Page 40 of Dex

My pulse hammers in my ears.The break-neck speed of this gives me whiplash.“We’ll leave in the family jet.All of us.”

There’s a chorus of objections from the brothers.The old man’s expression hardens.He levels each of us with a stare.“I know that as a family—”

Scoffs.From Rio.Matteo.Jett.

He ignores them.“We are a family,” he states coldly.“Bound by blood.”

More scorn.

Rio tilts his head, eyes sharp.“We only ever have meetings when it’s about business.And once in a while, you throw some food on the table at your place to make it look like a family gathering.”

The old man gives a tight smile.“Isn’t that enough?”

“It’s a long flight to Brazil,” Matteo moans.

No one says anything.

But the weight of everything, the wedding in Brazil, the flight, being cooped up together, hangs heavy in the air.

***

DANI

I shut the door to my hotel room, pressing my back against it as I exhale.My heart is racing.

I’m meeting Dexter for drinks tonight and all I feel is apprehension.But that little conversation we had, just me and him, without his father, without anyone else, it was … nice.

Bearable.

I need to stop thinking about him like that.He doesn’t want this.I get that.He has no ulterior motive for doing this.I’m helping my father, but he doesn’t seem to even like his father.

At least he’s doing it, because yesterday, he was against it and today, he agreed.

And me?

I need this to help my father.

I need this so I don’t end up marrying Oscar Ramos.

Now that it’s official, now that Dexter and I are getting married, it’s finally time to tell my best friend.I glance at my phone.Missed calls.A string of messages from Raquel, ever since I texted a few days ago that I was in New York, but I never told her why.

I video call my parents first, taking a deep breath.“Papai … it’s going ahead.”

“Meu amor, we know!”My mother’s voice bursts through the speaker, filled with excitement.“This is wonderful news!Have you got a picture of him?”

“No, Mãe, but I … I will.”

“Is he good?Is he kind?”my father asks.His voice is quieter, careful.I hesitate to answer.“Which son is he?”he asks.

“The second one.Dexter Knight.”

“A photo, meu amor,” my mother begs.

“I’ll send you one later, Mãe.We’re meeting this evening.”

“You are?”My mother clasps her hands together, eyes shining like I’ve just won a Nobel Peace Prize.“This is so much better than we thought!”She sighs happily.“Arranged marriages do work, Daniela.So what if you didn’t date him first?Do it the other way around.Equal minds, equal hearts.Love will soon follow.”

I swallow.She doesn’t fully understand why we’re doing this.

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