Page 92 of The Right Garza

His lips do this thing, as if he’s trying to smile at me and keeps failing. With a silent, somewhat frustrated grunt, he turns and moves across the room, pausing to drop the second container carelessly on Stefano’s desk before heading to the wet bar.

From the mini fridge, he grabs a bottled water and strides right back to me, Stefano scowling at him the entire time.

“Need anything,” he mumbles as he hands me the cold bottle, “send for me. Yes?”

Though I have no intention of doing any such thing, I reply, “Okay.”

As he’s leaving, Stefano asks, “Do I not get something to drink, too?”

“Choke,” Lorenzo grunts out just before the door slams behind him.

Although my appetite is still in hiding, I unwrap the plastic fork and force myself to eat, as something tells me Stefano wouldn’t appreciate it if I don’t eat. I’ve not forgotten how, when I woke up to him in my apartment, he’d made breakfast and forced me to eat it.

When his phone call ends, he leans back in his chair and eyes me contemplatively. “Is my cousin ‘the one’?”

His question catches me off guard and I almost choke on a piece of broccoli. I cough and take a chug of water before asking, “What?”

“Trenton,” he says. “Are you in love with him? When you imagine the future, is it with him?”

“Yes.” The word is out of my mouth before I realize it, shocking me. A heart-shaped lump forms in my throat.In love?Future? How could I have so confidently answered something that I’ve never even thought about? Had I been in denial all this time? Had I fallen in love with my “just fun” fling without realizing it?

As I think about the answer I just gave without a moment’s hesitation, I know with every cell within me that it’s true. I have never been in love with anyone before and can’t see past him to anyone else.

“Yes,” I answer again. “He’s the one.”

Stefano nods once. “In that case, I’m keeping you with me at all times, for however long it will take him to get here.”

Having difficulty understanding what that means, if it’s a good thing or a bad thing, I ask, “Why?”

Idly, he twists a fountain pen back and forth between his fingers. “Because Castellos have a terrible habit of wanting things they shouldn’t.”

Huh? “I don’t follow.”

He makes a disgruntled noise in his throat. “You have caught my brother’s eye, Lexi.”

“Your brother? The one who—Lorenzo?”

“Yes.”

Oh. “Are you twins or…?”

“Twins.”

“Oh. I wondered…” Talk less, Lexi. Talk less. This man is not your friend. You’re hishostage.

His lips twitch in amusement, as if he can hear what I’m thinking.

“See, Lorenzo is the kind who, if he sees something he wants, he takes it. Knowing you belong to Trent will not stop him from trying to win you over,” he informs me. “And provided this little situation with your thieving friend works out, I would like to keep the peace with the Garzas. Because whiletheydon’t need us, we need them. There are certain connections that we cannot get to without their channels. They are the best at what they do, and we need that kind of certainty and reliability.”

I frown as I ask, “And Lorenzo wouldn’t care either way?”

“No. If he thinks he can steal you, he will try.” Stefano leans forward and sets the pen down. “For that reason, I am going to keep you glued to me instead of leaving you somewhere that he will get to you and, without a doubt, charm your thong off.”

Wow. The Castellos are…wow.

One brother values family enough to do whatever it takes to keep the peace, and the other would topple the entire foundation to steal his cousin’s woman.

“So,” Stefano continues as he picks up his cellphone, “wherever I go, you go. Wherever I sleep, you sleep. What is your dress size? Shoes?”