Page 21 of The Billionaire's Pact

I frowned. “Many women’s hymen break without sex. That’s not something you can definitely confirm.”

Her eyes narrowed. “You better hope I can because you’re representing us all, and we expect you to behave appropriately.”

“When have I ever gone against you?” I asked her. But from her gloomy expression, I knew there was more to it than just orders and demands. Something was truly bothering her.

“What’s wrong, Mrs. Belfiore?” I asked in a gentle tone.

She lowered her head. “If…If you ruin yourself, and Rocco leaves you, it will destroy any other good marriage prospects. I won’t be able to argue for something better.”

“How do I tell him no when he’s been told he controls me?” I asked.

Her face paled and she didn’t respond. I swallowed hard as my heart contracted. This willful, iron of a woman had grown on me.

I clasped her hands. “Don’t worry. I’ll do my best.”

She nodded and squeezed my hands. “Yes, you will.”

Her relief tinged the air. I could get annoyed, but I’d learned long ago my grandparents standing in their community mattered more than anything else. I was on my own, and that was how it had been since I was fourteen in boarding school. Whatever happened between us, I would be blamed, not Rocco. What could I do? I had no idea.

My grandfather’s office door opened again, and Rocco came out first. He shook their hands, then extended it to me to take. “Let’s go.”

I walked forward, and he placed his hand on my back. It was oddly warm, though I shivered. Once outside, I asked him, “Where are we going?”

“On our first date.”

I had never ridden in a sports car, and Rocco had a silver Ferrari parked outside. “What kind of a Ferrari is this?”

He held the door open for me. “It’s a Superfast, also known as my baby.”

I sat down. “Your baby? Ha.”

He leaned down close to my face, and my pulse sped up. “Don’t be jealous. I’m sure you’ll take her place soon enough.”

Some of the tension I still had from my conversation with my grandmother lessened as I laughed with him, and he closed the door. The seat was black, immaculate, and molded to my body in comfort. I strapped in. Instant love.

Rocco put the car into gear and sped down the hill away from the house. “That was excessive. I haven’t been interrogated like that since I was fourteen on a first date.”

Fourteen? Try twenty-two. Rocco coming to pick me up as my future husband was my first date. Daunting. I’d never spent time with a man I was physically attracted to.. Having a relationship with someone that could never come to anything seemed a waste. “My grandparents are protective.”

“There’s protection and then there’s overbearing. It must’ve been hard sitting there while we negotiated everything for you.” Annoyance was evident in his tone. “I’ll go over it with you whenever you want.”

A flutter went through my stomach at his concern, but my life was always straightforward. “Honestly, I expected it to go that way.”

“Because of the arranged marriage?” he asked.

“Yes.” I cleared my throat. “I’ve known about it since I was fourteen.”

He slowed the car. “Hmm. How do you feel about it?”

I shrugged. “I’m fine with it.”

He turned into his grandpa’s, Mr. Marini’s estate and stopped on the drive. The spot provided a view that was glorious and invisible to see from the road. The fountain was elaborate, with two nymphs on shells and a spring shower flowing from their vases. Two large stone lions were on top of pillars, and a long stone balustrade path led to the front of a tiered-pillared, arched entrance.

“I would take you inside, but Grandpa would lose his head if he didn’t get to show it off to you himself.”

“So where did he travel off to?” I asked. He hadn’t mentioned it in our conversation.

“He’s in Italy helping my aunt prepare for our wedding.”

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