Page 76 of A War Around Us

What was his deal?

“It’s okay to be intimidated,” I uttered.

“Please, you are nothing more than a walking liability,” Arlo quickly replied.

Huh, he really believed so.

“Arlo!”

Lucca lost his cool briefly and ran his hand over his face as if he was dealing with misbehaving children. He shook his head and pulled the chair out for me.

I sat on the right side of the head of the table. Arlo took the left, directly in front of me. Viktor sat to my left, with Davina taking Arlo’s right followed by Ilias.

Davina’s watchful eyes bounced between Lucca, Arlo, and I before breaking the silence to relieve the tension.

“Where’s Salvatore?” she asked.

Lucca only shook his head. No further explanation was given.

As lunch continued and courses of food came and went, I only paid attention to Lucca’s mood slowly easing. How he had relaxed while keeping fragments of his guard high. A thing I was mesmerized by as it was the first time I’d seen it. He had been in such a state of disarray earlier. Even while he didn’t smile or join in the conversation between his brothers and Davina, he seemed comfortable.

Envy crawled, knowing I wasn’t the one who made him feel such trust to do so and probably would never be able to. Meanwhile, jealousy stirred as I realized I had never felt that way around my own family.

“I checked on Wex and Vino when we came in. Talia mentioned their attachment to you,” Ilias said, looking right at me, and everyone quieted waiting for my reply.

I looked down at the dessert I’ve been playing with for twenty minutes and looked back at him with a slight smile.

“Well, they do sleep inside the room now.” I chuckled softly.

Ilias’s eyes widened with a smile as did Davina’s; then shortly, all their eyes shifted to Lucca, who just watched them back in silence. He hadn’t even touched his dessert.

“I’m glad to hear that, really.” Ilias kept looking at me, as if he had made up his mind about me.

“Yeah, we all are. They are a true…force,” Viktor added as if it was the best word he could describe them with.

Arlo’s glare did not disappear, nor did the bullseye I had now permanently etched onto his head.

“How is the wedding planning? Have you picked out a date yet?” Davina asked and quickly added, “Congratulations, by the way.”

Congratulations.

Was I the only one at this table who remembered the night I was vowed into an arranged marriage? The night I had been traded for power and other people’s lives as if mine meant nothing?

Davina bit her lip. I smiled.

“Thank you,” slipped through my teeth.

She nodded timidly, and her chest sank in realization of her words.

“Is there a date?” Arlo antagonized.

My eyes slid to his. His smirk only served the purpose to provoke and trigger. I glanced at Lucca, who watched me calmly. He wasn’t willing to help; he too wanted an answer.

“Soon.”

“Summer is right around the corner.” Arlo didn’t stop.

“She said soon, Arlo. Plus there’s nothing the Moretti name can’t get done in time even if it’sright around the corner.”

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