Page 26 of Say I Do

I cleared my throat. “Will you marry me?”

Harlow sniffled, but I noticed not one tear had rolled down his cheeks. He glanced away, wiped at his eyes, and turned back to me as he nodded.

“Of course, I’ll marry you, Benito!”

I shoved the ring onto his finger a little too hard. When I stood up, I pulled him into my arms as people cheered.

It was my worst nightmare come true. A public engagement? Disgusting. When we pulled apart, my mom rubbed at her eyes with a napkin as Denji smiled.

“Okay, now kiss,” my mom choked out. “Come on. Kiss each other!”

My stomach tightened. “We do that plenty at home, Mom.” I laughed as I tried to brush it off. “I don’t think we need…”

“Oh, come on,” she urged. “You just got engaged! Don’t be all uptight like your father. Kiss, kiss, kiss—”

The more she chanted, the more the morons in the restaurant cheered with her. Harlow glanced at me, and I could see he felt exactly the same way I did.

“Kiss,” Denji said, his deep voice laced with an edge. “After all, you’re in love.”

His words sounded more like a threat than encouragement. I turned to Harlow. He backed up a step, but there was no getting out of it. After all, he’d wanted to put on a show. Here it was in all its fucked up glory.

I yanked Harlow against me. His gray eyes widened to the size of saucers. He shook his head, but it was beyond too late to go back now.

My hand gripped his cheek to keep his head steady. I leaned in fast, our lips crashed together, and heat erupted in the pit of my stomach. Harlow tried to pull away at first, but his will to resist melted as quickly as mine.

He kissed me back.

Our mouths moved against each other almost desperately. A pant slipped from my lips as a moan fell from his. Harlow pressed his body against mine. I felt the hard edge of his cock and was shocked to realize that I wanted to see it, feel it. I’d avoided looking at his dick so far, but now I almost wanted to strip him out of his clothes, throw him onto the table, and fuck him as the world watched. The sound around us faded into nothing as I gripped him so tightly I was positive we’d both crack and shatter.

Harlow pulled back first and broke the illusion. Reaching up, he touched his lips as he stared at me, stunned. I opened my mouth to say something, anything. However, my mother rounded the table and threw herself at me first. We were flooded by nosey people, and just like that, we were pulled apart.

I glanced over at Harlow. He stared at me, unblinking, as he continued to touch his mouth. A reporter shoved a phone in his face. How the hell they’d slipped in, I had no idea, but now they were invading.

Harlow fled.

I turned to go after him, not even sure what I would say. However, my path was quickly blocked as questions were thrown in my direction. I stared after Harlow before I remembered what I was here to do. All of this show was for them, the media. I needed to do the role of Benito Vitale and play my part.

As I always had.

What the fuck was that?My lips still tingled, and the further I got away from the mess in the restaurant, the more confused I was. It was a fucking kiss, nothing more. Yet my body was on fire.

Shit, I knew getting close to that man was dangerous. I only had myself to blame, but it was worth it seeing Benito knocked off his high horse and on his knees for a moment.

The stagnant air hit me hard as I slipped to the back of the restaurant. The stench of trash and mildew perfumed the air. It was far better than being in there and having reporters in my face. I could only handle so much. It creeped me the fuck out how much interest they took in people’s lives. It wasn’t like I was some movie star. No, I was just the son of one of the wealthiest men in Japan. Over there, we were practically royalty. Being in America, I’d hoped it wouldn’t be nearly as bad.

“Oh look, Princess Harlow.”

My brother’s voice sent a tendril of dread down my spine. I straightened up and stared at Daiki, Minato, and Kei as they walked toward me.

Princess, how original.I refrained from rolling my eyes.

“Dad said you’d try to escape,” Daiki said. He was my oldest brother, the one closest to our father. He looked me up and down with the same disapproving stare.

“I’m out here for some air.” I wasn’t running. That option wasn’t offered to me. Even if I could kill each of them and get out of there, it wouldn’t happen.

I’d live the remainder of my life glancing over my shoulder, waiting for my last breath. Even then, there was no guarantee I’d die once caught. Death would probably be the reward after they tortured me into insanity. Benito’s plan was feeling more solid by the second. We rode out this disaster of a marriage for a few years. Probably five to ten, max, and then get a divorce. The time would be worth the freedom.

Minato grinned from ear to ear as he draped his arm over my shoulder and pulled me in close. His dark brown eyes bore into me, but after having Benito glare at me, their gazes didn’t feel nearly as intimidating. A shiver worked down my spine anyway. The smile Minato sported would look more appealing on a shark.

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