Page 166 of Forced Vows

As an afterthought, I add another text because plans have had to change.

Ares: We need to talk about living arrangements.

Thirty minutes later when there is still no reply, I text again.

Ares: You are being immature and stubborn. Sometimes you are more trouble than your worth.

Which is a fucking lie, but I don't like being ignored by her. I want to see her. I need to see her. If she comes into Manhattan early, we can have lunch together before the interview.

Or spend our time doing something else.

Clearly, that is not happening.

I should have taken her with me to Boston.

The knowledge she might have refused to go sends my already foul mood plummeting.

This obsession is only getting worse.

When my brother and cousin figure out how bad it is, and they will, they are going to laugh their asses off.

Chapter 57: RÓISE

I finish my first final feeling pretty great. I know I aced it.

But when I check my texts, that sense of accomplishment gets shoved aside for anger.

I don't know what he means we need to talk about where we're going to live after we're married. Did he put that in there to try to get me to answer his texts in the middle of an exam.

Newsflash: it's a nonstarter. We've got nearly four months before I move in with him and there's no surprises waiting in the wings. The whole family, except his sister who lives in Vegas, reside in the top two floors of the De Luca's apartment building.

The last text makes me clench my hands in anger.

I'm more trouble than I'm worth? Really?

I told Giovanna about my finals schedule. She's the one who screwed up. Not me.

She could've scheduled this any other time, but she did this on purpose. Apparently, I'm on her list of people she doesn't like too.

Pulling up my shopping app, I put capsaicin in my cart.

I don't bother to text Miceli back, but I do tell Allessio that I am not leaving this campus before my last final exam is finished.

"And if it was so important to you all that I be there, someone could have told me before this morning." I give both him and Zoey the stink eye.

"Giovanna made it sound like you were already on board with the interview," Zoey says, way more worried about what I think of her than Allessio.

She wants to date my cousin.

"Giovanna is a bitch," I pronounce firmly. "I don't know what her problem with me is, but she has one."

"Um…" Zoey looks guilty.

"Spill," I demand.

But it's not Zoey who answers. It's Allessio. "As the daughter of a high ranking capo, Giovanna thinks she should be the underboss's wife."

"Plus she's got it bad for Miceli."

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