Page 13 of The Marriage Contract

“Make that your mantra, then,” Giulia says. “If he starts messing with your head—men are pretty good at that too—just tell yourself,This is business …”

“Thanks,” I say, taking her hand and squeezing it. “I guess sometimes I just need a wake-up call.”

“They don’t call me the human alarm clock for nothing.”

“Ha ha,” I say, in the same tone she used just a minute ago.

She grins. “Touché.”

My cell phone buzzes. It’s the number Allessio gave me when we first arranged the deal.“It’s the boss’s cell, but he rarely calls people. Mostly, you’ll be dealing with his staff.”

Yet Dario has texted me.Clara told me where you are. I’m coming to pick you up.

Why?I text back.

I’ll be there soon,he replies, completely ignoring my question.

CHAPTER SIX

DARIO

“Ididn’t hit him,” I growl down the phone at my father. “I just reminded him of who’s in charge. What did you want me to do, allow him to abuse our charity?”

“I’d rather we didn’t have weak points like charitable endeavors anyway,” he grumbles.

“The public relations benefits outweigh incidents like these. It’s not as if this sort of thing happens often.”

“No,” he sighs, “but the last thing we need while I’m busy with this deal is a feud with the Romanos. I didn’t spend half my life building up this Family just to have it fall apart because of some girl.”

“She’s my fiancée,” I snap, “and I never said it was about her.”

“You’ve never once become physical during an official meet. You use your fists and metal when you have to, but I’ve never known you to put your hands on a man during a business meeting. Now, here we are, and what’s changed? Do you imagine I was born yesterday? She affects you, and it wouldn’t be unfair to say it’s in a bad way.”

“I don’t tell you how to manage your relationship with Mother,” I point out. “I would like for you to extend the same courtesy.”

“My father—your grandfather—pledged me to your mother as an alliance to help strengthen the Family. I only met her once before our wedding day. What we did was for duty.”

“So you don’t love her.”

“Don’t get sentimental.”

“That’s not much of an answer,” I press.

Paolo and Allessio grow tense as they drive us through the city. There’s an air of “This isn’t good”stinking up the car. They’re not used to my father and I going back and forth like this. Usually, we agree, at least on matters of business. Regarding how much freedom a Family man should be allowed, that’s a different matter.

“What alliance does your fiancée offer us?”

“You told me to find a wife. I’ve found one. Now you’re criticizing my choice. I’m thinking you’ve set up a losing game.”

“How thoroughly have you vetted her? Are you sure she’s worthy of you?”

I cringe at his choice of words.Worthy, like I’m some goddamn pope or something, and people should line up to kiss my ring.

“She was unsure of which cutlery to use at dinner. She ate bread directly from the basket. Herelbowswere on thetable, son.”

He says this with complete disgust, as though it’s the most reprehensible thing a person could ever dream of doing. I grind my teeth, hating his tone and feeling sick by how obvious itseems to him. It should provoke the same response in me. If I were agood son, I wouldn’t even hesitate to agree with him.

“She was nervous,” I tell him. “That doesn’t mean she’s a bad person.”

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