Luca Moretti has been my best friend since we were eight years old, when his father started working for mine. He's two years older than me, and every bit as terrifying as I can be when necessary, despite his outwardly sophisticated appearance. For years now, he’s not only been my best friend, he’s also my second-in-command. He's also the only person besides Giulia whom I trust completely.
Which is why I know he's going to be a problem before he even opens his mouth.
"So," he says, twirling pasta on his fork. "You want to tell me what's going on?"
"You'll have to be more specific."
"The girl. Savannah Beauregard." He takes a bite, chews thoughtfully. "You've been obsessed with her for what… weeks now? Rearranged your entire schedule, enrolled in archaeology courses, spending every free moment either with her or watching her."
"I'm not watching her."
"Romeo." His voice is flat. "I've known you since we were kids. I know when you're lying."
I set down my fork. "What's your point?"
"My point is that this is dangerous. She's engaged to Thaddeus Whitmore. Her family has history with yours—badhistory. And you're acting like a lovesick teenager instead of the calculating bastard I know you are."
"I'm not lovesick."
"Then what are you?"
I don't have an answer for that. I don't know what I am. I only know that when I'm near Savannah, I feel things I've never felt before. Real things. Not the performed emotions I've spent my life perfecting, but genuine feelings that I can't control. It terrifies me. And I can't stop.
"She's different," I say finally.
Luca’s mouth purses. "Different how?"
"She makes me feel things."
Luca stares at me for a long moment. "That's what I'm afraid of. Romeo, you don't feel things. I’ve known you your whole life. You’re a fucking terrifying sociopath, and for this life, it works. But this girl—she's getting under your skin, and that makes you vulnerable."
"I can handle it."
"Can you?" He leans forward. "Because from where I'm sitting, you're losing control of yourself. You're taking risks you wouldn't normally take. And for what? A girl who's engaged to someone else? A girl whose family hates yours?" He shakes his head. “You don’t just start feeling things overnight, Romeo. Not someone like you. I don’t know what this is, but it’s not real.”
It is. I know it is, but I also know continuing to protest isn’t going to make this sound any better. I sit back, ignoring the lasagna in front of me. "I don't care about the family history."
"Maybe you should. Dante is already suspicious. He knows something's off with you. And if he finds out you're pursuing a Beauregard?—"
I feel a flash of relief that Luca hasn’t said anything to my father. I hadn’t really thought he would—he’s loyal to me above all else—but the worry was there. "He won't find out."
"He will. He always does." Luca sits back, studying me. "What's your endgame here? You seduce her, break up her engagement, and then what? You think her family is going to accept you? You think your father is going to be okay with you bringing a Beauregard into the family?"
"I don't care what they think."
"That's the problem. You should care. This isn't just about you and her. This is about two families with a lot of bad blood between them. This is about business relationships and alliances and all the complicated shit that comes with who we are. Your father probably has ideas about whom he’d like you to marry before you’re thirty. I guarantee it isn’t a fucking Beauregard."
I know he's right. Logically, I know every word he's saying is true. This obsession with Savannah is dangerous. It's reckless. It's everything I've spent my life not getting caught up in because I’ve never felt a connection to anyone before.
But I don't care.
"I'm not stopping.” I nearly cross my arms over my chest, but manage to stop myself.
Luca sighs. "I didn't think you would. But I had to try." He picks up his fork again. "Just be careful. And when this blows up in your face—and it will—don't say I didn't warn you."
We finish lunch in relative silence, and when we part ways outside the restaurant, Luca grips my shoulder. "I hope she's worth it."
So do I.
