Page 31 of Marrying the Enemy

Nico’s poker face was good, but not impervious. There was the tiniest hint of a flinch in his right eye.

“Eve was supposed to marry Logan to get you out of trouble, wasn’t she?” Dom was repeating what Logan had told Cat. “Offerman was a lousy bet on your part. Eve had zero interest in him and he spilled your money troubles to my date while they were wrecking his bed.”

Nico swore and pinched the bridge of his nose.

“Where’s Eve?” Dom asked again.

“You’re right. I don’t know.” He dropped his hand. “She blocked me over how things went with Logan.”

“Who does know?”

“Let it go, Blackwood. None of us are going to condone your marrying her. How could we ever trust you?”

“If I wanted to hurt her, I had ample opportunity in Australia,” Dom pointed out flatly.

Nico’s belligerent stare turned troubled. His mouth tightened and his nostrils flared.

“How bad was it?” Nico asked with gritty reluctance. “That night on the island. Was she scared?”

“It could have been very bad if she’d been there alone. At least I got her to the shack, otherwise she’d have been in the open all night during a storm.” Dom refused to pull that punch. “While we were getting drunk, waiting for rescue, she said, ‘My grandmother refused to marry your grandfather. Maybe he should have got over it.’ She’s right. It’s time we all got over it. If we don’t, who will? Do you really want to consign our children to playing this silly game?”

“We could just put down our swords,” Nico said. “Eve doesn’t need to be involved.”

“True.” But that wouldn’t bring Evie into his bed, would it? “But you’re not wrong about how little trust there is on both sides. We’ll both keep expecting a betrayal unless we have an old-fashioned arranged marriage that binds both families into one. The way it was supposed to happen in the first place.”

“Is that what this is?” Nico challenged. “Are you setting her up to be left at the altar, trying to settle that old score?”

“God, no. I’m tired, Nico. You’ve driven up the price on this property to the point it’s not practical for either of us to purchase it. But if I don’t counter your offer, you’re going to be in a very tricky position. Aren’t you?”

“So I can have this place or my sister? Is that what you’re threatening.”

Dom released a beleaguered sigh to the ceiling.

“Why do you even want to marry her?” It wasn’t the same cantankerous question. Nico’s eyes narrowed as he finally weighed Dom’s proposal more seriously. “What exactly happened between the two of you that this is even something you would consider?”

“She’s not exactly hard on the eyes.” Understatement. “Financially, an alliance between our companies would put us so far ahead, no one will ever catch us. And, believe it or not, I don’t relish destroying you. But I can.” Dom paused to let that sink in. “Now tell me where she is. If she agrees to marry me, I’ll buy this place for her as a wedding gift.”

Nico’s lip twitched into a sneer, but he only asked, “And if she doesn’t?”

“Then we’ll see.”

After a long, unbroken stare, Nico muttered something foul under his breath. Finally, he took out his phone, tapped and brought it to his ear.

“Where’s Eve?” Nico asked without any other greeting.

“Call her and ask.” The bored male voice was loud enough for Dom to hear it.

“It’s important, Christo,” Nico said with impatience. “Tell me.”

“Where do you think she is?”

“I’m not playing twenty questions.”

“Nonna’s. Obviously.”

“Oh. Of course.” Nico ended the call. “Our grandmother’s villa on Lake Como.”

“Give me the address.”

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