“Samuel,” I said in a forced, polite voice. “Why don’t you give Danilo and me a moment?”
Samuel tore his gaze away from my fiancé and smiled. “I’m already giving you a moment.”
“Alone.”
Samuel shook his head once, his smile darkening, eyes returning to Danilo. “It’s my responsibility to protect your honor.”
Heat rose to my cheeks. If Danilo hadn’t been in the room, I would have lunged at my brother and wrung his neck.
Danilo stepped up to me and kissed my hand, but his eyes were on my brother. Releasing my hand, he said, “I can assure you Serafina’s honor is perfectly safe in my company. I will wait until our wedding night to claim my rights ... when she is no longer your responsibility.” Danilo’s voice had dipped in a threatening way. He had never hinted to sex before, and I knew it was to provoke my brother. Power plays between two alphas.
Samuel rocked forward, away from the wall, his hand going to his knife. I turned and stepped up to my twin, placing my hand against his chest. “Samuel,” I said in a warning tone, digging my nails into his skin through the fabric of his shirt. “Danilo is my fiancé. Give us a moment.”
Samuel lowered his gaze to my face, and for once his expression didn’t soften. “No,” he said firmly. “And you won’t defy my command.”
I often forgot what Samuel was. He was my twin, my best friend, my confidant first, but for five years he’d been a Made Man, a killer, and he wouldn’t back down in front of another man, especially not someone he would have to meet as a fellow Underboss. If I pushed further, he would look weak, and he was supposed to take over as Underboss from Dad in a few years. Even though I hated doing it and had never done it before, I cast my eyes down as if I was submitting to him.
Danilo might be my fiancé, but Samuel would always be my blood, and I didn’t want him to look weak in front of anyone. “You are right,” I said obediently. “I’m sorry.”
Samuel touched my shoulder and squeezed lightly. “Danilo,” he said in a low voice. “My sister will leave now. I want a word alone with you.”
My blood boiling, I gave Danilo an apologetic smile before I left. Once outside, my smile fell and I stormed through the foyer, needing to vent. Where was Dad? I turned the corner and collided with someone. “Careful,” came a drawl I knew well, and two hands steadied me.
I looked up. “Uncle Dante,” I said with a smile then flushed because I’d barreled into him like a five-year-old throwing a tantrum. I smoothed my dress, trying to look poised. After all, my uncle was pure control. He had to be as Boss of the Outfit.
Dante tilted his head with a small smile. “Is something the matter? You look upset.”
My cheeks heated further. “Samuel embarrassed me in front of Danilo. He’s alone with him now. Having a word. Can you please check on them before Samuel ruins everything?”
Dante chuckled but he nodded. “Your brother wants to protect you. Where are they?”
“Living room,” I said.
He squeezed my shoulder before walking away. Anger was still simmering under my skin. I would make Samuel pay for it. I made my way upstairs and into his room. A few knives and weapons belonging in a museum decorated the walls, but apart from that it was practically furnished. In a week or two Samuel would move into his own apartment in Chicago and work directly under Dante for a couple of years before returning to Minneapolis and eventually taking over for Dad.
I sank down on his bed, waiting. With every second that passed, I became more nervous. I got up and paced the room. When I heard his steps, I stopped and hid behind the door, carefully slipping out of my heels. The door opened and Samuel stepped in. I jumped, trying to land on his back and wrap my arms around his neck like I’d often done in the past.
Samuel caught me, hoisted me over his shoulder despite my struggling, and threw me down on the bed. Then he actually held me down, tousling my hair and tickling me.
“Stop!” I screeched between laughter. “Sam, stop!”
He did stop but gave me a smug grin. “You can’t win against me.”
“I liked it better when you were a scrawny boy and not this killing machine,” I muttered.
Something dark passed over Samuel’s eyes, and I touched his chest and lightly shoved him, a distraction from whatever horrors he was remembering. “How badly did you embarrass me in front of Danilo?”
“I went over the details of your wedding night with him.”
I stared at Samuel in horror. “You didn’t.”
“I did.”
I sat up. “What did you say?”
“I told him he better treat you like a lady on your wedding night. No dominant shit or anything.”
My cheeks blazed with heat, and I hit his shoulder hard.
He frowned, rubbing the spot. “What?”
“What!? You embarrassed me in front of Danilo. How could you talk about something like that with him? My wedding night isn’t your business.” My entire face was burning from embarrassment and anger. I couldn’t believe him. He had always been protective of me, of course, but this took things too far.
Samuel grimaced. “Trust me, it wasn’t easy for me. I don’t like to think that my little sister is going to have sex.”
I hit him again. “You are only three minutes older. And you have been having sex for years now. Do you even know how many women you’ve slept with?”
He shrugged. “I’m a man.”
“Oh shut up,” I muttered. “How am I ever going to face Danilo after what you did?”
“If it was up to me, you’d become a nun,” Samuel said, and I lost it.
He had a way to drive me up the wall. I lunged at him again but like before it was futile. The last time I stood a chance fighting Samuel was more than five years ago. Samuel wrapped his arms around me from behind and held me in place.
“I think I’ll carry you downstairs like this. Danilo is still talking to Dante. I’m sure he’ll love to see his future wife this disheveled. Maybe he’ll decide against marrying you if he sees you’re not quite the obedient lady you want him to believe you are.”
“You wouldn’t dare!” I kicked my legs but Samuel carried me, lodged against his chest like I was a puppet.
Dad came in, his eyes moving from me pressed against Samuel to my twin gripping me tightly. He shook his head once. “I thought you’d stop the brawling once you got older.”
Samuel released me and I stumbled to my feet. He smoothed his clothes, righting his gun and knife holsters. “She started it.”
I gave him a look. Smoothing my hair and clothes, I cleared my throat. “He embarrassed me in front of Danilo, Dad.”
“I told Danilo I’d rip his balls off if he didn’t treat her right on their wedding night.”
I scowled at my twin. He hadn’t mentioned that detail to me.
Dad gave me a wistful smile, touching my cheek. “My little dove.” Then he moved to Samuel and clapped his shoulder. “You did good.”
I gave the two of them an incredulous look. Stifling my annoyance—and worse, my gratefulness for their protectiveness—I walked out of Samuel’s bedroom into my own. I sat down on the bed, suddenly overcome with sadness. I was leaving my family, my home, for a city I didn’t know, a husband I barely knew.
At the sound of an unfamiliar knock, I stood and walked toward my door, opening it.
Surprise washed over me when I saw Danilo’s tall form. I opened my door wider but didn’t ask him in. That would have been too forward. Instead, I stepped out into the corridor. “I can’t ask you in.”
Danilo gave me an understanding smile. “Of course not. In case you’re worried, your uncle knows that I’m up here.”
“Oh,” I said, overwhelmed by his presence and the memory of what Samuel had done.
“I wanted to say goodbye. I’m leaving in a few minutes,” he continued.
“I’m sorry,” I said with as much dignity as my burning face allowed.
Danilo smiled with a small frown. “What for?”
“For what my brother did. He shouldn’t have talked to you about ... about our wedding night.”
Danilo chuckled and moved closer to me, his spicy scent wrapping around me. He took my hand and kissed it. My stomach fluttered. “He wants to protect you. That’s honorable. I don’t blame him. A woman like you should be treated like a lady, and I will treat you that way on our wedding night and on every night that follows.”
He leaned forward and lightly kissed my cheek. His eyes made it clear that he wanted to do more than that. He stepped back, letting go of my hand. I swallowed.
“I’m looking forward to being married to you, Serafina.”
“Me too,” I said quietly.
With a last look at me, he turned around and left. My heart pounding in my chest, I returned to my room and plopped down on my bed. I wasn’t in love with Danilo, but I could imagine falling for him. That was a good start and better than many other girls in my world got.
A few minutes later, someone knocked again. This time I recognized the unabashed pounding of a fist against wood. “Come in,” I said.
I didn’t have to look up to know who it was. I recognized Samuel’s steps with my eyes closed. He sank down beside me. “Thank you for obeying me when Danilo was around,” Samuel said quietly. He took my hand.