“Luca. Where is he?”
The bartender laughs, “Wrong place, honey.”
I laugh in return, sounding delirious. “Get me my brother. Now.”
“Eddie, I got it.” Emilio walks up from behind me. “This is Luca’s sister, Bethany.”
Eddie’s face turned white with embarrassment. “My apologies.”
“Don’t worry about it.” After Eddie walks away, Emilio turns to me. “What are you doing here?”
“I need to see Luca,” I said.
“Shouldn’t you be at dinner?”
“I’m not marrying that thing.”
“That’s not your call.” Emilio pulls out a cigarette to light.
Pulling it right out of his mouth, “I’m making it my call. Emilio, that man is horrible.”
“Did he put his hands on you?”
I looked away, not wanting even to discuss it. “Please.”
After a pause, Emilio replied, “He’s in the back. Go past the red door over there.”
I storm through the red door, where I find Luca puffing a cigar on a sofa while flirting with a woman. I couldn’t see her face as her auburn hair covered it as she leaned toward Luca, and they both laughed.
“Luca.” I stood in front of them.
Turning his head to look at me. “Ah, B. You remember Veronica, don’t you?”
“Bethany? Oh my god, it’s been so long. You’re all grown up!”
I realized who it was: Veronica Miller, one of Luca’s childhood friends. She handles a lot of real estate in Arizona for my brother. I hadn’t seen her in years.
“Hey,” I tried to smile but wasn’t here to be social.
“Veronica, why don’t you go see where Emilio is.”
Right as she left, I was going to dig right in, but Luca spoke first. Puffing on the cigar, “You will marry him.”
“I had a hostess pull me from the table to save my ass. How can a stranger be more concerned about me than my brother?!”
“Emilio will speak to him.”
It was clear that Luca wasn’t going to budge.
“What is that going to do?”
“He will send a clear message,” Luca replied.
“You think that will prevent him from beating me to a bloody pulp?!” I fall to my knees, “Luca, please. Don’t let me go through with this.”
“Why don’t you get some rest? Tomorrow is a new day.”
My brother didn’t seem phased at all by my pleas. I get to my feet and leave with tears streaming down my face. As I drive home, I dial my mother.
