Page 14 of Useless Love

I resist the urge to smirk. He’s pissed but he’s starting to cave.

“If a single hair on Gaia’s head is harmed, I’ll have the men kill you in an instant. I don’t give a fuck how your mother reacts.” He straightens his suit and then leaves the room.

His threat doesn’t surprise me because he’s done that to me before. Though, this is the first time I truly believe him.

Everything will be fine. My plan is solid. I don’t want Gaia to get hurt either, and she won’t. All she has to do is flirt, get engaged, and then step aside when it’s time to get married. It’s not like she’s going to fall in love with Jr. Gaudino. He’s a fucking monster like the rest of his godforsaken family.

And as soon as I get the chance, I’ll kill him.

There’s nothing to worry about. Only my hands will get dirty.

Gaia

“Did I say something incorrect?” I ask Carmine—who I’m shocked is a man I’ve seen before. I’m doing my best no to let my emotions show, but his are written all over his face.

He looks extremely concerned.

“Aren’t you Carla’s brother?” I ask him again. Then a thought hits me and my stomach sinks: what if Carla was killed and I just haven’t heard? “Is Carla okay?”

Carmine breaks his silence, saying, “She’s fine. I’m just fucking amazed. What are the odds that you and Carla know each other?”

I lower my gaze, thankful Carla is alive and well, but the moment of worry reminds me how important it is to end this war once and for all. And I feel guilty because now it seems my little secret will be out: I’ve been hanging out with a Gaudino at school

Carla Gaudino and I are schoolmates. Just like Arianna and me, she attends university under a fake name. University admissions know our true identity, but the class roaster says whatever we want. It was just a coincidence that Carla and I took psychology as our major. We had a few classes together, got to talking…and soon learned each other’s secrets. It didn’t take a genius to figure out that the two women with bodyguards belonged to an organization.

I first saw Carmine many months back and thought he was dreamy. I didn’t know who he was; I just assumed he was another student because he looks young for his age. Carla never indicated he was her brother, and I never suspected a Gaudino man would be hanging out at a university—the men often get private schooling.

Carla and I knew we could never truly be friends, considering the war between our families. But we talked casually as classmates and kept that secret from our families. Besides, we were just two ordinary women at school who happened to have a few people in common. Our organizations kept us away from business and told us nothing; we had no secrets to reveal.

Still, we couldn’t afford to let down our guard with each other.

The closest I ever got to Carmine was at a Korean BBQ outing for a friend’s birthday. He stared at me very intensely, but we never exchanged a word. At one point, I feared Carla had revealed my identity to whoever this man was—I thought maybe that was the reason he was around her, like he was a bodyguard. When Carmine hurried off to his car, I alerted my security that danger might be coming, and we escaped. Father questioned me in detail, but I didn’t want to make false accusations. An attempted hit on my life would make my father kill more Gaudinos.

Now that I know who Carmine is, it makes me wonder—why was he staring at me so hard that day?

He crosses his arms. “I’m going to have some stern words with my sister later. You two should’ve never hung out. You both know that socializing is dangerous.”

I give him a pout, remembering my goal of trying to win him over so he’ll agree to the marriage. “You make it sound so strategic, like we’re plotting with each other. We’re just two useless women who happen to go to the same school.”

He doesn’t look appeased, the sharp angle of his handsome face standing out. Arianna was so convinced he would just fall on his knees and want to marry me, but he looks like a tough shell to crack. I never imagined I’d be in this situation, thinking about asking a man to marry me. I always dreamed a man would propose to me someday—wishful thinking, I guess, considering what life I was born into.

What I don’t have is time. War is always pending. Peace talks can end.

The words are out before I can stop them, “What’s your take on our father’s proposal? Will you marry me?” I chew on my bottom lip. Or not?

Carmine’s mouth tightens, his eyes widening for a moment at my boldness, but other than that he has no other reaction.

Carmine’s father stands, then, clearing his throat. He waves to the remaining guards and they follow him out. Only a single Bencivenga guard remains to keep me safe in case something happens. The room is so quiet now: deathly quiet.

Maybe Arianna should have done this herself. I’m not strong enough for things like this.

Carmine’s gaze narrows. I get tired from standing like a soldier at attention in my own home. Carmine doesn’t seem eager to respond to my question or do much of anything, so I grab a bread roll that’s still on the table and sit across from him. I need to do something with my hands, so I start picking at the roll. Then I reach for the pitcher of tea to pour myself a drink.

Large, rough hands cover mine as Carmine intercepts and takes the pitcher from me. He pours me a glass. I freeze as he waits for me to collect the glass from his hands.

Look at the pair we make. He’s mute, while I’m unable to move.

His full, beautiful lips finally purse. “Days ago, I buried my dead, just as your family did. Today, here you sit, proposing marriage to me without hesitation. Ready to spread your legs under my body and produce babies that will bear the Gaudino legacy?”

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