He’s a scheming, pompous asshole! How dare he pull this shit again? Let’s go to Drago, and you can tell him everything.”

“Really?” I look up, meeting Sienna’s frantic gaze. “And then what? Drago gets pissed. Kills your brother? Goes to war with Cosa Nostra? Maybe tries to take out Ajello, too?”

“Yes. I mean, no. Shit. I’m calling Arturo and telling him to put a stop to this nonsense.”

“Don’t bother. He’s made it very clear that he’d never go against the don’s orders. It’s a done deal.”

Sienna’s shoulders drop. She sits on the bed beside me and sighs.

“So, where does that leave you? You two seem to have been getting along. Do you, at least, like Arturo?” When all I can do is shake my head, she continues, “Not even a little? I mean… I know he can be a handful, but…” Her eyes sparkle with faint hope as she asks.

The glass is always half-full with my sister-in-law. Even amid the most devastating situations, she looks for a silver lining. This time, unfortunately, there isn’t one.

“I can’t stand your brother, Sienna. And he definitely doesn’t have any love for me.”

She grabs my hand and squeezes. “You can’t spend a lifetime tied to a man you don’t love.”

“Actually, we came to a compromise. It will only be for a year. Later today, we’re signing a prenup.

Twelve months of marriage, after which, he’ll give me a quick, uncontested divorce”—I force a smile to break across my lips—“and twelve million dollars.” I pause, gauging her reaction before continuing, “Mark your calendar, girl. This time next year, we’re going on the most amazing shopping spree. ”

“You’re serious?”

“Dead serious. But you can’t tell Drago a word, Sienna.”

Sienna leaps off the bed and starts pacing the length of the room.

Her fingers rake through her hair while she wears out a path on the floor.

Left to right. Right to left. She remains silent for several minutes, with only her rapid breathing and the muffled scrape of her orange faux fur slippers on the floorboards filling the space between us.

Once in a while, she stops and throws a look in my direction.

It brims with questions, concerns, and unhidden pain.

Then, she continues her mad trek. Finally, Sienna stops and wraps her hands tightly around her middle.

Pure devastation is written all over her face.

“I can’t. I can’t lie to Drago, Tara,” she chokes out. “I promised him I’d never do that again. I… You can’t ask that of me.”

Guilt hits me square in the chest. Instead of dealing with my own shit like a grown-up, I ran my damn mouth and blabbed the truth. And look what that got me. An even bigger mess than before.

“You know Drago,” I whisper. “You think he’d let this go without bloodshed? Without either your brother or mine ending up hurt or worse?”

Sienna slumps beside me on the bed, looking totally dejected.

The two of us remain quiet for a long while, simply staring at the nearby wall as if the answers are written there.

My vision slowly blurs, and my nose starts prickling.

Taking a deep breath, I press my palms to my eyes, trying to stave off my tears.

“I’m so sorry for putting you in this position, Sienna,” I say, sniffling. “I was feeling so lost and… and I just had to tell someone.”

“It’s okay.” A slight sob escapes her. “I’m sure Drago will understand and forgive me when I eventually explain.”

“You could destroy half of the human race or do something equally catastrophic, and my brother would still stand by you. He loves you so damn much, it’s fucking scary.”

Sienna leans her head on my shoulder. “Someday, you’ll meet someone who’ll love you just as much.

Initially, he’ll be a stubborn grump, of course, because you don’t like men who give in too easily.

Maybe he’ll be a moody marquess. Or an alpha wolf shifter.

Or even better, a ruthless wolf shifter who is a marquess, and he’ll love you so much he’ll risk his life to save you. ”

I can’t help but smile. “You’re back in your shape-shifter era, I see.”

“Yeah.” She shrugs sheepishly. “Oh God, Drago is going to flip out when Arturo actually asks for your hand today.”

“Yeah.” My gaze slides to the fish tank where the plump little fish happily zigzags among her friends. “What if I tell Drago that your brother got me pregnant?”

“You think that would make the situation better?”

I try imagining my brother’s reaction to hearing that a guy he can’t stand knocked me up. “Nope. Definitely not.”

The loud rumble of an engine sounds outside.

Sienna and I exchange looks, then dash toward the window.

A massive stretched car pulls up and parks in the driveway.

With both of us half-hidden behind the curtains, we watch as my soon-to-be fiancé (officially) steps out of the vehicle and heads toward the mansion’s front door.

“Do you think he came armed?” I whisper.

“Arturo is always armed,” Sienna answers back in a barely audible voice. “Should we go downstairs? Or we could wait until we hear the furniture being smashed?”

“For sure we should go downstairs.”

I dash across the room with Sienna on my heels.

As has become their habit, my brother’s dogs are sleeping in front of Sienna and Drago’s bedroom door, but the moment she and I exit the room, the three of them spring up and trot behind us down three flights of stairs.

We reach the ground level just in time to see Drago’s office door shut. Shit. We’re too late.

“Now what?” I ask. “Should I go in there?”

“Yes, that’s a good strategy. Less of a chance they’ll kill each other if you’re with them.

“Okay.” Drawing a deep breath, I set off across the hall.

Until today, it was easy enough to pretend this whole clusterfuck wasn’t really happening.

What’s one year, anyway? Twelve months. It’ll pass quickly, right?

With my feet practically dragging on the marble floor, I approach my brother’s office.

Three hundred sixty-five days tied to Arturo Fucking DeVille. Oh God.

I twist the doorknob and step inside, just in time to witness Drago and the scourge from hell having a standoff in the middle of the room, guns pointed at one another.

“You are not marrying my sister, DeVille.” Drago’s furious voice reverberates through the room.

Great. The happy news has obviously been shared.

“I’m not really looking for your permission, Drago. I asked because some of us still respect old traditions, even in this day and age. But I’m marrying Tara regardless of how you feel about it,” Satan replies in an identical, pissed-off tone.

“Okay, guys.” I take a step toward them, holding my hands out like I’m approaching two snarling predators.

Moving slowly, I circle until I stop at DeVille’s side.

It might look like I’m supporting my man, but in reality, I need my brother to be able to see me and read my lips.

“Could you two please put the weapons away so we can discuss this in a civil manner?”

“No,” Drago growls. “Get out of here, Tara. And stay away from the door.”

“Listen to your brother, Tara,” the devil tacks on. “Leave.”

Right, the two alphaholes have spoken.