“He’s being a little overprotective. He basically told Mateo he’d kill him if he ever hurts you.”
I roll my eyes. “Why would he do that? Mateo’s his best friend. I’m just the sister he barely knows.”
“I think it’s because you’re the only blood relative he has,” Juliet says gently. “He’s probably just nervous.”
As soon as she finishes, Gino walks in and closes the door behind him. He sits on the bed next to Juliet, dressed in a black suit with a crisp white shirt.
“Are you about ready?” he asks.
“As ready as I’ll ever be,” I say, meeting his eye in the vanity mirror.
“This isn’t how I thought this would happen,” he admits. “I figured we’d have time to work through it before I told you. I should’ve said something the second I found out, but I didn’t. And please don’t blame Mateo. I told him not to say a word.”
I give a small shrug.
“Kevin will be up here in a few to walk you down,” he adds.
He and Juliet leave the room, Juliet offering me a soft smile as she goes.
The wedding itself passes in a blur. Uncle Kevin walks me down the aisle, the officiant rattles off the vows, and we exchange rings. They didn’t want to risk a church, so Gino’s backyard has to do. I barely remember the food or the cake. Thenext thing I know, Mateo and I are in his SUV, heading back toward the city.
“You good?” he softly asks, glancing over.
“Yeah. I’m good.” I catch sight of the gold band on his finger. Our eyes meet for a second before I quickly look away.
We pull onto the road, both of us lost in our own thoughts.
“I know you’re pissed. I can tell from the last few days. You’re avoiding me, barely talking to me, not even looking at me half the time. I’m sorry. I should’ve told you the second I knew—” he says, finally breaking the stretch of unspoken tension.
“It’s fine,” I mutter.
“It’s not, and you know it. Vanessa, I don’t want you to think I took advantage of you.”
“I don’t want to talk about this anymore. It’s done. Everyone got what they wanted.”
“Not everyone,” he admits. “You didn’t.”
“I doubt anyone is thinking about what I want.”
“I tried,” he confesses. “I mean, I fucked it up, but I tried.” He lets out a slow breath. “I wanted to tell you, but Gino and Kevin said it wasn’t a good idea.”
“Please don’t blame someone else. No matter what they said, you could have told me,” I say, letting out a frustrated breath.
“I know.”
The weight in the car is heavy, and I don’t know whether I want to scream at him or shut down completely. Uncle Kevin always told me not to forgive and forget too easily, so Mateo is going to have to earn it.
We reach his apartment and head for the elevators without a word. When we step inside, the place feels different, almost unfamiliar. Maybe it’s everything that happened today. Maybe it’s the realization that I can’t go back to my own place anymore.I go straight to my room and shut the door before Mateo can say anything.
It takes me a moment to realize why it feels so strange. All of my things are here. My books. My clothes. Everything. The truth settles in hard. This isn’t temporary. I’m married to a man I don’t know how to forgive for changing my life like this. I wanted to fall in love before I got married. I wanted children. But in this world, I’m sealed into something I never chose. I don’t even know if I want to bring a child into it.
Before I can stop myself, I swing the door open and head into the kitchen. Mateo is cooking, and it smells incredible. The sun is setting, light pouring through the windows and catching on the crisp white button-down he’s wearing. He’s infuriatingly attractive, and maybe one day I’ll be able to get used to living with him, even wanting him.
But not right now.
Almost perfectly timed with my staring, he turns and smirks at me. He starts plating the food while I stay where I am, watching him, not ready to speak. My stomach betrays me with a loud growl, and I groan softly.
“I noticed you barely ate, so I made us some dinner,” he says, guilt flickering across his face.
