Page 9 of Mafia Shade's Reluctant Bride
“Relax, it’s good news.” His voice was too cheerful. That never meant anything good.
I merged onto the main road. “Coming from you, I doubt that.”
“You remember when you told me about your mom’s… condition?”
My grip on the steering wheel tightened. “Vividly.”
“Well, turns out you’re not the only one with a dead parent who had a twisted sense of humor.” He laughed, but there was an edge to it. I wanted to remind him that my mother wasn’t dead, but I decided to let it go. “Maria’s stuck in the same mess.”
Something in my chest went tight at the mention of her name. Maria. I hadn’t let myself think about her in years. I hadn’t allowed myself to wonder where she was or what she was doing. It didn’t matter. I had burned that bridge myself. I had always had a soft spot for Maria. There was a certain time when I struggled not to feel anything for her because she was my best friend’s sister.
I forced my voice to stay even. “What’s your point?”
“My point is, we can solve both our problems at once.”
I already didn’t like where this was going. “Luca—” I tried to say, but he interrupted me mid-sentence.
“You need a wife. Maria needs a husband. Boom! Marriage of convenience. It could just be for a year. You both get your inheritance, and nobody has to fall in love or do anything stupid. Everyone goes home happy,”
I almost slammed on the brakes. “Are you out of your damn mind?” Luca was always coming up with ridiculous ideas, but this was way beyond ridiculous. It was absurd.
“It’s genius.”
“It’s insane.”
“Oh, come on. You know Maria. She’s stubborn, impossible to control, and would rather die than ask for help. She’s not going to find someone on her own.”
Like, I didn’t know that? Like I hadn’t memorized every little defiant quirk about her before I buried those memories deep?
My voice dropped. “And you think I’m the answer?”
Luca snorted. “You’re not exactly Prince Charming, but you’re better than some creep trying to get his hands on her inheritance.”
My grip on the wheel turned painful. “And she agreed to this?”
Silence.
I laughed, humorless. “You haven’t told her.”
“Minor detail.”
“No.”
“No?”
“I said no, Luca.”
“You didn’t even think about it.”
I have. I was thinking about it now, and that was the problem.
Luca sighed dramatically. “Listen, man. You need a wife. She needs a husband. It makes sense. And let’s be real. You were all about looking out for her. I bet you still are.”
My throat went dry. “That was a long time ago.”
“Uh-huh.”
I wanted to end the call. I wanted to pretend this conversation never happened.
