Page 16 of Dex

Zach continued.“Six brothers is a lot to remember.I guess you’re struggling to remember who’s who.”

Paul left me then, and I wish he hadn’t.That’s when the rude son left, too, saying he needed to get some air.I felt relieved that he left because I wasn’t prepared for anyone to be as rude to me as Dexter was.

Another brother stepped forward and smiled, looking effortlessly polished in his sophisticated tux.

“I’m Enzo.”He offered me his hand to shake.His voice was deep and he seemed suave and confident.I think he’s the youngest.There’s something about him, something refined.Then he turned to another brother, and this one wore a chain around his neck and had tattoos peeking from his wrist, but he walked away.

“Sorry about that,” Enzo said.“That was Matteo.He can be a little …,” he shrugged and didn’t complete his sentence.

And now, this is where I am.Standing around, trying to breathe.Trying to think about my parents, and why I’m doing this.

Enzo, Zach and Cari make small talk.I’m grateful that they’re trying.I feel like they’re nicer than the others, and they’re doing their best to make me feel welcome.But I don’t feel welcome at all, and I now start to wonder if I’ve made a big mistake.I start to think about Oscar Ramos.

“This is Rio,” Enzo says, breaking me out of my thoughts.He turns effortlessly to another brother, who’s gaze I’ve felt on me the entire time.We acknowledge one another with a nod, and then he pulls out his hand and I shake it.

“There are too many names to remember,” I admit, nervously.“I’m going to have a hard time keeping track of everyone.”

“Then maybe you shouldn’t agree to an arranged marriage with a stranger,” someone says.It’s a familiar voice.A cold voice.And it belongs to that rude man.The one who seems to despise me even though he barely knows me.I turn and find myself staring into the cold dark eyes of the brother I thought it was.Dexter.

“This is Dexter,” Enzo says.

“I remember.You’re so hard to forget,” I say, my voice thick with sarcasm.He looks at me, and he’s still unsmiling.As if I’ve ruined his evening just by breathing.He doesn’t bother responding.Instead, he lifts his beer bottle, takes a slow sip, and watches me over the rim.

Tall and clean shaven, from his build, he looks like someone who spends time at the gym.Slightly flummoxed by the blatant resentment, I ignore him and turn to Rio, but I immediately regret it.Because Rio is staring at me.Again.

I hate when this happens.And it happens all the time.

People assume beauty is some great blessing, but sometimes, it’s a curse.Because people sometimes just freeze around me.They don’t know what to say.They just stare.Now I’m convinced that I should’ve worn something different.Something less noticeable.

Rio doesn’t strike me as the silent type.There’s a confidence and swagger about him that he exudes in bucketfuls.Until now, when he’s staring at me.Looking like he’s been hit over the head with something hard.

I shift uncomfortably.

Thankfully, Cari jumps in.“You must find this quite overwhelming,” she says, her voice gentle.“I can imagine it’s not easy, walking into a place like this, with all these men in suits.”

I wonder what she knows about this arrangement.“It was a big decision to come here.”

“Whendidyou arrive?”Dexter asks.

“He talks,” I remark, my voice caustic.This gets me a few laughs, but it seems to aggravate him further.He raises an eyebrow.What did he expect after his rudeness?For me to take it?

“Oh, I can talk.I can talk a lot, as it happens.Just depends on if I want to.”

“To answer your question, I arrived a few days ago.”

“A few days ago, huh?”His voice is carefully neutral.“But I thought the deal was already over.”

I laugh, but it’s nervous.I don’t know how to answer.He blatantly referred to the deal.He’s not dancing around the issue.I stare at my glass, trying to stay cool and collected, trying not to rise to the slight edge in Dexter’s voice.

“Do you want to leave now?”Cari asks Jett quietly.From the periphery of my vision, Jett glances at his watch.

“Let’s go.I’d like to read Brooke a story before bedtime,” Jett replies, turning his back to me.“Excuse us,” he says, looking around at his brothers, and pointedly ignoring me.I don’t know why he hates me so much.He’s found and is with someone he loves.

He and Cari do look good together.

I’m not to blame for any of this.But still, Jett and his brothers, most of them, seem to hate me.

Except for the two youngest ones, Enzo and Zach, and the one who won’t stop staring.Rio.

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