“It means sweet pepper in Italian,” Scarlett whispered in my ear, but she was grinning too.
“Scarlett.” Brando called her name and the look he sent her seemed to warn,stay out of it.
Stay out of what?I wanted to ask, but then I realized how Renato and Nazzareno were looking at each other. Nazzareno’s eyes were guarded, and his hand on my lower back was possessive. Renato seemed to have aI saw her firstclaim in his eyes. I was never one to be able to read an entire room full of people, but I felt the tension building between them like when the music built into a crescendo during the show.
I’d read about how territorial these men could get over women through books, but it was the first time I was experiencing it on this side of the page.
It made me fucking uneasy. I was anticipating them going for each other’s throats.
“I have been looking for you, angel,” Renato said. “You disappeared on me after you set a challenge at my feet.”
“I—” I glanced at Nazzareno. His eyes were hard on his cousin’s, but I knew I had to tread lightly when I answered. “It was a hectic night.”
Renato nodded, and his eyes seemed to harden over. “I have been told you were drugged.”
I sighed. “A man slipped something in my drink before you talked to me.”
Scarlett squeezed my arm, but it was in a protective way.
Renato ran his top teeth over his bottom lip. “I will find him, and I will kill him in your honor.”
“Do not waste your time.” Nazzareno’s voice was cold. “He has already been spoken for, or I would have already killed him.”
“Cugino,” Renato said, like he was just noticing Nazzareno. His voice was upbeat, but there was a taunting note underneath. “It is family news about your engagement now. Congratulations. It will be the wedding of the year, I am sure.” He looked at me. “Perhaps you will consider accompanying me, Peperone.”
Juliette gave a cackle when Renato called me Peperone, and Romeo draped his arm over her neck, pulling her in close, grinning.
“I won’t be here by then,” I blurted out.
Renato studied my face. “It seems mycuginohas not made you fall in love with Italy. After you spend time with me, you will. I will convince you to stay.” He winked at me.
Nazzareno went to step around me, but I stepped in front of him. His chest was hot against my back, but I forced out the words, “Spend time with you?”
“Sì.You have two days to collect your things from Nazzareno’s place in Rome, and then you will accompany me to Milan.”
It seemed like Nazzareno and I both looked at Rocco at the same time. His eyes were serious on Nazzareno’s as he gave a curt nod.
Luca must have made the decision.
I wondered if I would ever be able to leave without his permission.
I glanced at Nazzareno.
No, not Luca’s permission, but his.
I already knew the answer to that.
He would never let me go.
Something happened while my attention was elsewhere, trying to think this all through, because one minute I was standing in one place, and the next, I was standing closer to Scarlett. I could feel her cool breath on my shoulder as she watched the same scene.
Nazzareno and Renato standing toe to toe, their noses almost touching. Rocco stood almost between them, like he was standing in as a referee to make sure the rules of the family were kept.
I wondered what happened if they weren’t?
There were books that mentioned wars between the family in general, but no specific battles that would give me insight into what might happen, especially if a woman was at the heart of it.
I didn’t have feelings for Renato, or had even thought about him after the event in Venice. Maybe if I said the first thought, I could end this. I deliberated for a second before I took a step forward and opened my mouth to speak.
