Page 17 of Brutal Power

I follow her gaze and anger rolls through me. Davide won’t listen to me, he won’t listen to Stefania, and I’m afraid he won’t listen to anything until it’s way too late. We’re in the middle of a war and the guy’s taking stupid, pointless risks, all for the sake of his silly pride.

I don’t need to get on him for this. He’s just carrying boxes. But I can’t help myself. I don’t want him to get arrested again, and I really don’t want him to hurt himself when that’s totally avoidable.

Except it’s not my battle to fight.

I walk away and leave Stefania to catch up with her brother and to give her husband shit for being such a stubborn ass. I spot Laura lurking on her porch and my little sister gives me a tight nod. I sit down on her stoop in the shade and pull my knees to my chest. She stays where she’s at, keeping her distance from everything, which is how she likes it.

“You can’t protect him from himself, you know,” she says, and I hate it when she’s all insightful and stuff.

“I can try.”

“You always do. How’s that going for you?”

I glare at her over my shoulder. “It’s wonderful.”

Her face barely registers any emotions as she shrugs. “Doubtful.” My little sister is beautiful with thick, wavy, dirty-blonde hair down to her shoulders, a small athletic body, and an angelic face, but she’s one of the strangest people I’ve ever known. It’s understandable, considering what she went through, but sometimes I wish she could display her empathy a little bit better.

Because it’s not like she can’t feel. It’s just that she’s terrible at showing it.

I watch the unloading happen like a swarm of ants until my phone buzzes. I’m tempted to ignore it, but Brody’s name shows up on my screen. “I was wondering when you’d need to hear my voice again.” I wander away from Laura’s house and back to mine.

“I talked to Omar Ali yesterday. He invited me to dinner.”

I can’t help but smile. “I know, Layla told me. Do you have any idea how painful that conversation was for me?”

“Yes, I do, and I’m also aware that it wouldn’t have happened if it weren’t for you.” He pauses and I’m curious if he’s about to thank me. “But I told him something stupid.”

Yep, that makes more sense. “What did you do?”

“I told him you and I would be married by the time we all get together to have dinner.”

My heart flutters. I pause in the shade of a tree and look over my shoulder. Nobody’s paying attention to me, and even if they were, nobody could notice the way my body’s reacting to the idea of being his wife. I mean, I know it’s going to happen, it’s just that I didn’t want to rush into it. I figured a few months of getting to know him then a nice little church ceremony. But this is fast, much faster than I expected.

“Layla wants to get together on Saturday,” I say softly.

“Then we’d better find a priest.”

“Did you discuss this with my brother?”

A pause. I can taste adrenaline as my heart races. “No. I’m talking to you first.”

I can’t explain how good that feels. He could’ve skipped straight to Simon, but he chose me.

“I can pencil you in this week,” I say as I reach my porch. Some of the soldiers are shouting and the trucks fire up again. They must be finished already. “How’s Thursday morning sound?”

“That works.”

“Wear something nice. And make sure you get me a ring.”

“Leave the panties at home, wifey.” He hangs up.

I smile to myself and stare at my phone screen. Then I sink into a chair outside of my front door and pull my knees to my chest, because in a few days I’m getting married to a man I barely know, a grumpy stranger that acts like I’m barely more than a useful stapler, and I’m not sure if I’m terrified or a little bit excited.

Chapter 10

Elena

It feels good to see the oasis strung up with fairy lights instead of riddled with bullet holes.

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