Page 69 of The Merciless King

My mouth had dropped open. “No. I didn’t mean it like that.”

“How did you mean it, Gianna? Am I boring you? Sorry, sister.” He stood.

“Dante, stop.” I swung my legs over my lounger and dropped the book. “Are you okay?”

I watched as he let out a long, held-in breath. Taking a step closer, I lay a hand on his arm, but he nudged it away.

“Tell me,” I said softly.

My brother is half a foot taller than I am, so when his eyes dropped to mine sharply and he lifted his sunglasses, I had to lift my face. When I did, I got hit with a blast of his pain.

“Adelina is engaged.”

Oh, god.

Heartbreak and fury whirled in his dark eyes.

“I’m sorry.” I put my hand back on his arm as Dante nodded and looked out across the yard.

I know how much he loved her. She may not have returned his affections—although I was sure Adelina returned them at one point—but Dante always told anyone who would listen that she was his.

I’m going to marry Adelina Baldoni.

I have heard that speech a thousand times since we were little.

“No, you are not,” Papa told him one day. “Gianna is marrying Leo. It’s inappropriate to have you both marry in the same family. I will not have it. Find another girl.”

“I don’t like Leo. Dante can marry Adelina,” I said when I was only ten.

I thought I was being helpful.

I wanted to see my brother happy. He’d already fake proposed to the Baldoni princess at least twenty times as we were growing up.

“That’s not up to you,” Mama replied that day. “The decision was made long ago. You will marry Leo.”

It’s true. We’ve always known our fates. I’m twenty-five and Dante is twenty-eight. I’m surprised I haven’t been married to him sooner.

I’m sure there is a reason, but what do I know? We’re all just pawns in their little games. Our lives mapped out for business and to strengthen the families.

“Let’s talk to Papa. We’re adults. They can’t force us,” I say, thinking the world has changed and surely there is another way.

Suddenly the emotion in Dante’s gaze vanishes and the coldness I’ve come to know in my brother returns.

“You will be married to Leo before the end of the year. Get prepared, Gia. Nothing can change this. It is the way it has to be.”

I know.

I know this. But do we have to accept it?

“You will be don one day. Can’t you do something?” My voice raised.

Dante turned to face me and took me by the shoulders, gripping hard. “Don’t you think if I could fucking change this, I would? All of it!”

I gasped.

I’d never heard him say anything like that before.

“What are you saying?”

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