“Yes,” I reply immediately, sinking my spoon back into the cake slice. “All he preaches about is Dad’s rules and the family and everything. He’s as loyal as they come, which I know is a good thing, but it just makes me feel…”
“Smothered?” Giacomo offers.
I nod. “Exactly.”
“Why do you think I acted out so much.” He smiles. “Although in hindsight, my scrabble for freedom pretty much secured your lack of any.”
“Yeah, thanks for that. Dumping the family on my shoulders, huh?”
“While I get to live my life.” He smirks. “It’s blissful.”
“Tell me,” I demand. “Tell me about the people you were with at the nightclub or where you were when you missed the family dinner, which by the way, was also my engagement announcement.”
“What?” Giacomo’s brows lift. “To who?”
I pause eating. “Wait…you really don’t know?”
He shakes his head. “Dad’s marrying you off already?”
“Hm. To the Irish.”
“Shit…” His eyes drop to the table. “That’s fucked. I’m sorry, squirt.”
My stomach knots and the sweetness of the gateau sours in my mouth. “I’m trying really hard not to think about it, so please, distract me.”
Giacomo obliges with stories of a trip to the cinema that turned into sneaking into all the movies until they got caught, spending hours at an all-you-can-eat buffet, and several street races that nearly landed him in prison, but he’s quick to assure me that he’s far too skilled to be caught.
We live such different lives.
Giacomo doesn’t have to worry about who he falls for or who catches his eye.
That romantic freedom is what I’m most envious of.
As my brother details his latest romantic conquest, my attention drifts to Falco behind me.
Would I be interested in him if my life was as free as Giacomo’s?
Would he even look my way if he wasn’t paid to be my shadow?
My stomach knots tighten as my thoughts jumble together.
Rejection, impending marriage, attempts on my life from unknown sources that Dad calls a part of life due to my lineage… Do I really want this life?
“Tell you what.” Giacomo smacks his lips together, sucking on his spoon as he leans forward. “I’m going to take you out for some fun. You sound like you really need it. This time, I’ll take you to meet some of my real friends. How does that sound?”
My heart lifts immediately. “Really?”
“Sure! It’s the least I can do since you’re about to be married off like a goat.” Giacomo laughs.
I kick him hard under the table. “Don’t be an asshole!”
“Sorry, sorry. Listen, I know life is all sorts of fucked for you right now. Trust me, take it from the black sheep. It becomes bearable if you sneak in some real fun every now and then, and I do have you for the whole day so…” Giacomo stands. Like a wave, his guards melt off the walls and approach.
Falco does the same.
“We’re leaving,” he says as I stand, looking past me at Falco. “You’re dismissed.”
“No,” Falco replies flatly.
