Page 22 of His Little Spitfire

Camellia’s frowning when I find her on the other side. Not in a ‘you’re a traitor for letting the enemy between your legs’ kind of way, but a ‘something bad happened’. Did she and Santino get into a fight?

We’re a little late for any reversed decisions. However, if he hurt her, then I swear I’ll kill Urzo’s brother.

“Can we talk?” She chews on her lip, relief on her expression when she sees Urzo isn’t in any rush to join me. “Somewhere alone.”

We’ve been apart these last few days for most of the time. While she’s been absorbed with the don of this family, I’ve had the brute in bed to deal with.

“Yeah, for sure.” Glancing behind me, I’m quick to see Urzo is awake now, clearly hearing us. He’s got good ears, and he’s used to needing to know everything. “Stay. Don’t even think about it.”

I expect him to ignore me and get up, anyway. However, all he does is frown harsher. Whatever, I’ll take it.

Once my sister pulls me into the hall, she tangles her fingers together as we walk. “How are you?”

Sighing softly, I shrug my shoulders. “As good as I can be.”

“I heard you signed the papers.” Her blue eyes meet mine, and it’s a crashing wave of doubt behind them. “He didn’t force you, I hope.”

If I think about what happened in that room for even a second, my face is going to give everything away.

“No.” I squint ahead. “He didn’t.”

Her sigh of relief is soft and melodic. Reaching to grab my hand, she gives it a squeeze. “Santino wants marriage too, but I’ve talked him into throwing me a wedding. Something big enough to invite others.”

I don’t know who she’d want to invite. There’s only one person that comes to my mind, and even the thought of my brother makes my jaw tighten. She must hear my teeth grinding, because she gives my hand another squeeze. It’s supposed to reassure me, but it doesn’t.

I’ll never forgive him. Not only did he send Camellia on her own, unprotected and the fend for herself to get information he could’ve received with anyone else, he tried to speed up the marriage between me and the eye patch guy instead of gathering a team to go rescue her.

If I hadn’t run, I would’ve ended up with a ring around my finger quicker than Urzo got me to sign my name.

For some reason, my baby sister doesn’t own a single mean bone in her body. She forgives too easily. Luckily for her, I’m willing to cling onto a grudge double the size of one person.

Even now, she’s got a light in her eyes as she looks at me pleadingly. Whatever she has to say, she wants me to hear her out.

For her, I’m willing to at least listen.

“We saw him, Eliza. Santino… he wanted to kill him. But Rocco… he looked so lost. Like he’s given up. He looked the same way when our father…” She squints ahead like she can’t finish the sentence. Finally, she slowly inhales. “He looked lost,” she repeats. “And I think he needs help.”

Yeah. So did she, and look how that ended up.

“Does Santino have a sister? Might as well marry her off to him then. Since everyone thinks marriage saves everything around here.” I roll my eyes and shake my head. “Otherwise, he can find someone else to help him.”

“Eliza.” The way she drags my name out using that tone that makes me weak, she knows she’ll get her way. I know looking her way will only cause me trouble, so I try not to until she says my name again.

“God, okay.” Slipping my hand from hers, I hug myself as we walk. “You know these brothers won’t let us out of their sight.”

Her brows lift in surprise. “Even now, after everything is done?”

Chewing on the inside of my cheek, I shrug a shoulder. In truth, I don’t know how Urzo is going to act from this point forward.

I’ve got a feeling in my gut that he’ll still try to stick around. Even if Santino orders him to do anything, he’ll still find time to find me.

“I don’t think I’ll be able to slip out. So, how can we help Rocco out if we’re stuck here?” Hating that I’m actually trying to plan here, I scoff under my breath. “Invite him here, and I’m sure someone else with a gun will pull their trigger without the order.”

Camellia shivers at the thought. “If I could just sit down and talk to him…” She sighs and shakes her head. “I know I’m not getting the full picture here.”

She’s right. Neither of us are. Our brother is a mystery, and I know a conversation or two won’t give us the answers we need. He’s too stubborn, keeping all his burdens to himself.

I’ve been asking him why he isolated Camellia for years and every time, I’ve spoken to a brick wall.

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