Page 64 of Useless Love

I can’t imagine my princess ever looking that way. Though at breakfast yesterday, she kind of did…

I extend my hand, moving closer to the twin. “You must be Gaia.”

She doesn’t shake my hand, only smirks. “You must be the Gaudino brother-in-law that nobody wanted.”

I lift my eyebrow. Bencivenga called this twin “gentle”? No fucking way.

“Get lost,” she says, looking ready to stab me. “I need to speak with my sister.”

My princess is looking away from me so I nod. “Sure. But I’d like to talk with you more, Gaia. get to know my sister-in-law.” I turn to Arianna. “You too, princess. Tomorrow, I’m heading out of town for business, so I want to talk to you.”

She nods, hugging her waist. I don’t like leaving her this way, but at least she’s with her sister. I exit the balcony.

***

I mingled at the party, waiting for the sisters to get done talking on the balcony. From what I can tell, it looks like there’s tension between them.

When Gaia finally leaves the balcony, she rushes toward the direction of her father’s office. At least, I think it’s Gaia. They’re ridiculously hard to tell apart. The other twin also leaves the balcony and rushes off to the kitchen. I’m not sure which one is which, so I head to Bencivenga’s office. If I picked the wrong twin to follow, then I can at least have the conversation with Bencivenga I need to have.

When I get there, I hear shouting behind the door, then something crashes. I burst in to find Bencivenga dangerously close to whatever twin is in the room. He must have thrown his whiskey glass because it’s now shattered against the wall.

My blood boils. It almost looks like he was about to hit his daughter, whichever twin it is. I better not find out that’s the case or he’s dead. No one hits my woman.

I hurry between them, pushing the twin behind me for protection. Then I glare at Bencivenga. “What’s going on?” I scowl.

“Family matters,” Bencivenga scowls back.

“Thought I was your son-in-law.”

“Not yet.”

We have a standoff and then the twin behind me speaks up. “I’m not your princess, and not in need of your weak protection.”

I turn around. “Doesn’t matter. Are you okay?”

She shrugs. “Yes. Father isn’t mad at me. I was just telling him I saw the Gaudino thug today who killed my brother.” She winks at me. “Bye.”

Gaia is…nothing about that woman is sweet. She seems as calculating as the men. Thank god I didn’t get arranged to marry her.

After she leaves and shuts the office door, I face Bencivenga. “As I asked before, what’s going on?”

Bencivenga puts distance between us, but he still looks ready to start a new war. “Apparently, my daughter saw the man who killed Luca today. A man your father swore was dead.”

“And?”

“And, it looks like our arrangement is over.”

My stomach drops but I continue to scowl at him. “You’re breaking off the marriage because my old man is a liar? Why the fuck do you think I took over? There are still a few men loyal to Sal. Give me a week to remove all of them. That’s reasonable.” I hope I don’t sound desperate because that’s how I feel. I care for Arianna; he can’t break the marriage arrangement now.

Bencivenga must sense my desperation because he relaxes and sits back on his desk, knowing he has the upper hand. “Listen, Carmine, I have no patience or time for games. All my daughters should be engaged by now. Yet, because of war, this hasn’t been achieved. I offered you my daughter months ago. I respect you both needed time to decide, but time is up. You keep stalling, so the arrangement is done and I’ll promise her to someone else. See you on the battlefield.” He motions to his guards, who move forward to escort me out.

“Wait, a fucking minute, old man,” I yell. “You don’t get to lecture and then dismiss me. I’m the fucking head of the Gaudinos now.”

It’s definitely a first for Bencivenga to be spoken to in such a voice. I can tell by his raised eyebrow.

He doesn’t respond, so I continue. “I told you, I will take care of Sal's remaining soldiers before the week is over. As for your daughter and my future wife, we’re getting married two months from now. That’s a fucking promise and the arrangement isn’t broken.”

He studies me for a moment, then he moves to sit behind his desk. “Make it three months. After her twenty-first birthday.”

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