Page 21 of Welcome to the Sins of Blackstone
The chamber may be full, but in this moment, it’s only his eyes on mine. Cold, unyielding, daring me to understand.
He didn’t fight for sport. He didn’t fight for pride.
He fought for dominance. For power. For me.
And he won.
Massimo walks over to me, wraps his hand around the back of my neck, and slams his lips into mine. Letting everyone down here know that I’m his and no one will take me from him.
The Messina estate,just how I imagined it to me. Elegant, powerful, and intimidating. The dining room alone feels like another world, the long wooden table set with fine China, crystalglasses, and enough silverware to make my head spin. Who needs this many things next to their plate when eating? The chandelier above casts a golden glow, bouncing off the polished floors and the tall windows that let in the last bit of evening light.
I sit beside Massimo, close enough to feel the heat of his body. He kissed me, made my head spin and now he sits like nothing’s changed, while our future is decided two feet away.
Across from me, his mother watches with a poised, unreadable expression. She’s regal, refined, and intimidating in a way that doesn’t require words. His father, on the other hand, is more direct. He speaks in a low, commanding voice, talking to my uncle about alliances, agreements, and timelines as if my wedding is a business deal.
And maybe it is.
One thing I have learned from the small time I’ve been here; Massimo is every bit what his father is.
Luca, Massimo’s younger brother, leans back in his chair, swirling his drink in his glass with an amused grin, while Camilla, his sister, eats in silence, her sharp eyes flickering toward me every so often. I get the feeling she’s analyzing me, trying to determine if I’m good enough for their family, her brother.
Then there’s Sebastian, Massimo’s best friend, relaxed, he lounges in his chair like he belongs here, throwing in the occasional remark to keep the conversation from getting too heavy. I can see why they are friends; they respect each other.
I force myself to take a bite of the pasta, my stomach twisting as my uncle clears his throat beside me.
“How soon are you expecting this marriage to happen?” He finally asks. His voice is steady, but I know him well enough to sense the weight behind his words. My uncle, I know, is still worried about this, and I can’t lie. I am too.
Massimo’s father sets down his wine glass. “Two weeks.”
I freeze for just a second. Two weeks?
I knew the wedding would be soon, but hearing it aloud makes my breath catch. I reach for my glass, taking a slow sip of water to steady myself.
My uncle’s jaw tightens, but he nods. “I see.”
I glance at him, and then at Massimo, who hasn’t flinched at all. He looks completely at ease, like this was expected to happen. Like this was always the plan.
I swallow hard, pressing my hands against my lap. Two weeks. That’s all the time I have left with my uncle, with college, with anything that feels like a life of my own. And after that, a war will start.
“Maria?” The sound of my name startles me, and I gaze up to find Massimo’s father regarding me, waiting. “Is two weeks okay with you?”
I hesitate before answering him, and I feel Massimo’s gaze on me, then I whisper the word, “Yes.”
He studies me for a long moment before exchanging a glance with my uncle. “Then it is settled.”
And just like that. Two weeks from now, I will be Maria Messina.
Sebastian grins, raising his glass. “Well then, a toast to the future Mr. and Mrs. Messina.”
Glasses clink. Camilla smiles. Luca chuckles. My uncle exhales. And Massimo… Massimo just watches me, as if he can still see the worry all over me. The panic of what's about to become for us.
And for the first time tonight, I let myself look back at Massimo.
He’s dangerous, possessive, and relentless, but I am his now.
Chapter 10
Massimo
