PROLOGUE

BIANCA

I walked into the dinning hall before anyone could even comment on the tension in the air.

As far as they knew, I’d just been away on my internship. Arya hadn’t replied to my texts in days. And judging by her flushed cheeks, I didn’t need to guess why.

“Hi Arya,” I said, pulling her into a hug before she could stand.

Leonardo pulled her back to him like I was going to steal her away. That meant their little lovers’ quarrel was over.

“Brother,” I said flatly, nodding at Leonardo. He looked at me like I was a fly buzzing too close to his precious wife.

“How are you?” Arya asked.

“Great. Except you’ve been ignoring my texts. Why?”

“She’s been busy with her husband,” Leonardo cut in.

I turned to him. “I wasn’t talking to you.”

He gave me one of those looks. The kind that made it clear I should shut my mouth. So I did, for now anyways.

He changed the subject. “Where are our parents? They’re usually the first at the table.”

“If you weren’t lost in your romantic soap opera, you’d know Mama and Papa are in Madrid for our cousin’s wedding,” I said.

He grunted and picked up the serving spoon. “Then you can eat now.” He dumped an unreasonable amount of food on Arya’s plate.

“Is this just the appetizer or the whole damn meal?” she asked, eyeing the mountain.

“Eat up, wife. You’ll need the strength for later.”

Her face turned beet red.

“Gross. Get a room,” I said, rolling my eyes.

And right on cue, Roberto Grimani walked in.

He greeted the happy couple and skipped me.

Arya, trying to keep the peace, said, “Good that you’re here. Sit, eat with us.”

“Thank you.” He sat down and deliberately left a chair between us.

“Of course you’d skip me. No greetings or nothing. Why would you? I’m invisible, right?” I snapped.

Rob sighed. “And you wonder why I ignore you.”

“How sweet. Shouldn’t you be busy whispering lies to your latest conquest?” I shot back.

I’d seen the way he rotated through women like it was a sport.

Arya looked entertained. Leonardo couldn’t care less. He was already halfway through his plate.

“I didn’t realize you were watching me so closely. Obsessed much?” Rob smirked. “Too bad my sex life isn’t your business.”

I scoffed. “In your dreams. Please, I wouldn’t look at you even if you were the last man standing. Don’t flatter yourself.”

“The dreams I have of you are nightmares,” he muttered, grabbing a fork.

I stabbed my food and turned slowly to him.

“Good. Shows I’m not someone to mess with. Just looking at you makes me want to gouge your eyes out and feed them to you. You irritate me so much I’d rather rip out my own eyes than see your face again.”

Rob swallowed hard. “I guess it’s that time of the month,” he said with a stupid grin.

Everyone went silent.

What?

“What did you just say?” I asked, deadly calm.

Arya jumped in. “Rob, just shut up.”

But he kept going.

“Am I wrong though?”

Next thing I knew, I was in the air, aiming for his throat. My hands closed around Rob’s neck before he could blink.

I squeezed. Not hard enough to kill him. Just enough to make a point. Then I slammed my heel down on his foot.

That’s what you get for running your mouth like a bitch.

He shoved me off. “What the fuck? Are you crazy? No, scratch that. Of course you’re crazy. What is your problem?”

“You are,” I said, breathing hard.

Leonardo didn’t even care. He turned to his wife. “I think we should go eat in our bedroom, princess.”

He couldn’t even sit through a simple breakfast with us.

Arya looked between us. “We can’t just leave them. Let’s talk to them.”

Leonardo refused and just kept eating.

“I told you not to mess with me,” I hissed.

Rob glared. “You’re a psycho. A real one.”

“Yeah, maybe. But at least I’m not a sociopath like you. Or my brother.”

Arya’s eyes darted to Leonardo. Nothing. He didn’t react. Not a twitch.

“Guys, that’s enough,” she tried to step in again.

Rob pointed at me. “No. It’s not enough. She doesn’t care about anything. At least I care. You need help. Serious help.”

I laughed under my breath. “From you? That’s rich. Why don’t you help me fix my manwhore behavior and emotional unavailability too, since you love projecting your garbage onto me.”

“That all you got?”

“No. Go fuck yourself.”

“No. I would but I’m not gay.”

I paused.

He leaned in like he won something. “What? Suddenly quiet?”

“Rob, let it go,” Arya said, trying to calm the room.

But I was done playing nice.

“You must cringe when you look in the mirror. No man or woman should want you. And God knows what blackmail you use on those girls who do.”

Leonardo stood. “Okay, enough. Arya, let’s go.”

Arya looked back at me but didn’t fight him this time. “You guys should let it go. It’s too early for this.”

And then they were gone. It was just me and him.

Rob sat back down slowly. “The only blackmail I use is how good I am at pleasing them. Something you’d never understand.”

“Please. That’s not sad. That’s the luckiest thing that’s ever happened to me. I don’t fake anything. I’m not a pick me. And your taste in women is pathetic.”

He looked up, chewing slow.

“I like women who talk less and bend more.”

“Exactly. No taste and no standards. You pick easy girls because you can’t handle women who don’t need your validation.”

His hand froze halfway to his mouth and jaw tightened.

He dropped his cutlery. “You’re my best friend’s sister. That’s the only reason I’m not showing you exactly how much woman I can handle.”

He stood and walked out without another word.

“Pathetic man,” I muttered and picked up my fork. “I’ll pray for him.”

And I kept eating.