“There’s something else. Are you taking the pill?”
Color drained from my face as I stared at him. “Of course not.”
Luca scrutinized me with unsettling calm. “Your mother could have made you start it in preparation for the wedding.”
I was pretty sure I was going to have a nervous breakdown any moment. “My mother would never do that. She won’t even talk to me about these things.”
Luca raised one eyebrow. “But you do know what happens between a man and a woman in a wedding night?”
He was mocking me, the bastard. “I do know what happens between normal couples. In our case, I think the word you’re looking for is rape.”
Luca’s eyes flashed with emotion. “I want you to start taking the pill.” He handed me a small packet. It was birth control.
“Don’t I need to see a doctor before I start taking birth control?”
“We have a doctor who’s been working for the Familia for decades. This is from him. You need to start taking the pill immediately. It takes 48 hours for them to start working.”
I couldn’t believe him. He seemed really eager to sleep with me. My stomach tightened. “And what if I don’t?”
Luca shrugged. “Then I’ll use a condom. Either way, on our wedding night you are mine.”
He opened the door and gestured for me to move. As if in trance, I walked into the living area of the suite. I hadn’t meant to make him angry, but now it was too late. It probably wasn’t the last time anyway.
Umberto stood beside Gianna and Lily, looking annoyed. He frowned at Luca. “What are you doing here?”
“You should pay better attention in the future and keep your breaks to a minimum,” Luca told him.
“I was gone for only a few minutes and there were guards in front of the other doors.”
Gianna smirked. Matteo’s eyes were locked on her. “What are you looking at?” she snapped.
Matteo leaned forward. “At your hot body.”
“Then keep looking.” She gave an one shoulder shrug. “Because that’s all you ever get to do with my hot body.”
“Stop it,” Umberto warned.
I wasn’t looking at him, but at Matteo who had a calculating expression on his face.
“Romero will take over the watch duty until the wedding,” Luca said. Umberto opened his mouth, but Luca raised a hand. “It’s done.” He turned to Romero who straightened at once. They walked a few steps away from us. Gianna pressed up to me. “What does he mean?”
“Romero is my new bodyguard.”
“He just wants to control you.”
“Shh.” I was watching Luca and Romero. After a moment, Romero glanced at Lily, then nodded and said something. They finally returned to us. “Romero will stay with you,” Luca said simply. He was so cold since I’d as good as called him a monster.
“And what am I supposed to do?” Umberto asked.
“You can guard their door.”
“Or you can join our stag party,” Matteo suggested.
“I’m not interested,” Umberto said.
Luca shrugged. “Suit yourself. Scuderi is coming with us.”
My father would go with them? I didn’t even want to know what they were up to.
Luca turned to me. “Remember what I told you.”
I didn’t say anything, only clutched the pill packet in my hand. Without another word, Luca and Matteo left. Romero held the door open. “You can leave too,” he told Umberto who glared but walked out after a moment. Romero shut the door and locked it.
Gianna gaped. “You can’t be serious.”
Romero leaned against the door, arms clasped in front of him. He didn’t react.
“Come, Gianna.” I pulled her with me toward the couch and plopped down. Lily was already kneeling on the armchair, watching Romero in rapt attention. Gianna’s eyes flitted down to my hand. “What’s this?”
“Birth control.”
“Don’t tell me that asshole gave it to you just now so he can screw you on your wedding night.”
I pressed my lips together.
“You aren’t going to take them, right?”
“I have to. It won’t stop Luca if I don’t. He’ll only be angry.”
Gianna shook her head, but I gave her a pleading look. “I don’t want to argue with you. Let’s watch a movie, okay? I really need the distraction.” After a moment, Gianna nodded. We picked out a random movie, but it was difficult to focus with Romero guarding us.
“Are you going to stand there all night?” I asked eventually. “You’re making me nervous. Can’t you sit down at least?”
He moved toward the vacant armchair and sank down. He shrugged off his jacket, revealing a white shirt and a holster holding two guns and a long knife.