Page 36 of Love Without Control

“My mama taught me everything I know,” Damiano said quietly, and Robert gave him a sad smile. I wondered what that was all about.

“I just thought your cannoli were a dream until you served us your tiramisù. Mmm, so decadent.” His eyes closed and his mouth gaped open.

“Would you cool it?” Jamie asked. “They don’t want to see what your O-face looks like.”

“Agreed,” grunted Damiano, his nose crunched up.

Jamie continued, “Okay, backstories. We decided it would be best to say you’re both only children and that your parents are no longer living. That way there won’t be any questions about your families.”

We nodded as Robert took over. “Jamie and I have a beach house in the Keys, so you can stay down there as a newlywed couple.”

“No!” I practically shouted, leaping from my chair and jerking my thumb in Damiano’s direction. “I amnotmarrying him.”

“On paper only,” Jamie said in a soothing voice. “There are two bedrooms in the house.”

“I have tolive with him?” I was pretty sure my eyeballs were about to spring from my head and onto the table.

“Honey, what did you think was going to happen?”

My brain scrambled for an answer. “I don’t know. I guess I thought we’d live on the same street or something.”Okay, I admit. That sounded a bit lame.

“Evie, there’s safety in numbers. And anyone looking for you won’t be looking for a married couple. It’s really the best cover.”

I crossed my arms over my chest and turned my back on them, pacing a few steps away. What they said made sense, but I didn’t like this. Not at all. But I was scared, and truth be told, I didn’t want to be alone. After a few minutes of silence where I massaged the tightness in my temples, I finally turned back around and leveled everyone at the table with a glare.

“If we do this, I have some rules.”

Damiano’s lips tipped up on one side, like I was fucking amusing him. “By all means, tell us your rules.”

“I’m not living with some Mafia thug,” I announced.

“Well, I’m obviously not with the family anymore,” Damiano pointed out, and I narrowed my eyes at him.

“That means no whacking anyone.”

Giving me a curt nod, he said, “Fine.”

“Also, no drugs.”

His jaw clenched, and his voice was firm and quiet. “I don’t do drugs. Ever.”

Walking up to him, I poked him in the chest. “And you better not leave your dirty socks in the living room.”

As I whirled around and stomped from the room, I heard Damiano mumble, “We’ve only been married ten seconds, and she’s already nagging.”

I made a sound of annoyance in the back of my throat and tried to talk myself down. Otherwise, I’d be the one doing the whacking.

“Okay, try one more time.”

“It’s so big,” I complained.

Jamie chuckled. “Evie, it’s fourteen millimeters in diameter.”

I stared down at the contact lens on my fingertip. “Are you sure? It seems like it’s bigger than a dinner plate.”

“I assure you, it’s not.”

The bathroom I shared with Damiano had a knee space, and I was seated on the small, padded chair with a stand mirror in front of me. “Okay, I’m trying again.”

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