Page 15 of Fix You

I nodded before continuing on to where Leo stood. Out on the lush green lawn, two of Edoardo’s teenage sons were playing football while a younger girl and boy chased them.

Just as Leandro stepped onto the grass to join them, a figure slammed into him, knocking the two to the ground. Instantly my hand went to my coat pocket for my gun, but then I realized it wasn’t an assailant who had taken Leo out.

Instead, it was a young woman.

A very voluptuous young woman outfitted in skin-tight black yoga pants and a red sports bra. She was splayed out across Leo who was staring up at the offending angel in a complete stupor. I didn’t know if his behavior stemmed from being hit in the head or being enamored by the sexy creature on top of him.

“Way to fuck up my touchdown,” she stated.

Leo slanted his dark brows at her. “Excuse me?”

She grinned down at him. “I was just about to score.”

His signature smirk curved across his lips. “My sincere apologies.”

“Andrea! What are you doing?” Edoardo shouted from behind me.

Andrea?“What the hell?” I murmured under my breath. As I surveyed the woman again, I realized my future wife was currently on top of my brother.

As if he realized the same thing, Leo muttered, “Oh shit.”

Andrea paled before she quickly scrambled off Leo and shot to her feet. “I’m sorry, Papa. We were just playing football.”

Edoardo’s face turned into an unattractive eggplant. “You were supposed to be making yourself presentable for your future husband, not screwing around with your brothers and sister! You’ve already kept Raphael waiting!”

She dropped her gaze to the ground. “I thought he was arriving this afternoon.”

Edoardo blew past me to grab Drea forcefully by the shoulders. She whimpered at his harsh shake. “You’ve always got your head in the clouds. You never listen!” he hissed.

“Leave her alone,” Leo growled.

While my eyes shot wide at his remark, Edoardo’s neck snapped around to glare at him. Although I agreed with Leo’s sentiment, I shook my head. “Leandro, this isn’t our business.”

His eyes darkened. “Not our business? That’s your future wife he’s manhandling.”

“He’s still her father,” I argued.

Edoardo sneered at Leandro. “Are the Nerettis so soft that they do not believe in teaching a woman her place?”

“Only cowards hit women,” Leandro replied.

At the venomous look in Edoardo’s eyes, I grabbed Leo’s arm. “Take a walk and cool off,” I growled

Leo slung out of my grasp. He gave a tight smile to Drea before he stalked away. “I’m very sorry for my brother’s behavior. He’s taking my sister’s disappearance very hard. However, there is no excuse for his disrespect.”

While my words seemed to be the balm to Edoardo’s fiery anger, Drea’s expression saddened. After Leo’s remarks, I’msure she was hoping to find another kindred spirit. But she was young and didn’t know how you had to play the game.

With a shake of his head, Edoardo replied, “I should be the one apologizing. It was my daughter’s insolence that started it all.”

“With all due respect, I find her behavior refreshing.”

While Drea jerked her head up to stare wide-eyed at me, Edoardo stared suspiciously. “You do?”

I nodded. “I want a wife with a strong maternal instinct. It’s evident that Drea cares very much for her siblings. I also like seeing that she's active and takes an interest in sports. I want a useful sort of wife. I loathe women who do nothing but spend their husband's money or drink all day with their friends.”

At Edoardo’s slight wince, I realized my words hit a little close to home. I could imagine his wife’s “charity projects” he’d mentioned earlier were just excuses to lunch and drink, much like my mother’s were. She didn’t give two shits about helping the less fortunate.

“Andrea is always active. She likes to think she can do what her brothers do,” Edoardo remarked.

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